“Go?” Brielle’s voice lifted in surprise.
“Yeah. To eat? I mean, your aunt’s paying.”
“You’re seriously wanting to take me out?”
“Do I have a choice?” I wasn’t about to pocket fiftybucks.
“Oh!”
I heard a muffledohhfffcome from somewhere else, but I couldn’t quite figure out where. Brielle put her hand to her back pocket and pulled her phone out, glanced at it, then jammed it back into the pocket.
“Tomorrow night?” I asked.
“That’s a Tuesday,” Brielle observed as though people weren’t allowed to eat on Tuesdays. She bit her lower lip.
That was distracting.
“Uh—yeah.” I blinked. “I mean, you want everyone to see us dating. So, let’s go out before the week is up. We can even take a selfie if you want.” I meant to tease her, and I think Brielle knew that, but she eyed me as though she doubted I was serious.
Then her face paled.
“Umm, if we’re going on anactualdate, you’ll have to meet my dad. He won’t allow it otherwise.”
“Even though you’re sixteen?” I had hoped to avoid her dad. “I mean, it’s just an actualfakedate, really.”
“Well, yeah. My parents are—involved. They want to know our friends.”
“That’s cool.” I dropped the tennis ball back into the plastic basket that held other balls. “I’ll pick you up at five? That’ll give me time to meet your dad.”
“Okay?” It was a question. Brielle was questioning if I was serious.
To be honest, so was I. I didn’t have time for this. But now I had money burning a hole in my pocket and the obligation to see it through. “What’s a good place to eat around here?”
“Finnegan’s?” Brielle offered. She tucked some hair behind her ear. “They make good hamburgers. Unless you wanted something different.”
“Burgers are great.”
She gave me a small smile.
I gave her one back.
What was one week and free burgers? Nothing.
Except I had to meet her dad.
"Brooks, eh?”
I met Brielle’s dad far sooner than I’d planned. With our plan set for tomorrow night, I’d followed Brielle upstairs to meet Reece and instead came face to face with a man who looked like he was nice but could turn cold and brutal in an instant if he needed to be.
And it was obvious Brielle was his little girl, because he literally said so. “How’s my little girl today?” and then gave her a quick side hug.
She ducked as though she was embarrassed to have me see the affection.
Reece rounded the corner from the kitchen. “Oh, hey, Dad!” He had a protein bar in his hand and tossed me an extra one.
I caught it without giving it much thought.
Mr. Walters eyed me. “We’ve not met before.”
