Page 63 of Blossoms of the Heart
Phoebe would be there. It would look like I was bringing my girlfriend to the family dinner. That was an important thing. It showed meaning.
“Candace I was actually talking about us going to lunch. As in earlier than now.” The edge on my voice was very evident.
“Oh God. Really?” She slapped her hand over her mouth. “So… you didn’t invite me to dinner?” The crestfallen look on her face got me.
Shit. Was this a game too? I didn’t know. I actually didn’t know anymore. The whole story sounded plausible, so maybe it wasn’t part of her games. I just didn’t get why she didn’t call or message back.
This was going to make me crazy.
“It’s okay. Come on let’s go.” I had to force that out.
This would be on me and somehow I’d have to work with it.
“Oh cool. Thanks. Excited again.” She looked it.
Tension seeped into my body giving me that trapped feeling again. I didn’t know what kind of evening this would be but I didn’t have any good feelings about it.
Not one bit.
* * *
Akito did his best to keep the smile on his face when he saw her.
Mitsuke widened her eyes as we walked into the dining room and Phoebe looked surprised.
We sat opposite them. I was directly in front of Phoebe.
“It’s so great to see you all and meet you, Dr. Walker,” Candace bubbled.
It took a moment for Phoebe to realize that she was referring to her.
“You too, and please call me Phoebe. Dr. Walker is my father.” Phoebe offered a thin smile. Polite, but I could tell there was some element of reservation.
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure if I could just call you by your first name. I don’t get to meet many doctors who have such a backing behind them.”
Sweet. She was going for sweet. Her biggest asset was her ability to be super sweet. It wasn’t that she wasn’t naturally like that—it was more the case that she used the trait to gather information. A form of manipulation.
I got a reminder of it over the last few days.
Phoebe glanced at me before answering, her blue gaze searching mine. “Backing?” she asked.
“Oh Tai talks very fondly of your accomplishments.”
“Does he?” Phoebe replied and glanced over at Mitsuke, who was already waiting for the look.
Those two were scary together. I’d forgotten how they were since it had been eleven years since we all sat together like this for dinner. I swore they’d developed telepathic abilities over the time they’d known each other.
“Candace, I’m amazed Tai never mentioned you were coming to dinner,” Mitsuke cut in. Translation for her was,Why are you here?
Leave it to Mitsuke to see past the sweet shit.
Candace blushed. “Oh, there was a misunderstanding on my part. I got a lunch date and dinner date confused, but Tai sweetly allowed me to come along.”
I groaned inwardly and rested my head on my hand.
Lunch date and dinner date.There was no date.
I needed a cigarette or a drink. Actually I needed a moment away from her.
