Allie held up her hands. “Stop it! Stop yelling at her. I decided to come with her, so it’s my fault too.”
I wrung my hands and turned to Allie. “It’s not your fault, but I do wish you had bothered to tell me where you were going.”
“Since when do I have to check in with you every time I go out?”
“Since you decided to spend time with Weres. You have no idea how dangerous they can be.” My anger was being replaced by worry. What if we’d been too late and the wolf had tried something more?
“Not as dangerous as you.”
“The difference is I’m not going to hurt you. They would.”
“Can we just go home?” she pleaded. Hailey now looked completely defeated and there was no reason to keep haranguing her. Luckily Allie was fine.
“Of course, I’ll take you home.”
“Flying?”
“I have my car.” For once I was glad to have the car as an excuse. I needed time alone with her and driving would take longer.
Allie turned around. “Is that okay, Hailey?”
“It’s fine.” Hailey wisely waved her on.
I wrapped my arm around Allie’s waist and led her toward my car.
As we walked away I heard Owen talking to Hailey. “You can’t talk to him like that! You have to respect him. Mom and Dad would kill you if they heard you talking that way.”
I hoped Allie wouldn’t read too much into that statement.
I pulled her into a hug, I needed her close. “Are you all right? I didn’t think to ask before.”
“I’m fine. I have a lot of questions, but I’m fine.”
“Can the questions wait?” I asked. My body was still calming down from the confrontation.
“For tonight, but you can’t put them off forever.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Completely.”
I opened her door for her before going around to my side.
Just as I pulled away from the curb she turned to me. “Okay, can I at least ask one question?”
I nodded. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“How’d you know where we were?”
“Why, are you worried I’m following you now?”
“Not exactly, I just need to know.” Not exactly? Would it have bothered her?
“It’s nothing that dramatic. Hailey left the email about the party open on her computer. Her mom found it and called Owen to get her.”
“Oh…”
“So, no more questions for tonight then?”
“Could I ask one more?”
I glanced over at her as we sat at a red light. I held her hand in her lap. “You’re a hard girl to say no to.”
“Who are you, Levi? What is it that you’re not telling me?”
I held on to her hand but turned my eyes back to the road. “No more questions. It’s late and I need to get you home.”
I knew the questions were just going to continue, but I wasn’t ready to give her all the answers yet. How long could I hold her off? The summer was flying by.
Chapter Nine
I knocked on Allie’s door, already missing her after a day. I was losing it, and there was absolutely nothing I could do.
The door opened, but it wasn’t Allie standing there.
The attractive woman bore a striking resemblance to Allie, but she was probably around twenty years older. “Well, hello there.”
“Oh, hi. Is Allie around?” I checked the room number again even though I’d already deduced the woman had to be her mom.
Allie materialized in the doorway. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I looked at her while waiting for my introduction.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us, sweetie?” Evidently her mother had the same idea.
“Oh yeah, Mom this is Levi.”
“It’s so nice to meet you Ms.—” I held out my hand at a loss for her mother’s last name. I knew her parents were divorced, and I wasn’t sure whether she’d gone back to a maiden name. That wasn’t something I wanted to mess up on our first meeting.
“It’s O’Connor but call me Diane.”
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Diane. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Have you? Funny, I haven’t heard anything about you. Unless, is this the friend I didn’t need to concern myself with?” Diane gave Allie an unmistakable look. She hadn’t even mentioned me to her mother? I tried not to let the disappointment get to me. Maybe she wasn’t the kind of girl who told her mother about her love life—but to say I was a friend? That stung.
Allie just stared at both of us with a deer in headlights look on her face.
I couldn’t just stand there. “Well, I’ll let you enjoy your time with your mother. Call me sometime. Once again, nice to meet you.”
“Wait, Levi. Do you have plans tomorrow night?” Diane turned to me. “We would love to have you join us for dinner. Allie’s father will be there as well.”
I reacted on instinct. I could make the dinner work for me. “I would love to join you for dinner. What time were you thinking?”
“Around seven o’clock down in the lobby?”
“Perfect, I look forward to it. Good night, Allie.” I made no effort to put her at ease. Calling me a friend wasn’t cool—not at all.
***
I waited for Allie and her parents in the lobby of the hotel the next night. I’d given her space, assuming she’d appreciate the time with her mom. For the first time in my life I was nervous about meeting someone. Meeting her mother was hard enough, but her dad? I still hadn’t talked to Allie about her failure to tell her mother about me. I figured I’d just have to take things into my own hands to move them in the right direction.
I was reading an angry email from my dad when I sensed Allie and her family approaching. I quickly pocketed my phone and took another inventory of how I looked. A collared shirt and khaki slacks seemed appropriate for the occasion.
I walked the few steps to meet them. “Hi Allie, Diane. Mr. Davis, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Levi.”
Her father held out his hand. “Hello, Levi, please call me Tim.”
“All right, Tim.” I accepted the firm handshake.
“So you’re the one my little girl has been spending all her time with?”
Nice. At least her dad knew about me.
I relaxed and smiled at him. “Yes, I have been monopolizing her attention all summer. I just can’t seem to get enough of her.”
“Allie told you about Levi?” Diane put a hand on her hip. The mannerism made her look so similar to her daughter.
“She didn’t have to tell me. I know what’s going on in my daughter’s life. I’m sorry she didn’t feel the need to share it with you.” Tim seemed pleased with himself. I didn’t know much about the current state of things with Allie’s parents, but there was some serious tension.
Diane pursed her lips. “She didn’t actually tell you then?”
“Not exactly,” Tim said through clenched teeth.
“So how did you hear?”
“Oy vey, Diane. You got me. No one actually told me, I only assumed.”
“Just like I thought.” Diane smiled smugly.
So much for Allie telling her Dad.
Allie gave me a fleeting ‘I’m sorry’ look. “Okay, let’s get to dinner before someone gets killed.”
“Good idea.” I put an arm around Allie as we headed toward the entrance. I leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Is this okay, friend?”
“Please don’t start,” she pleaded quietly.
As much as I wanted to reassure her, I needed her to know I wasn’t playing games. I wasn’t just her friend, and we both knew it. I also wasn’t disappearing from her life. She’d have to let me get to know her parents eventually. “Oh, I haven’t gotten started yet, babe.”
“Lovely.”
We were given a corner table at the Palace Café. It wasn’t a bad spot, but it wasn’t the best seat in the house. If it had been just
Allie and me, I would have complained, but I decided not to rock the boat with her parents. I pulled out Allie’s chair for her just as her father pulled out Diane’s. I was rewarded with a nod. Would he expect anything less of a man dating his daughter?
Allie and her mother were having some silent conversation I couldn’t quite read. I knew Allie was close to her mother, but there was definitely some strain there. I had a feeling it was about me.
Tim ordered a bottle of wine. As soon as the waiter left he looked at me. “So Levi, are you in school or have you graduated?”
“I’m about to start my senior year at Tulane.” Hopefully he wouldn’t have an issue with the age difference.
“Any plans yet for after graduation?” he asked. He was sizing me up. As a business man himself he probably wanted to make sure his daughter was dating someone ambitious.
Allie touched his arm. “Dad, you don’t need to interrogate him.”
I smiled. I had no problem with the line of questioning. “It’s fine. I don’t mind in the slightest. I’m going to be working in the family business.”
“And what kind of business is that?” Tim’s eyes brightened. I had his interest.
“It’s a large diversified corporation. We’ve got hands in a lot of places.” I kept things very broad and vague.
“Sounds a lot like my own. What did you say the name was?”
“I didn’t. It’s the Laurent Corporation.” I waited for his response. The name meant a lot in the business world.
His face reddened. “Oh wow, I had no idea.”
I smiled. I’d just gone up a few notches in his book.
“Will your business keep you in New Orleans, Levi? Any plans to spend time in the Northeast after graduation?”
“We’re very locally based, but there are some travel opportunities if I’m inclined.” I was hoping to keep Allie in New Orleans, but I’d do what I had to.
“I see.” Diane smiled lightly. I sensed she understood my feelings for Allie were nowhere near as casual as Allie had made them sound.
The waiter brought over the wine, and we ordered dinner. I wasn’t particularly hungry. I was more concerned with how Allie was responding to everything. Her whole body was tense, and I wondered why the situation had her so wound up.
Diane broke an awkward silence that had set in. “How did you two meet?”
I smiled thinking about the first few times I saw her. “Your daughter first caught my eye in the lobby of the hotel, but I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her formally until I ran into her at a karaoke bar of all places.”
“A karaoke bar?” Diane didn’t hide her surprise well. I’d been right that singing publicly wasn’t Allie’s thing.
“Yes. Allie and her friend did a lovely rendition of Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”
“I was wondering about that. Why isn’t Jessica joining us tonight?” Tim gave Allie a sidelong glance.
Diane’s face turned serious. “Do you mean to tell me you weren’t aware that Jess left weeks ago? You had no idea of this when you left our daughter alone in a hotel suite on Bourbon Street of all places and with Casanova over there?” Diane pointed at me, and I smirked.
Allie exhaled loudly. “Mom, I’m starting college in the fall. I don’t need to be babysat.”
Diane set down her wine with a thump. “Princeton is not New Orleans.”
“No it’s not, but it’s still unsupervised. Besides, I could have gone to college in New Orleans if I wanted.”
I knew she was just using it to make a point, but would she consider it? Would changing her college plans appeal to her?
The anger on Diane’s face had slowly melted into concern. “But you’re not. Your father shouldn’t have left you.”
“What’s done is done, it’s not an issue. Now please can we enjoy the evening?” Allie sighed.
Before things could get more uncomfortable, our meals arrived. I tried to come up with a new conversation, but Tim took care of that himself.
“So where do you live, Levi? Are you on campus?”
That was an easy enough question to answer. “I only lived on campus one year. I live in an apartment with a few friends. It’s a nice place. Isn’t it, Allie?”
Allie kicked me under the table. I’d warned her I wasn’t done making it clear just how much more than friends we were.
“Oh, Allie has seen it?” Diane took a slow sip of her wine.
I smiled at Allie. “Yes, she’s spent plenty of evenings there.”
Allie’s expression was priceless. “Evenings meaning hanging out. The only time I stayed over was on the couch. Okay? Can we please change the subject?”
“Of course.” I smiled. “So Diane, how long are you in town for?”
“I leave tomorrow morning. I only wanted to check in on Allie since no one else apparently is.” She pushed some food around on her plate. Evidently I wasn’t the only one without an appetite.
“Oh, that’s too bad. I would have loved to introduce you to my parents.”
“What?” Allie’s mouth fell open. I loved taking her by surprise.
Diane set down her fork. “How thoughtful, that would have been nice.”
“My parents know all about Allie and are so excited to meet her.” I returned her stare. That wasn’t exactly true. I did plan to tell my mother about her, but it’s just that in my world it was a bit more complicated. And technically my father knew she existed.
“It’s nice to hear you are close to your parents. I think communication between a parent and child is of extreme importance.” Diane gave Allie a disapproving look. I felt a twinge of guilt. I didn’t actually want to get her in trouble.
“Well, I’d like to meet your parents, Levi. Just name the time and place,” Tim quickly replied.
I’m sure he would. Tim was seeing dollar signs. “I will. My parents will be thrilled.”
“Excuse me.” Allie threw down her napkin and pushed back her chair. She stormed off, and I hoped she was only going to the restroom.
Tim was the safer one to talk to, but Diane had more of the answers I needed.
I was about to start in with the questions when Tim turned to his wife. “I didn’t know you were coming into town. You could have given me some warning.”
“Warning? To visit my daughter? I had to make sure she was doing all right.”
“And she’s fine. I’m capable of taking care of her.”
I tried to tune them out. It felt wrong to witness the fighting.
Thankfully a few moments later Allie returned with a grin, “Honey, we’re going to be late, aren’t we?”
“For what?” I watched her closer as she sat down. What was she playing at now?
“That thing we just couldn’t miss.” The look she shot me said it all. I needed to just go along with it.
“Oh yeah.”
“Well, we don’t want to keep you kids, let’s get the check.” Tim seemed to get it too. The guy had made his share of mistakes, but he understood when to just go with the flow.
Ten minutes later we headed for the door. Upstairs we hadn’t noticed the start of a torrential rainstorm.
“I didn’t know it was going to rain.” Diane appeared reluctant to enter the downpour.
“It’s just how things are here. It can go from a clear sky to a storm in minutes,” Allie explained. I smiled. She was really getting used to New Orleans.
“We might as well get it over with.” Tim didn’t seem concerned. Either that or he just wanted to get away from the situation.
“Okay, thanks for dinner. I won’t be back too late, Mom.” Allie was also ready.
“All right, have a nice night you two.” Diane waved before dashing out.
As soon as her parents disappeared, Allie tugged on my hand and walked right out into the rain. Instead of running back toward the hotel she stopped. “What the hell was all of that? What are you playing at?”
“What am I playing at? I can’t believe you didn’t tell your parents about m
e!” I finally let my feelings out. I wasn’t much for blowing things out of proportion, but calling me her friend wasn’t going to fly.
“What the heck was I supposed to tell them? It’s not like we’re officially together or anything.”
I felt my blood boiling. Was she kidding me? We’d been together the whole damn summer. “Not officially together? You mean I’ve been staying away from other girls all summer just for the fun of it?”
Her body relaxed. Something in my words got through to her. “It’s not like I’ve been with anyone else either.”
I let my anger subside. It wasn’t going to help anything. “Then what are we arguing about? That we’re both too stubborn to admit we actually have something here?”
“What does it matter? I mean it’s already August—”
No. She wasn’t going there. I still had time. “Just stop. I know what the problem is.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
It was time to step things up a notch. “Let me take you out on a real date.”
“Seriously? That’s your response? And what separates a real date from anything else?”
“Dinner, wine, nice clothes. Come on, it’ll be fun.”
She paused, and for a frightening second I thought she was going to say no. “Fine.”
“So Friday night at seven?”
“Okay. Are we done here ‘cause this rain is getting old and—”
Despite the rain, I could only concentrate on her face—on her lips. I interrupted her complaints by crushing my lips into hers. It wasn’t gentle. I was done being gentle. She didn’t seem to mind. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my head down to her level. I explored her mouth, reveling in the sweet taste.
A honking car brought us back to reality, and I stepped back slowly. I wanted her. I needed her. But not like that. Not yet. “I guess I should get you out of the rain.”
“You mean us?”
“No, just you. The rain doesn’t bother me much.” Besides, the cool water was helping my restraint.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“With me babe, the surprises never end.” I draped an arm over her shoulder and led her back to the hotel.
First & Forever (The Crescent Chronicles Book 4) Page 11