Page 28 of Sweet Dreams
"Coming!" I responded. I spritzed on my perfume and then rushed downstairs, stopping a couple steps up from Ivan. I put my arms around his neck, leaned in, and gave him a slow kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist and then slid his hands down to cup my ass. That would never getold.
"You look gorgeous..." Ivan said in-between kisses. "I think we can be a little late." Then he slid his hands up my dress and palmed each cheek,squeezing.
I broke off the kiss with an alarmed squeak. “Hell, no. I'll make the very best impression on your parents and that does not include us being late to dinner. Uhn uh. Nope. No way." I pushed back on his shoulders and kept a stern look on my face. "Hands to yourself for right now. I promise we can playlater."
I'd never seen a grown man pout and pull off the look, but Ivan managed it. He also managed to block my way down the stairs until I'd sworn to allow him that playtime after dinner. Then his smile came back out, he grabbed my hand, and off we went to dinner with hisparents.
When we arrived at the restaurant in Newport, his parents were already seated at a prime table right by the glass wall overlooking the beach. They both stood and gave me a hug before we all sat down again, with Susan directly across from me. Ivan reached for my hand and held it under the table. He gave me a reassuring squeeze. We made small talk, ordered our dinner and drinks, and then they got down to thegrilling.
"So, Ivan tells me you're a businesswoman. Would you tell me about that?" Mitch askedme.
"Sure. I own and operate Chocolate Dreams in Huntington Beach. I opened in November last year and things have been going great. We're already operating at a profit and I haven't yet done any big promotional things to advertise. I have some plans for this summer, as I'm assuming the hot chocolate won't be as big a draw when it's ninety degrees outside," I said, warming to the topic. I was nervous to talk business with a successful business man, but this was my jam. I loved my business and could talk about it fordays.
"How'd you get into hot chocolate of all things?" Susan asked with a warmsmile.
"Well, I've just always loved it since I was a kid. I'd make different kinds for my parents and friends growing up. My mom and I used to dream of opening our own shop when I was out of college. She'd man the cash register and stock everything. I'd make all the recipes and do all the marketing. Unfortunately, she didn't get to realize that dream, but I did," I endedsoftly.
Susan reached across the table and laid her hand on top of mine. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents, dear. They sound like wonderful people. I'm sure your mom is so proud of what you've accomplished," shesaid.
I still can't talk about my parents without getting teary-eyed, especially when a mom-figure is telling me she's sure my mom is proud of me. I only wish I could hear my own mom say those words. I blinked back the tears and gave her a small smile. "Thankyou."
Ivan leaned in, put his arm around me, and moved the conversation along, sensing I could use a minute. "You should hear the guys at work rave about her hot chocolate. They keep volunteering to check in on her, which I hope is because they want her hot chocolate, not because they're trying to make a move on her." He frowned, and I chuckled, finding thatridiculous.
“We must swing by soon and try these famous hot chocolates. Might be just the thing to cater in for my next company-wide meeting. I strive to make my employees happy and it would introduce more people to your shop. Why don't I come by this week, try it out, and then we can discuss?" Mitch askedme.
"That would be great, Mr. Whittington.” I knew I was pretty much only pulling people in from Huntington Beach. If I could get some word of mouth going in Newport that could really boost my traffic. This could be a huge opportunity forme!
"Please, it's Mitch. Mr. Whittington just sounds too stuffy. I know I'm old, but I try to maintain an image of still being cool," Mitch said with a smile. He looked so much like Ivan, just older and more ivy league. Ivan dressed nicely but still looked like a regular guy. Mitch had that look, like you just knew his outfit cost more thanyours.
"Sorry, Mitch. I'd love the opportunity, but I don't want you to do me any special favors," I assuredhim.
"What's the point of owning your own business if you can't spend your money as you please? If you had a friend that was great at baking, and they wanted a place to sell their goods, wouldn't you offer up a selection at your shop? It's not special treatment. It's just good business to carry great products and work with good people. You're good people, Esa. I can already tell," Mitch continued with a head nod and warmsmile.
I smiled back, my heart warming up and my nerves dissipating. "And I can tell you're good people too," I said looking between Susan and Mitch. "I appreciate you hiring the private detective to keep me safe. You didn't need to do that, but I appreciate it nonetheless.” I paused and then decided to share a piece of me with them. "It's been a long time since I've had parents to look out for me, and you doing that means a lot to me. I don't take itlightly."
"We're happy to be there for you in any way you need us, Esa. You just have to ask. And we'll be there for you even when you don't ask..." Susan said, then followed with a chuckle. We all joined in and just like that, any tension or anger over their hiring of the detective was so long gone, I forgot it was ever anissue.
We continued getting to know each other through the main course and over a shared dessert. When it was time to go, neither Ivan or his parents would hear of me helping to pay the bill. So I simply smiled, said thank you, and swallowed my instinct to argue. See? I was learning to accept help. Progress,baby!
The four of us walked out of the restaurant together, saying goodbye to his parents when the valet brought their car around. As they drove off, we started walking across the parking lot, then down the sidewalk to Ivan's parked truck a block away from the restaurant. It was dark out, but there were street lamps every few yards. I was breathing easy for the first time in several hours, knowing our first dinner together had gonewell.
We reached Ivan's truck, my feet grateful for the promise of taking my heels off in just a few seconds. Ivan opened my door, helped me up, then slid his hands up to my cheeks and held my face, looking into myeyes.
"You did great tonight, baby. I told you there was nothing to worry about and I hope you see now that my parents are already on your side. Even if they weren't, it wouldn't matter. You're it for me, understand?" Ivan said with a seriousness to his voice I hadn't heard before. I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak. That certainly sounded like a forever type comment. Or leading up to the three little words. A future together. I didn't know what to say back so I just let his words wash overme.
A committed boyfriend AND a set of parents looking out for me? It was exactly what I wanted, even when I didn't know it, when I was running away from every possible datingscenario.
Ivan dipped down to kiss me, ran his thumb across my bottom lip, then released my face. "I believe you promised me something after dinner..." He winked, causing me to smile and then moved to shut my door. As he was walking around in front of the truck to get to the driver's side, I saw a shadow jump out from the bushes on the sidewalk. It was a man, dressed all in black. Before I even registered what was happening, he had hit Ivan across the head and was tackling him frombehind.
I screamed and jumped out of the truck. To do what, I don't know, but I knew I had to help my man. I left the truck door open and ran up behind the guy who was still standing and wrestling with Ivan. Ivan was trying to fight him off but I'm sure the blow to the head and being attacked from behind wasn't helpingmatters.
I didn't think about what to do, I just reached both hands up and grabbed his shoulders, wrenching him off of Ivan as hard as I could. Then I kicked out one of my heels to connect with the back of the man's knee. He yelped and went down on the pavement to one knee. Ivan whipped around and punched him in theface.
"Call 911!" Ivan yelled at me, still trying to keep the guy down, doling out punches and avoiding getting hit back in theprocess.
I ran back around the truck door, grabbed my handbag, dug out my purse, which isn't easy with shaky hands, let me tell you. Then I hit 911 and immediately told the operator we'd been assaulted and my boyfriend was still in a fight with this guy. She asked for our location, to which I could only remember the name of the restaurant, not the street we were on. She told me to stay on the phone with her until the policearrived.
Then the guy landed a punch in Ivan's face, making me gasp out loud. I know Ivan took the punch, but I swear I felt it on my face too. I couldn't just stand there and watch Ivan gethurt.
