My eyes scanned the ground, not seeing anyone. But I felt like someone had their eyes on me. I turned around just as Brandon appeared. I ducked as he swung his arms around to grab me. His arms went above my head as I crouched, looking at him with wide, confused eyes.
He smiled wickedly. “Look at you. Already improving your ability to keep yourself safe.”
I stared at him, stunned, when I realized that he was stalking me on purpose to test my ability. I expected him to tellme what I’d done wrong, but the smile on his face told me I hadn’t.
I pulled myself up and felt a little proud. “You really shouldn’t jump people like that.”
He smirked. “True, but it’s my wife, so.”
The word wife sent a shockwave down my spine. I knew we were married, but we really weren’t. We were together because it made sense for Ilsa. Nothing more.
I could hear my father’s words in the back of my head. Give him what he wants. It was like cold fingers were grabbing at my spine, and I inhaled slowly to keep myself from shivering.
“How would you feel about going out for dinner tonight?”
My eyebrows went up at this. “Like…all three of us?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I think it would be nice. We can go out to the Boathouse that sits by the river. They have amazing food, and the weather is nice enough that we can eat outside.”
I glanced at Ilsa, who was on the swings now. Her hair blew in the wind, and I knew that it was a good idea. My father was slightly right. I couldn’t screw this up again, not because of him, but because of Ilsa.
I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”
Chapter 11 - Brandon
Ilsa squealed in the backseat as I parked the car. Jade gave me an apologetic look, but I smiled. Ilsa was excited, and I understood that. I could listen to her giggle and cheer all day long. It was a blessing to hear.
“We’re going to eat here!?” Ilsa asked with wide eyes. She was bouncing in her car seat, her eyes glued to the Boathouse restaurant.
I nodded. “We are. I made a reservation for the nicest table.”
Ilsa’s smile grew. I looked at Jade, who started to fidget in her seat. She wore a black dress that was layered with ruffles. She had bows that were holding the dress up on her shoulders. She looked stunning in it with her hair pinned back to the side, falling in smooth curls over her shoulder. You could see the different colors of brown in her hair as the sun hit it.
“Are you nervous?” I asked, offering her a soft smile. This was new for all of us, and I was grateful that Jade agreed to it so quickly.
Jade shrugged. “It’s just been a while since I’ve gone out to some place this nice. We couldn’t afford this.”
It twisted up my heart to hear. The Boathouse was nice, but it wasn’t as expensive as some of the other places we had in town.
“Well, don’t worry about tonight. I’m covering it.”
She smirked. “I would hope so, you invited us.”
We all got out of the car and headed inside. Ilsa clung to Jade, her eyes wide as she looked around the restaurant. The Boathouse wasn’t new. It had been around for many generationsand was well-maintained in condition. I used to come here a lot with Kaleb when we were growing up. They had the best food.
The host looked up and smiled at us. “Alpha Brandon. Your table is ready. It’s out on the deck.”
Ilsa looked up at me with sparkle in her eyes. She pulled on Jade’s arm. “It’s outside on the deck.”
We were guided outside where lights were hung up. The deck was designed to resemble the top of a boat, and with the river next to it, it felt like you were actually on one.
There was a gentle breeze, and it smelled like summer. Jade helped Ilsa into a chair and patted her head softly. Ilsa sat giddy in her seat as I sat down across from them. Jade slid into her chair, being sure to slide Ilsa in closer.
“What do you guys want to drink?” the waiter asked as she stopped by our table.
Jade gave a tight smile. “I’ll just have a water. Ilsa, what would you like?”
Ilsa smiled at the waiter. “Chocolate milk.”
