“Beckett paid it,” the waiter said.
“Oh my goodness,” Mom said. “That’s quite generous of him.”
Yes, especially since I’d ordered a bottle of champagne.
“No, listen. You bring me that bill, okay? You don’t even have to tell Beckett,” I told him.
“Really? That’s how you think things are done around here?” Beckett himself chimed in as he joined us.
Our waiter smiled at him. “I’ll take my leave,” he said as if laughing at a private joke.
Once he was gone, I introduced everyone. “Mom, Dad, this is Beckett. Beckett, meet my parents, Darla and Chris.”
Beckett shook hands first with Mom and then with Dad.
“How do you do?” he asked. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Piper’s told me so much about you.”
“Thank you, young man, for this dinner,” Dad said. “That’s very generous of you.”
“Yes, it is,” Mom added. “And thank you for getting us atable in the first place. We’ve tried to get reservations a number of times over the years, and it’s been impossible.”
“Of course. And never worry again about getting a table here, okay? Anytime you want, let me know, and I’ll take care of it. Same thing goes for any of our establishments.”
“I love dating a LeBlanc! But Beckett, that’s not okay. We’re not looking for special treatment,” I told him.
“Nonsense. Would you like another round of drinks?” he asked my parents. “On me, of course.”
“No, but thank you so much. Everything was lovely, and I believe I’m quite stuffed,” Mom said, although Dad was opening his mouth with the clear intention of saying yes. “Well, we’d better get going. It’s getting quite late for us old birds.”
This was Mom to a T. She didn’t want to disturb anything that we might have planned.
Dad frowned again. Mom had to practically tug at his arm to get him to move. I was certain Dad wanted to talk a bit more with Beckett, but I was grateful to Mom because I wasn’t quite ready for them to have drinks and chat.
As we all stepped out onto Royal, Mom and Dad beamed at me.
“It was lovely having dinner together. Beckett, thank you again. Maybe sometime you could join us too?” I could tell Mom was enchanted with my boyfriend. “Next time. Okay, Piper dear, we’re heading to the streetcar.”
We bid them goodbye, then hurried to the parking lot behind the restaurant. I looked up at Beckett. “Thanks for treating us to dinner, but you didn’t have to.”
“It’s a rule, and it’s nonnegotiable. Whenever you’re in a LeBlanc-Broussard establishment, you don’t pay.”
“Is that so? You just decided that without even consulting me?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re a bit bossy, huh?” I teased.
“Have anything against that?”
“No, not really.”
He chuckled. “Glad we settled that. Ready to head to the penthouse?”
“Hell yes.”
“I think my little girl might be asleep already.”
My goodness, I could hear the sadness in his voice. It was adorable.
