Evelyn left the café and went straight to the restaurant and even though she tried her best she was yet again late. She was notorious for being late to almost everything it was like the fates themselves conspired against her no matter what time she got up…or left the house…or set her alarm clock, it just never failed. Luckily it was just a lunch date with her boyfriend, who was very understanding on how punctually challenged she was. Mitch Parri had already gotten a table and ordered drinks, watching the door he saw Evelyn rush in and look around apologetically. He waved to get her attention and smiled warmly finding her rumpled look endearing.
“I’m so sorry I really did try to get here on time, I left early and everything.” Evelyn’s soft red lips turned down slightly in a pout.
“Sweetie it’s okay, sit down.” Mitch stood up and pulled out Evelyn’s chair, he was always doing things like that for her. It reminded Evelyn yet again some of the perks of dating an older man. Mitch, 15 years her senior, could pass for mid-thirty, only a mild bit of graying at his temples, a few laugh lines, and a little more of him to love around his midsection showed that he was actually ageing.
“Winter say’s hi…I met her earlier for coffee and to hand over my spare keys.” Evelyn said while reaching for her drink. She knew the ice tea was sweetened just to the way she liked it before even taking a sip.
“You could’ve just asked me look after your apartment.” Mitch sighed.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, you know that. It’s just I’m Winter’s best friend, and looking after your best friend’s apartment while she goes on vacation is something that is almost mandatory.” Evelyn reached across the table and placed her hand over his. To be honest she felt that even though they had been together four months and everything was going great, it was too soon to ask him to house set. She felt him constantly pushing for more commitment to the relationship then she was comfortable giving so early. She really did like him and the time they spent together and that was why she wanted to take it slow and why it took so long for her to even give into the fact that they’d become a couple.
“Then at least let me go with you, I can take a week off, we’ll go together. It’s a normal thing to do you know, having your boyfriend meet with your parents.”
“It’s only normal for normal family’s and mine is anything but…This is something I need to do alone, besides I wouldn’t inflict my mother’s insanity on anyone I truly valued.”
“She can’t be all that bad. She did raise a beautiful and passionate daughter after all.”
“Mitch I got a call not even a week ago from her informing me that she had just gotten married to a man that she’d only been dating for a few months. I was totally blindsided because other than just knowing she was dating someone I had no clue she was even getting engaged let alone that she got married without telling me until after the fact. So now I’m expected to meet my new family and deal with whatever chaos it may bring.” Evelyn sighed and started to twirl her straw around in its cup.
“You shouldn’t face it alone thing if you feel so bad about it.”
“No, what happens this week isn’t something I want to expose you to. I promise a time will come when you get to meet my family, but please don’t push me on it this time.” Before Mitch could come up with a counter argument the waiter showed up. Evelyn smiled gratefully at him and then realized she was probably freaking the poor kid out, but he didn’t seem to be bothered. The waiter was young enough to think that the smile that was thrown his way was Evelyn’s way of flirting. He gave her the once over, she was chubbier then he preferred but his eyes stopped on her breasts, which he had to admit to himself were fantastic. Evelyn could feel the waiter practically boring a hole through her chest, it was all she could do to not roll her eyes. Mitch on the other hand cleared his throat loudly to get the waiters attention; the waiter started to blush and took down their orders, hurrying off.
“God and to think I now have a stepbrother that isn’t much older then that kid. Next week is going to be interesting.” Evelyn said sarcastically, shaking her head.
“Hopefully you will wear more appropriate things around your stepbrother.” Mitch’s words had a biting lilt to them which confused Evelyn.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“When you’re not dressed for work you dress pretty revealing. Tight tops, skirts that show a lot of bare legs.”
“Whoa there. First when it comes to clothing, tops especially, on me they either run tent size or will be a bit ‘revealing’ it’s what happens when you have bigger then average breasts. As for the skirts and dresses you know I’d rather wear a comfortable pair of jeans like now, I just wear that other stuff when we go out to dressy places. Second where the hell is all this coming from? You never once hinted that what I wear isn’t appropriate until now.”
“I don’t know maybe it’s because you are sneaking off for the week.” Mitch said sullenly.
“Sneaking?”
“You won’t let me go with you, what am I supposed to think. I mean as far as stories go its fishy, a mother that gets married without telling her daughter and then all of the sudden wants her to meet her new family, that just doesn’t happen in real life.”
“Oh god Mitch I’m not sneaking off or having an affair.” Evelyn finally realized what the whole fight was about and reached across the table grabbing Mitch’s hand. “There is only you.”
“Sorry I just worry sometimes, you are still so young and sometimes I don’t think we are on the same page as I am.” Mitch raised her hand to his lips.
“Mitch we are on the same page I swear, you just need to be patient with me, I don’t know how to show it as readily as you want me to.”
“I know princess.” He lightly nibbled on her knuckles. “You are just so sexy, you can’t blame me if I fear every now and again that some hot young stud is going to steal you away from me.”
“Whatever.” Evelyn rolled her eyes and let out a giggle. The fight was over with that, the tension left both of them. Their lunch continued smoothly, with just normal chit-chat. Mitch playfully teased Evelyn now and again about the flustered waiter, but aside of his unwillingness to meet Mitch’s eyes service went well. Evelyn was almost regretting having to spend a week apart, which was not like her, so when Mitch invited himself back to Evelyn’s place she happily accepted and was even looking forward to spending the afternoon cuddled up together. They left the restaurant holding hands as Mitch walked her to her car, kissing her gently before waving her off. He told her he had an errand to run but promised to drop by when done so Evelyn went home alone and knew because she had nothing else to do she had to start packing, had to get everything together because there really was no backing out no matter how much she was dreading it.