Chapter 24
“This boyfriend of yours is late.”
Eri looked over at her father leaning against the kitchen counter. When she’d asked him about meeting Elias, she decided it would be better for them to have dinner at her apartment. She enjoyed cooking. Something she’d done from the time she was old enough to stand in the kitchen with her mom.
“No, he isn’t. It isn’t seven yet. And your whole being early is on time thing, only applies to jobs. He’s always on time, and promise me you’ll be nice.”
“I’m always nice,” her dad countered, offended.
“Do you remember when I brought Derrick to meet you? You scared the crap out of him.”
“You were in high school, and I wanted that little boy to keep his hands and all other body parts to himself.”
“Well, I’m an adult now. No need to try to scare him.”
“If he scares easily—”
“Dad,” Eri cut him off.
He held his hands up in surrender. “Fine. Since he’s the first person you’ve introduced to me in a while, I take it you like him.”
“I do,” Eri responded as she turned the steaks she was cooking.
“He’s patient with me, and for the first time, I’ve been able to get close to someone.
” Eri decided not to add on intimately because she didn’t think her dad needed to know that.
“Since we’ve started dating, he’s done everything at my pace and made sure I was comfortable. ”
“That’s good, Bean. I’m happy you’ve found someone worth opening up to.” Her dad sighed playfully. “I guess I shouldn’t give him a hard time, then.”
“No, you shouldn’t,” Eri agreed. There was a knock at the front door, and she handed the cooking utensil over to her dad. “Watch these for a minute, please.”
She exited the kitchen, and ever vigilant, she checked the peephole before pulling the door open.
“Hey, Amate.” He leaned down and kissed her.
“Hey, babe. What’s that?” Eri asked, gesturing to the box in his hand. “I told you, you didn’t have to bring anything.”
Elias raised a brow at her. “So you don’t want the red velvet cupcakes?”
“No, I want them,” she replied, pulling a chuckle from him.
“I thought so.”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Come on,” she started, taking his free hand. “My dad’s in the kitchen.” Eri led him into the mentioned area, and her dad turned to look at them when they entered.
“Dad, this is my boyfriend, Elias. Elias, this is my dad, Tony.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr.—”
“No, no, no,” her dad cut Elias off. “That makes me feel too old. Tony is fine. It’s nice to meet you too, Elias.”
Eri retook her place at the stove. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Why don’t the two of you sit at the table and talk?”
Sure, they could have gone into the living room, but she’d be able to hear them if they sat at the dining room table, and Eri would admit that she was being nosy. She was sure the two would hit it off, but she wouldn’t take any chances.
“Eri told me you’re a tattoo artist and you build custom motorcycles. How did you get into that?”
For the next several minutes, Eri listened to a story she’d already heard before, but still couldn’t help but smile at Elias following in his cousin’s footsteps.
Something that Eri would never have been able to do, even if she wanted to.
Several of her cousins, who were older than her, still carried on like they were pre-teens.
“Which one do you enjoy more?” her dad asked.
“That’s tough,” Elias responded. “I do them both for different reasons. But if I had to choose, building motorcycles. While I enjoy helping other people express themselves through the tattoo pieces they get. They still hold 100 percent of the creative direction unless they’ve told me to freestyle something for them.
With motorcycles, I build what the client wants, but I’m typically in charge of the design from beginning to end. It’s 100 percent my creation.”
They continued their conversation as Eri finished dinner. It was a typical conversation one would expect when someone was introduced to a parent. There were no threats so far, as it had been the last time, and there were even a few chuckles. So far, so good in Eri’s book.
“You need help, Amate?”
Eri looked over her shoulder as she took plates out of the cabinet. “I got it, babe. Don’t get up,” she told him because she knew him well enough to know he’d still try to help.
“Bossy brat,” he responded.
“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks so,” her dad agreed.
“You know I don’t have to feed the two of you if you’re going to pick on me,” Eri countered as she made the plates.
“Don’t be mean,” Elias replied.
“You can’t send me home on an empty stomach,” her dad said.
“No one said you had to leave tonight,” Eri countered.
“I’ve got a plane to catch tomorrow morning. It’s the annual company retreat.”
She took two of the plates over and put them in front of her dad and boyfriend. Eri then took them drinks before taking her own plate and drink to the table. She took the seat beside Elias, her dad sitting across from them. Both men reached for her plate and paused to look at one another.
“I see you’ve been put on steak-cutting duty when I’m not around,” her dad said, pulling his hand back and allowing Elias to take the plate. “So you know. She knows how to cut them. She’s just spoiled.”
“Which is your fault. Name one time I’ve gotten a steak when we’ve been together and you let me cut it,” Eri challenged.
“Hush, Bean. My enabling you isn’t what we’re discussing.”
Eri snorted while Elias chuckled. “I’m aware she can, but I don’t mind doing it.” He finished cutting her steak and passed the plate back to her.
“Why would you? You enjoy spoiling me,” Eri teased.
“I didn’t say all that, Amate.”
“Lie to me and tell me you don’t.”
“Eat your food,” Elias countered, and Eri and her dad laughed.
The rest of dinner went by well, and Eri allowed them to steer the conversations, only chiming in to tease them both, which would typically result in them teasing her together in return.
Her dad had left five minutes ago. She’d seen him out, unable to keep herself from smiling when he told her he liked Elias.
She went back into the kitchen to find Elias standing at the kitchen sink.
“Baby, I can—”
“You can sit your pretty self down,” Elias interrupted.
It was one of those situations where she decided to pick her battles, and this wasn’t one of them. She pulled herself up onto the counter.
“That went well.”
“It did. Your dad’s cool. How was apartment hunting?”
“It was good. I narrowed it down to three. My dad agreed to pay for the first six months while I look for a job and work.”
Eri had a good amount of money in her savings account.
She’d gotten a life insurance payout when her mother passed.
However, she had touched little of it. She was perfectly fine with using it to support herself until she started working, but her dad was against it.
He wanted her to save it for a rainy day.
Not then, when he could help support her.
“How’s the job hunt coming?”
Eri sighed. “Every place in town wants you to have experience. Which is ridiculous with what they’re paying because it’s literally recent graduate compensation.
The one company that called me wanted me to start immediately, which I was fine with.
I told them I could work all day on Mondays and then after my last classes the rest of the week, but that wasn’t good enough.
Now, I’ve shifted to looking for remote jobs.
I also posted my portfolio on a few freelance sites.
So maybe I’ll get a few side gigs from those. ”
“It only means those companies weren’t the right ones. I also know that you’ll get so many side gigs you’ll be able to work for yourself.”
“That sounds nice in theory,” Eri responded.
She’d love to be her own boss, coming out of the gate swinging.
But she also knew that while it was possible, her income would be limited starting out, but it still might be the best way to go.
That way, she wasn’t tied down to one company and could choose what she wanted to work on instead of being told what she had to.
For now, she’d continue to look for jobs while also working to get her name out.
“Are you staying with me tonight?”
“If you want me to,” he responded.
“I do,” Eri told him honestly.
She leaned back against the cabinet and watched him until he was finished.
When he did, he dried his hands and picked her up from the counter.
Eri wrapped her legs around him and allowed him to carry her into her bedroom, flipping the lights off as they went.
He carried her into the bathroom and sat her on the counter before turning the shower on.
“Tomorrow’s Sunday, so you don’t have class, and dinner with my family isn’t until seven,” he told her.
Eri couldn’t help laughing. “And yet, I didn’t make it to my first one last time.”
Elias stepped between her legs and kissed her. “Not my fault, Amate. I only gave you what you asked for.”
She draped her arms over his shoulders. “I’m not complaining. Just reminding, and I’m far from opposed to you giving it to me again.”
“Good, because I get to take my time tonight.”
He said it like he hadn’t before, and she could only imagine what the night would hold if last time had not been his definition of taking his time.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Elias glanced over at Eri as he pulled onto the street his parents lived on. He’d been trying to find the right time to tell her that their dinner had gained new guests, but now was as good a time as any, considering they were almost there.
“Amate,” he started, gaining her attention. “My Zia Celia and Vince will be at dinner.”
Originally, it was only going to be his parents, his Zia Lorna, and uncle Matteo, with Avian and Marco.
Eri knew everyone who would attend, but Celia had guilted his mother into inviting her, and of course, Vince was tagging along.
Never one to let a free meal and the opportunity to get on someone’s nerves, pass him by.