done. I just thought that was a funny comment.” She smirked.
“Well, I haven’t been on a date in many years, and that was something that I told her when we had our arrangement. I wasn’t interested in her in that way, it was strictly sex with her. So in that sense, yes, you are special.” He winked.
Brandi cleared her throat, now it was her turn to blush. The waiter came within minutes of their seating and took their order.
“Brandi, thank you for coming out to dinner with me. I had planned to bring you here that night I came back from Boston. Speaking of Boston, my sister is having her engagement party this weekend; would you do me the honor of being my date?” He gave her that boyish grin she loved so much.
“Wow, Mr. Calhoun, meeting the family…that’s a big step.”
“Oh. Well, you don’t have to come I just thought I would ask…” his words trailed off.
“Sweetie, I would love to come with you. I think it would be great to meet your family.” Neal took both of her hands into his across the table. They sat in silence allowing their eyes to do all the talking.
Chapter 13 “Brandi, relax sweetie, there’s nothing to be nervous about. My family is really cool.” Neal looked across the seat at Brandi as they rode down the street in a taxi.
“You can tell I’m nervous?”
Neal held up the hand. “Your palms are starting to sweat.”
“Oh…” Brandi wiped both her hands on her dress and sat up straight. She placed her hands in her lap. Neal shook his head with a smile.
Neal’s parents had rented a venue on the Upper Westside of Manhattan for the engagement party. Only close family and friends would be there. Neal helped Brandi out of the cab when they reached the venue. “You okay?”
“Well, my sweaty palms are under control but now my stomach is all in knots and my mouth is dry.”
Neal kissed her on the cheek. ~oOo~ When they entered the building, they followed the sound of voices into the dining hall. Everyone was gathered around talking, laughing, and drinking champagne. Brandi scanned the room. She had seen photos of his family members in his apartment. The first person she recognized was Neal’s sister, Emily.
“Neal!” Emily extended her arms for a hug.
“Hey lil sis!” He embraced Emily, they rocked back and forth as they hugged.
Brandi held her clutch in both hands, standing up straight and poised. She smiled at the obvious love shared between Neal and his sister. Emily looked up at her while Neal still had her in his embrace. “Neal, you can let me go now, I can barely breathe.”
Neal let her go, they both laughed. “I hope he doesn’t hug you that hard, geez!” She said playfully, slapping Neal on the arm.
“Oh, Emily, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Brandi.” Brandi stared at Neal with wide eyes. He looked back at her, with the biggest grin on his face, showing those deeper than the ocean dimples.
Emily broke the silence. “Well, nice to meet you Brandi. I’ve heard so much about you.” She extended her hand to Brandi.
Brandi blinked rapidly. Girlfriend? She turned her attention to Emily and shook her extended hand. “Umm, yea…Emily nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you as well. Congratulations on the wedding by the way. And thanks for allowing me to come join you tonight.”
“Oh definitely, you are more than welcome. It’s been awhile since Neal’s had a girlfriend, so, yea!” She punched Neal in the arm. “Mingle guys, have fun, we’ll be starting dinner in a minute. Mom and dad are around here somewhere.” She gave Neal a kiss on the cheek. She whispered in his ear before she walked over to chat with her fiancée and some friends.
Brandi turned to face Neal. “Girlfriend?” She bit her bottom lip, concealing the smile that wanted to spread across her face so wide.
Neal looked into her eyes, “Brandi, if you would accept, I would love to be your boyfriend. When I first met you, I didn’t expect to
“Well, I haven’t been on a date in many years, and that was something that I told her when we had our arrangement. I wasn’t interested in her in that way, it was strictly sex with her. So in that sense, yes, you are special.” He winked.
Brandi cleared her throat, now it was her turn to blush. The waiter came within minutes of their seating and took their order.
“Brandi, thank you for coming out to dinner with me. I had planned to bring you here that night I came back from Boston. Speaking of Boston, my sister is having her engagement party this weekend; would you do me the honor of being my date?” He gave her that boyish grin she loved so much.
“Wow, Mr. Calhoun, meeting the family…that’s a big step.”
“Oh. Well, you don’t have to come I just thought I would ask…” his words trailed off.
“Sweetie, I would love to come with you. I think it would be great to meet your family.” Neal took both of her hands into his across the table. They sat in silence allowing their eyes to do all the talking.
Chapter 13 “Brandi, relax sweetie, there’s nothing to be nervous about. My family is really cool.” Neal looked across the seat at Brandi as they rode down the street in a taxi.
“You can tell I’m nervous?”
Neal held up the hand. “Your palms are starting to sweat.”
“Oh…” Brandi wiped both her hands on her dress and sat up straight. She placed her hands in her lap. Neal shook his head with a smile.
Neal’s parents had rented a venue on the Upper Westside of Manhattan for the engagement party. Only close family and friends would be there. Neal helped Brandi out of the cab when they reached the venue. “You okay?”
“Well, my sweaty palms are under control but now my stomach is all in knots and my mouth is dry.”
Neal kissed her on the cheek. ~oOo~ When they entered the building, they followed the sound of voices into the dining hall. Everyone was gathered around talking, laughing, and drinking champagne. Brandi scanned the room. She had seen photos of his family members in his apartment. The first person she recognized was Neal’s sister, Emily.
“Neal!” Emily extended her arms for a hug.
“Hey lil sis!” He embraced Emily, they rocked back and forth as they hugged.
Brandi held her clutch in both hands, standing up straight and poised. She smiled at the obvious love shared between Neal and his sister. Emily looked up at her while Neal still had her in his embrace. “Neal, you can let me go now, I can barely breathe.”
Neal let her go, they both laughed. “I hope he doesn’t hug you that hard, geez!” She said playfully, slapping Neal on the arm.
“Oh, Emily, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Brandi.” Brandi stared at Neal with wide eyes. He looked back at her, with the biggest grin on his face, showing those deeper than the ocean dimples.
Emily broke the silence. “Well, nice to meet you Brandi. I’ve heard so much about you.” She extended her hand to Brandi.
Brandi blinked rapidly. Girlfriend? She turned her attention to Emily and shook her extended hand. “Umm, yea…Emily nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you as well. Congratulations on the wedding by the way. And thanks for allowing me to come join you tonight.”
“Oh definitely, you are more than welcome. It’s been awhile since Neal’s had a girlfriend, so, yea!” She punched Neal in the arm. “Mingle guys, have fun, we’ll be starting dinner in a minute. Mom and dad are around here somewhere.” She gave Neal a kiss on the cheek. She whispered in his ear before she walked over to chat with her fiancée and some friends.
Brandi turned to face Neal. “Girlfriend?” She bit her bottom lip, concealing the smile that wanted to spread across her face so wide.
Neal looked into her eyes, “Brandi, if you would accept, I would love to be your boyfriend. When I first met you, I didn’t expect to
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