Daddy Issues

12 - Embarrassing

I startle when the sound of the door opening pulls me out of the book. I hadn't realized hours had passed until I take a look at the clock and notice that it's past 5.30 already. Dan must be coming home from work.

I get up quickly to look for something to mark the page with and find a notebook someone left lying around. I rip out a page and put it in the book, then hide it behind my back just as Dan appears in the open archway to the hallway. Part of me wants to talk about the book with him, but a bigger part doesn't want him to gloat when I tell him how much I like it.

'Hey, you're home,' he says, sounding somewhat surprised. 'No plans after all?'

'No, I went home after Mel kicked me out and figured I could stay in,' I shrug nonchalantly. The truth is, I got so absorbed in the book, I didn't even think to text anyone to make plans with. But I won't tell him that.

'She got tired of you after all?' he asks while he takes off his coat.

'No, but her boss was coming back and she doesn’t like me very much.'

'Why not?' he asks curiously.

'Uhm, it's a long story,' I say vaguely. It only seems to spike his interest more.

'Seems like we got all evening.'

'It's boring, you don't want to know,' I say dismissively. 'So, I'm kind of hungry. Should we order something or did you plan on cooking?'

'Why don't you cook?' he asks with a smirk.

'Because I don't cook,' I say pointedly. 'And you enjoy it, don't you?'

'Okay, you know what? I'll cook for us if you tell me why Mel's boss doesn't like you.'

'Seriously?' I ask affronted.

'That's the deal,' he says, throwing up his hands. 'Take it or leave it.'

I snort and shake my head a little. He's been asking me to have dinner together for the last three nights and now that I'm finally here, he wants to negotiate? Men are so annoying.

But I really can't cook.

'Okay, I'll tell you if the food's any good.'

'Of course it's going to be good,' he says, sounding offended.

'Well, then you'll hear the story,' I reply sweetly.

He squints his eyes at me for a moment, contemplating whether to argue or not. Fortunately, he relents.

'Fine, as long as you give me a fair assessment. What have you got behind your back?'

'Oh,' I say, making sure to keep the book behind my back when he tries to look around me. 'Nothing.'

'Nothing, of course,' he says, raising his eyebrow. 'You're full of mysteries, Emma.'

Then he turns around to enter the kitchen and I dare to take the book from my back to look at it again when he disappears from view. But then...

'Ha!'

My head snaps up when he peaks out of the doorway and points an accusing finger at me.

'You've been reading.'

'No, I haven't,' I lie, trying to put it behind my back again. But Dan takes a few quick steps my way and plucks it out of my hands. He takes a look at the paper sticking out and grins at me.

'You got pretty far.'

'I had nothing else to do,' I shrug. 'Like you said.'

'Did you like it?' he asks, full of gleeful anticipation.