43. Then
FORTY-THREE
then
I felt sure I must’ve been dreaming as Ella reached for my father’s hand with a smile bright enough to light up the whole table.
“Mr. Stryker,” she replied, her clear, sweet voice ringing with sincerity, “I’m thrilled to meet you.”
Her intent sapphire eyes swung to my mom. Her smile, if possible, became even more beatific. “Mrs. Stryker. Thank you both so much for joining us for brunch.”
My mother almost died from delight. “Darling girl,” she said, beaming, “I think that you stole m y line. But, please, you simply must call us Jacqueline and Mason. Right, amado ?”
“Yes, of course,” my dad added gruffly.
With my parents on the booth side, Ella and I slid into the individual chairs opposite them. I instantly reached over to rest my hand on her thigh and opened my mouth, prepared to break the awkward silence threatening to descend.
Ella once again surpassed all expectations and jumped in. “This restaurant is decorated so beautifully,” she commented, casting an appreciative glance at our surroundings. “And the location is fantastic.”
The absolute genius of her simple statement flattened me. She somehow fit both of my parents’ true passions into one easy sentence.
Mom and Dad both started speaking at the same time.
“This block is?—”
“The fixtures?—”
They looked at each other and laughed. Any uneasiness surrounding our table floated away as Ella and I joined in, chuckling.
Mom waved her manicured hand at my father, urging him on. “What about the block, amado ?” Her sly gaze slid to mine, flashing a conspiratorial look.
Dad launched into the history of this particular block of New York City real estate. True to form, he knew every previous owner, who currently held the deed, and the future investment projections. I half-listened, wondering if I would eventually wind up as pedantic as him if I took his place in the company.
God . What a bleak prospect.
Ella, on the other hand, actually listened. And, damn, she asked the most intelligent questions. Better questions than I had ever thought to ask. That probably should have irritated me, but honestly, I just loved how the wheels of her mind spun. She followed his endless monologue with rapt attention, her eyes sunny .
Pride felt like a living thing inside my chest, fighting to burst out. For the thousandth time, I wondered how I ever found her. Gratitude joined the swell of admiration.
While Dad spoke to Ella, my mom caught my eye again. Her thin black brows knit together. “ Mi amor , why are you wearing a scarf at the table?”
I smoothed my hands over Ella’s gift, the pride in my chest somehow doubling. “I didn’t want to check it,” I told my mother. “Ella made it for me.”
At the sound of her name, Ellie and my dad both looked at me. She spied my hand on my scarf and narrowed her eyes. “I hope you’re not boring your mom about my hobby.”
Ignoring her bid for modesty, I smiled at my parents, explaining, “Ella can knit anything. Clothes, purses.” I sent Ellie a searching look, remembering the first day we ever spoke. “Wallets.”
“Gray,” she chided, flushed. “You’re bragging.”
“Ellie,” I returned, smiling at her. “You’re talented.”
Her rosy cheeks darkened, but her lips quirked. She arched her brows at me. “So are you.”
“Then you are well-matched,” my mother interjected, offering us an approving nod. “Do you have any other hobbies, Ella?”
My girl demurred, lowering her lashes to avert her shy eyes. “Just a couple.”
Without thought, my hand slipped beneath the curtain of her hair and started to knead the tension from the back of her neck. “Ella also teaches yoga and writes novels. And she bakes the most incredible desserts.”
Ellie clearly didn’t approve of herself as a topic. She sent me another narrow-eyed look, then turned to smile at my mother. “I loved your hot chocolate recipe,” she told her. “Gray made it for me on our first date.”
I thought back to that night. The first time I ever experienced the wonder of being inside her. It was impossible to stifle my smile, even as my cock t witched in my slacks, and I cleared my throat, shifting in my seat.
“Was that our first date?” I asked Ellie, trying to distract myself and failing miserably when I recalled her painted lips around my erection. “I thought that gallery show counted as the first.”
Light shifted in her luminous eyes. “One could argue it was the pumpkin in the park,” she pointed out. “Or the waffle restaurant.” A teasing air filled her face. “Although, you did warn me that wasn’t a real date since cafeteria trays were involved.”
It took all of my self-control to tamp down the urge to kiss her smile. Instead, I settled for bringing her hand to my lips for a quick peck. “I stand by that statement. You deserve actual dates. That was just me following you like a puppy.” Our gazes connected, tunneling into one another, soul-deep. “But who could blame me?”
By that point, I’d all but forgotten my parents were even there. My mom’s voice interrupted our reverie.
“My goodness,” she said softly, offering a small, wistful smile when we both turned back to her.
My father stared at me like he’d never seen me before. I wondered if I was imagining the maudlin look in his eye—I’d never seen any such sentiment there before. Instead of addressing it, I coughed again, hoping to jolt them from their obvious shock.
It worked. “How did you two meet?” Dad asked, his voice blustery.
Ella turned to me, panic flaring in her eyes. After half a second, I understood. She was nervous to tell them the truth, worried they wouldn’t approve of her if they knew.
I didn’t give a damn.
“On the subway,” I said, smiling broadly at her. “Ella was knitting a million miles-a-minute, and I couldn’t look away.”
Ellie’s apprehension broke on a bubbly laugh. “No,” she argued. “Grayson was existing , and I couldn’t look away.” Her touch feathered over my cheek before she cast my mother a warm, impish smirk. “He’s unfairly handsome.”
Embarrassment heated my face as she giggled some more, adding, “And he’s terrible at taking compliments.”
To my surprise, both of my parents laughed. I caught Ellie’s eye and gave a small head shake, awed by her once again. She flashed a winning grin and reached for her menu.
“So,” she said gamely, “What’s good here? ”