Slate and I link arms, this is our night after all.
Our parents are where they said they would be, my mother wearing a more form fitting dress than should be appropriate for dinner, but whatever. She looks straight down to my boots. Her jaw tightens, but to my surprise she doesn’t say anything.
The limo is pretentious and over the top. She gushes on about some of the performers and we all seem to tune out, nodding when appropriate.
Slate is sitting really close, he hasn’t been this forward yet, normally it’s Kalen who tries to close the line in front of people. Yet, it’s definitely Slate drawing circles on my leg with his finger.
Once at the restaurant, the driver lets us out. Other families must have had the same idea: the restaurant itself looks fancy as hell and it’s really busy. A tall and skinny guy greets us at the door.
“Please follow me, your table is ready.” We all follow.
Taking my seat, Baxter catches my eye at a corner table with an older man. He winks in my direction and continues on with his meal.
The waiter then comes and takes our drinks order and Monty orders a bottle of fancy champagne. A new waiter comes and wants to take our entree order. This place must be fancy because there are no prices next to the food. Everyone rattles off what they want and I have no idea what half this shit is. I have Sawyer on my left and thankfully he leans in and says, “Order anything that ends in broth. It’s the safest way to order.”
I pick the first one and he then proceeds to ask for mains, and I just see chicken and order that. Can’t mess that up. For dessert, Monty orders for the table.
“I’m just so excited,” Laura pipes up. “You were both amazing tonight.” Her praise gets my guard up. What’s her angle here?
“Did you really doubt they would be anything less than amazing?” Sawyer asks. Although his tone is polite, I can detect a hint of challenge in his tone.
“I have never heard either of you sing. So I was pleasantly surprised and how you pulled it off to look like you had amazing chemistry! That fake kiss was pretty genius.”
Slate coughs. “Yes, I was a bit hesitant when Amelie suggested it.” I kick Slate’s leg under the table.
Everyone seems to be genuinely having a good time by the time the mains are finished. I’m not sure how I felt about the broth, it just tasted like a stock cube in water.
“I’m actually really happy that we’re all together tonight…” Laura begins.
“Erm, honey, what are you doing?” Monty interrupts.
“I thought, as we’re all here, at the best restaurant in town…”
“No,” he shakes his head emphatically.
“No?”
“Tonight is Amelie and Slate’s night. Leave it be. We have Sunday.”
“Fine,” she pouts and sulks.
“Why don’t you kids go out and have some fun tonight?” Monty says, turning to address the rest of us. “You can take the limo. I will call a car for Laura and I.”
“And how do I get home?” Sawyer asks with a raised eyebrow and an amused glance.
“Go out with them, you need to remember you’re still young. You deserve to let off some steam, you work so hard.”
Sawyer looks sceptical.
“Come on, bro, loosen your tie for one night.”
Sawyer thinks it over, torn between coming and going. “Okay, someone has to keep an eye on Amelie, the guys will corrupt her in one night.”
“I’m already corrupt, but it would be nice to get to know my new stepbrother whilst he isn’t my teacher.” I smile sweetly.
Kalen coughs and Slate pats his back. “Call it bondage - I mean bonding.” Kalen thinks he is so funny. Monty thinks it is an amazing idea that we all bond. Maybe not if he knew the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
