Page 8 of I Shouldn't Feel This Way

He ordered a French red wine and let me drink a glass, which I thought was totally cool of him. Mom didn’t like the idea of me going to parties and drinking, even though her husband was a damn alcoholic.Mega sigh.

“So … tell me about yourself, Aria.”

I watched him sip his drink while he gave me his undivided attention. My face was heating up. That stare was just doing things to me.

“Um … well, I’m in my senior year of high school.”

“That’s great! How are your studies going?” Those blue eyes pierced right through my defenses and made me feel so exposed.

“It’s going good. I don’t have any problems in the world of academia, if that’s what you’re wondering, Noah.”

He gave me a pained expression, as if I had injured him. “You know you can call me Dad, right?”

I nodded slowly. “I just … I don’t feel comfortable calling you that—yet. I mean, you haven’t been in my life. You feel like a stranger to me.” I took another sip of wine, and then felt a little guilty. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. My bad. I should understand how awkward you feel, and you’re right, if you’re more comfortable calling me by name, go right ahead.”

“I like your name.”

Well, that was a lie, because I loved it.

“I was the one who actually named you. Did you know that?”

I shook my head, captivated by his smile. This was news to me.

“During the first month of your mother’s pregnancy, we kept bouncing names back and forth. She wanted to name you Delilah, if you were a girl, and David, if you were a boy.”

Delilah? I certainly don’t feel like a Delilah.I laughed in my head.

“She had this long list, actually. But I knew right away what I wanted to call you. Your name came to me in a dream one night. I was walking on a beach, all alone. The sun was setting, and the sky was this beautiful coral color. As I approached the shore, the waves kept crashing in and soaking my feet and ankles.

“When I looked down, it was as if someone had taken a stick and traced your name in big bold letters in the sand. I rarely remember my dreams, but when I woke up, I remembered every detail and realized that it must have held some significance. I told your mother that she was going to give birth to a beautiful baby girl. This was way before we actually discovered your gender.”

Unbelievable.

“When I expressed that I wanted to name you Aria, she wasn’t too fond of it at first, but clearly changed her mind once you were born.”

Thank God.

“When is your birthday?” I asked.

“August second.”

“So that means … you’re a Leo.”

“Yes, I am.”

(Not that I believed in horoscopes, but I strongly identified with the character traits of my zodiac sign.)

“I’m thirty-three right now. I’m getting old.” He chuckled a bit, and I couldn’t help but smile because I loved the way he laughed.

He was far from old. Noah could’ve passed for a twenty-four- to twenty-seven-year-old guy.

“I was very young when I got your mother pregnant.”

“You’re still young.” I blushed, feeling embarrassed that he had this effect on me.

Our server came by the table again to take our orders. I was relieved because he distracted Noah long enough for the crimson color to fade from my cheeks.

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