door. “Failure,” he whispered in her ear in regard to her answer. Pulling back, he waved to her mother. “See you, Mrs. Harper.”
Cindy waved with an amused expression on her face. “Try to have a good evening,” she called out optimistically. With a final wave, she shut the front door behind them.
“Good luck,” Ellie grumbled under her breath. As they approached the car, she reached for her door handle, but he cut her off.
“Allow me.” He nudged her hand away and opened the door for her, stepping back so she could climb inside.
The nasty look he received was not what one would wish for on a date. “Really, Alec,” she complained. “You’ve driven me places a thousand times before. You’ve never—”
Her refusal to play along was starting to piss him off. To get her full attention, he took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “What part of ‘ this is a date’ do you not get?” She opened her mouth to respond, but he held a hand up to cut her off. “I’m judging your every move, and so far, you’re not doing so hot. Put on your big girl panties and suck it up. I might not be your ideal date, but I’m doing my best. You asked for my help. Now take it seriously.”
Ellie gaped at him with a shocked expression, as if she’d only now just realized she wasn’t being a very good date. Her cheeks flushed at the reprimand, and she mumbled an apology. “I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing on the first date,” he said darkly. As soon as she was safely seated inside the car, he slammed the door shut behind her. He didn’t know why he was so angry with her. It wasn’t as if he had any personal stake in her evening with Jake. If she refused to take things seriously and screwed up with him, it was her own fault.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his anxious emotions. Shit, it was like he was on a real date the way he was acting so edgy. He needed to nip that in the bud. He was here to help Ellie, not get annoyed with her for not following his expected script.
He climbed into the car and started up the engine. As he did, Ellie shot him a contrite smile. “This is a really cool car. Where did you get it?”
A grin of his own spread across his lips. She knew damn well where he’d gotten the car, and she also knew he’d been working here and there with his father to get it running. Her faux ignorance meant she was playing along. It was an apology without having to actually voice one again. “I bought it cheap because it was busted and fixed the thing up myself. Me and my old man.”
Her gentle smile never wavered. “It’s lovely.”
Her response tugged at his heart, as they were both fully aware of his father’s issues and the strained relationship between the two of them. Ellie knew the whole sordid story, and though he’d never voiced it, he knew she understood how much the rare bonding time with Jerich meant to him.
Reaching out, he squeezed her hand, his fingers tightening around hers. “Thanks.” As he glanced at her, he realized this was much more emotion than what he’d felt on any date in the past six months. This meant something more than any of the other bimbos and jock groupies he’d been dating.
Feeling uncomfortable with this discovery, he slipped his hand from hers and turned his attention to the road. What was wrong with him lately? He needed to get his head in the game and stop acting so unlike his usual self.
* * * *
Alec watched Ellie’s face as she stared up at the massive structure that was DeNuzio’s restaurant. He would admit that imitating Jake’s entire date had been painful on his wallet. He hadn’t been entirely sure how he was going to be able to afford it, but the help from his father went a long way in paying the check at the end of the evening.
Even without Jerich’s help, Ellie’s reaction right now was worth it. She was gazing in unadulterated awe at the lavish building, her face lit with delight. She’d
Cindy waved with an amused expression on her face. “Try to have a good evening,” she called out optimistically. With a final wave, she shut the front door behind them.
“Good luck,” Ellie grumbled under her breath. As they approached the car, she reached for her door handle, but he cut her off.
“Allow me.” He nudged her hand away and opened the door for her, stepping back so she could climb inside.
The nasty look he received was not what one would wish for on a date. “Really, Alec,” she complained. “You’ve driven me places a thousand times before. You’ve never—”
Her refusal to play along was starting to piss him off. To get her full attention, he took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “What part of ‘ this is a date’ do you not get?” She opened her mouth to respond, but he held a hand up to cut her off. “I’m judging your every move, and so far, you’re not doing so hot. Put on your big girl panties and suck it up. I might not be your ideal date, but I’m doing my best. You asked for my help. Now take it seriously.”
Ellie gaped at him with a shocked expression, as if she’d only now just realized she wasn’t being a very good date. Her cheeks flushed at the reprimand, and she mumbled an apology. “I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing on the first date,” he said darkly. As soon as she was safely seated inside the car, he slammed the door shut behind her. He didn’t know why he was so angry with her. It wasn’t as if he had any personal stake in her evening with Jake. If she refused to take things seriously and screwed up with him, it was her own fault.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his anxious emotions. Shit, it was like he was on a real date the way he was acting so edgy. He needed to nip that in the bud. He was here to help Ellie, not get annoyed with her for not following his expected script.
He climbed into the car and started up the engine. As he did, Ellie shot him a contrite smile. “This is a really cool car. Where did you get it?”
A grin of his own spread across his lips. She knew damn well where he’d gotten the car, and she also knew he’d been working here and there with his father to get it running. Her faux ignorance meant she was playing along. It was an apology without having to actually voice one again. “I bought it cheap because it was busted and fixed the thing up myself. Me and my old man.”
Her gentle smile never wavered. “It’s lovely.”
Her response tugged at his heart, as they were both fully aware of his father’s issues and the strained relationship between the two of them. Ellie knew the whole sordid story, and though he’d never voiced it, he knew she understood how much the rare bonding time with Jerich meant to him.
Reaching out, he squeezed her hand, his fingers tightening around hers. “Thanks.” As he glanced at her, he realized this was much more emotion than what he’d felt on any date in the past six months. This meant something more than any of the other bimbos and jock groupies he’d been dating.
Feeling uncomfortable with this discovery, he slipped his hand from hers and turned his attention to the road. What was wrong with him lately? He needed to get his head in the game and stop acting so unlike his usual self.
* * * *
Alec watched Ellie’s face as she stared up at the massive structure that was DeNuzio’s restaurant. He would admit that imitating Jake’s entire date had been painful on his wallet. He hadn’t been entirely sure how he was going to be able to afford it, but the help from his father went a long way in paying the check at the end of the evening.
Even without Jerich’s help, Ellie’s reaction right now was worth it. She was gazing in unadulterated awe at the lavish building, her face lit with delight. She’d
Similar Books
