Chapter 10 #2
“Yeah. Just three. My guess is he’s still hurt about losing Mom. He’s probably afraid of getting attached. But I also think he doesn’t want me hurt either. It would’ve devastated me if he had dated someone and then they had broken up when I was a kid.”
“Well, I understand that. I mean, after I dated this narcissistic asshole last year, I haven’t exactly wanted to get back on the horse in any serious sense. Well, until now, if I’m being honest.”
Jewel’s eyes brightened. “Really? Okay, now you have to spill!”
“Okay, but I’m leaving out some parts because you are like half my age, and I don’t want to gross myself out along with you, okay?”
“Sounds perfectly fair. So, spill already.”
“Well, first, the guy knows my best friend on Milos and grilled her about all of my favorite things! So he gave me, well, basically a welcome basket at the place where I’m staying. He stocked the fridge with my favorite wine, got my favorite bath scents, you get it, right?”
“Oh, my God! That’s so romantic! No guy I’ve ever dated has done that for me. I’m so jealous right now! But continue!”
“So then he picked me up in a sports car, and I was weak in the knees because I adore sports cars, especially classic ones. I love cruise nights, and something tells me he does, too, because he told me he restored the car himself.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s always a fun date! And I’m a total fan of restoring cars. Dad taught me a thing or two about cars when he restored his.”
“Now we’ve got something else in common! I’m a gearhead thanks to my dad, too.”
“YAS, girl!” Jewel said as she high-fived Kalliopi’s hand. “So what else happened?”
“We went to shoot pool on our first date.”
“Pool? Really? Mr. Casanova didn’t take you to a Michelin-star restaurant?”
Kalliopi shook her head. “I told him I want to keep things casual while I’m here. I don’t like all the fuss on a date. Makes me feel like I have to perform when I’m at a fancy place. Beers, burgers, and a good bar atmosphere are all I require for a date.”
“Okay, so it sounds like this guy is ticking a lot of the boxes for you.”
Kalliopi nodded again. “He had, but work got in the way and we had to cancel the date after one game of pool and a beer.”
“Oh, that sucks!”
“Yeah. I wasn’t thrilled about that. But we still had an ‘Intraflix and Chill’ type of date that night, so I can’t complain.”
“Now that’s a nice way to end a date.”
“Yeah, but we didn’t have time to learn more about each other.
I hoped we could do that on date two, but that’s technically on the back burner because of Zagan, too.
I can’t help but wonder if we are doomed before we even start.
You know, kinda like that three-date rule your dad has.
I frankly haven’t made it past a third date recently. ”
Jewel raised her coffee cup. “Here’s to making sure we all make it past date three sometime soon!”
Kalliopi clinked cups with Jewel just as Stan entered the cafe.
“Jewel? Good to see you, sweetheart,” said Stan. His eyes hadn’t met Kalliopi’s yet.
“Hey, Dad! This is my friend Kalliopi!” Jewel motioned in Kalliopi’s direction, and Kalliopi’s gaze dropped to the floor.
Shit, shit, shit! THAT’S her father? Of all the people on campus—and this is her father? FUCKN’A!
“Kallie? What are you doing here and with my daughter?”
“Oh, it’s nothing, Dad! She and I are chitchatting because I’m the RA of her female cadets.”
“You’re the RA they assigned?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong? You look pale. Did something else happen with the whole Zagan thing? Kalliopi and I were just talking about how that guy ruined her date night.”
Kalliopi sucked in a breath and thinned her lips. There was no way in hell she was going to out Stan to his daughter. She hoped he’d give Jewel a good enough excuse for how they knew each other before Jewel put two and two together. Instead, he said something she wasn’t prepared for.
“So, remember when I said I was going on a date?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t make it past date one! Dad, that’s a new low even for you.”
Stan let out a chuckle. “No, Jewel, that isn’t what I was going to say. What I was going to say, when you came over for Christmas dinner, was… Jewel, meet Kalliopi. Kallie is the girl I’ve been dating. And it’s two official dates so far. We went to the tree-lighting.”
“Wait, what? Oh my god! I can’t believe this.
Who would have thought it was the two of you all along!
This is awesome for you. I’m glad you are happy.
And truth be told, Dad, I’ve always wanted to get along with who you dated, and I swear you couldn’t have picked a better person because Kalliopi and I have so much in common. I think this one is meant to be.”
All Kalliopi could do was smile, and with one that didn’t reach her eyes.
The only thing repeating in her mind was Jewel telling her about Stan’s three-date rule.
They’d already had two dates. Stan even admitted that to Jewel himself.
Her heart began to ache. What if they had a third date tonight?
Would he end things before Christmas Eve, which was tomorrow?
Or was he thinking of breaking his three-date rule?
Because as soon as her assignment was over, she was going back to Milos, so why would it matter how many dates they went on, anyway?
Perhaps he already knew the relationship was doomed, and he merely wanted someone around for the holidays?
“We shall see, Jewel. Please don’t marry us off after only two dates.
Kallie, I was hoping to run into you. I’m going to the airport to pick up Harriet, Carol, and Treasure.
They were all able to come here on the same flight given the circumstances.
I figured you’d want to come with me since they are your friends.
We can grab a few things from your place before we head out. ”
“Oh! Are those the ones you told me about? The ones you celebrate the holidays with? If so, invite them over to my dad’s place for our Christmas Eve dinner. It will be so much fun to have a full house this year!” Jewel said to Kalliopi as she clapped her hands and jumped up and down.
“We’ll see what happens. I don’t want to put your father out.
That’s a whole lot of people to have over for dinner,” Kalliopi said as she inched closer to Stan.
Stan wrapped an arm around her waist. His warmth was calming her from the turmoil racing through her head, but she still wasn’t sure if he liked her as much as he said he did.
And to think she almost blurted out that she was falling for him last night. Ugh!