Page 47 of Waiting for Acceptance
I lock my phone and toss it to the side. I’ll tell them about the trip to New York later. Time for a nap.
CHAPTER 25
FITZ
She said yes. I can’t believe she actually said yes. I had an entire presentation in my head ready to try and convince her, but she surprised me and agreed. I felt like I was two feet taller when I left her house. Though I’m not sure why, it is fake after all. For now, at least. I pick up my phone to call my father after finishing my workout, and for the first time in my life, I’m happy to be the one to call him. Mostly because I know what I have to tell him will piss him off.
“Fitz, what’s the matter?”
“Hello to you too, Father. Nothing is wrong, why do you ask?” He clears his throat and changes his tone.
“Oh, well, good then. How are you?” I can’t remember the last time my father asked me how I was doing.
“Um, I’m fine. I was actually calling to inform you I will be bringing someone with me to the event this weekend so there’s no need to involve Jessica again.” I hear him scoff and have to fight off the urge to hang up on him. Seeing as I’m the one who called him in the first place.
“Jessica has already been invited to the event. You will take her as planned. It’ll look bad if you cancel on her at the last minute.”
“It’s not last minute, the event isn’t for four days, and isn’t it also a bad look to take someone whoisn’tmy girlfriend to all of these events just for the sake of public image?”
“You don’thavea girlfriend.” I can feel the deviousness in the smirk on my face.
“Well, I’ll let you try that theory out when you meet her on Friday. I gotta go.”
“We’re not done, Fitz?—”
Click.
Yes, I believe we are.
I booked our first-class tickets to New York the minute I left her house Sunday morning, ensuring I didn’t pick thefirstflight out since my little troublemaker doesn’t seem to be a morning person. It’s quarter to eight when I pull in front of her house to pick her up, shocked to see she is sitting on her front porch with a cup of coffee in her hand, and a rolling suitcase next to her. Her carry-on is attached to the handle of the rolling bag and she’s wearing a small fanny pack across her chest. She’s wearing a ribbed lounge set, biker shorts with an oversized hoodie, and sneakers that look like they’d slide off and on pretty easily.
Someone is an experienced traveler.
“Morning, Sweetheart. Ready to go?” She rolls her eyes at the nickname and stands up to face me.
“I’ve been ready for hours. I get anxious on travel days.”
Well, fuck my nice gesture to let her sleep in. I guess sheisa morning person.
“Noted. I’ll book earlier flights from now on. This all?” Her cheeks redden and she offers me a small smile when I grab the handle of her suitcase to carry it to the car.
“Yeah, thanks.” After everything is loaded I open the door and much to my surprise she quietly gets in, only speaking to say thank you when I go to close the door behind her.
“So, what’s the itinerary this weekend?” she asks, tucking her foot beneath her ass as she turns to face me.
“Well, Friday is a convention I am speaking at. It should be pretty low-key, but you’ll be there with me. Just simple girlfriend stuff, sit front row during my time slot speaking on media marketing and how to use today's technology to help real estate careers, have lunch with me, basically justbewith me.” I glance over to see her face is a beautiful shade of red and she shifts in her seat to face forward.
“Yeah, okay. Sounds simple enough.” I take a deep breath and the scent of coconut and something a little more…I don’t know, minty maybe, hits my nose. God, she smells like— “What about Saturday?” I clear my throat, getting my mind back on track and growing a little more nervous now.
“Saturday is…my dad’s birthday.” I can see her head whip around, her short black hair flying around her face.
“You’re launching our relationship to your father, who wants you with someone else, mind you, on hisbirthday?!Are you insane?” I start to smile and earn a slap on the arm from her, making me laugh.
“Ow,” I say sarcastically.
“Fitz! This is a horrible idea!” she laughs the words out. A mix of fear and humor in her tone.
I shrug. “He’ll be fine. I already told him about you.”
