The Girl in the Boys' Dorms

Chapter Fifteen: You and me, together, in a romantic place... Yeah, awkward.

The Girl in the Boys' Dorms - Chapter Fifteen: You and me, together, alone, in a romantic place... Yeah, it still sounds awkward to me, too.

There they were. Edward and Francesca Hanover, two of the most celebrated CEOs in all of New York, who also happened to be the strict and expectant parents of my date.

To everyone else in this posh, high-class restaurant, they were the celebrities of the corporate business world, seeing as how the two of them had managed to create a franchise that branched out not only to the rest of the United States and to Canada, but also to ten other countries outside of North America - but to me, they were imposing, unwanted people, who had ruined what could have been a perfect date. Don't get me wrong, it was cool to be able to meet them, and I was sure I'd learn some valuable information about the market; but at this moment, when I was minutes away from sitting face to face with Evan, within arm's reach, it was just irritating to have them duck in. Plus, Francesca had eyes like a hawk, and I knew that even from our distance of fifteen feet, she could analyze everything from my posture to the chipping paint on my toenails.

Yeah, I had no idea we were going to be joining them, either. In fact, Evan had chosen to just conveniently drop this fact on me, while we were cruising toward the restaurant in the limousine. He had been as casual and inconspicious as possible, but the choking reaction that came from me upon hearing his words, was priceless. Even the driver had glanced back at us through the rearview mirror, almost pulling over to call an ambulance.

"Bailey," Evan poked at my side, and I almost jumped out of my skin. Latching onto my wrist to keep me from falling over, he drew me closer against him, and I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment. His warm, comforting body heat enveloped me, and I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from leaning farther into him - his mother and father were watching after all. Slinging an arm around my shoulders, he said, "It's no big deal, I promise. They're a little intimidating, but they're nothing you can't handle. And they're only staying for the dinner portion of our date - I have something else scheduled for afterward." He chuckled at the last bit, and I felt my spirits lift.

Standing taller, I took the first step forward, fueled by the incentive of getting some alone time with Evan later on. In return for my sudden spurt of confidence, Evan laughed under his breath, intertwined his fingers with mine - which, of course, caused my face to glow a bright, neon scarlet - and squeezed my hand in an act of reassurance.

And to be honest, I needed it. Because as we approached the table that had been set for us, my resolve continued to drain out of me. Francesca Hanover appeared more and more stern as I came closer, and I was certain that at one point, she had snorted at me. Edward Hanover, on the other hand, just seemed indifferent, as though this whole setup was a waste of his precious time. Together, though, the scene was most frightening of all - they were like a fierce team, prepared to rip me to shreds with their judgments.

"Good evening, Mother," Evan greeted her formally, stretching over the table to plant a small kiss on her cheek. "Hello, Father," he nodded to his dad, who gave an involuntary shrug, and continued to stare down into his champagne glass. "This is - "

"Well, take a seat, Evan." Francesca Hanover interrupted him, gesturing to the empty chair in front of her. She gave me a careless onceover, and then turned back to her son, who was forced to remove his hand from mine - which left me with a curious, oddly cold feeling - and settled into the place reserved for him. Francesca then glanced at me, and made a fluttering motion to the other chair, muttering, "You too, dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hanover." I uttered politely, perching as gracefully as possible onto my designated seat.

It had been one thing to observe the Hanovers from a distance, but now that we were just a breath apart, I wanted to shrink. Francesca Hanover was much more beautiful than she was given credit for. Although tough and firm, she possessed a natural beauty that was rare in most women. Her nose was long and pointed, accentuating her appearance in a manner that gave her the impression of a furious teacher, looking down on her students. Her large, startling blue eyes - which, I noticed, were the exact same shade as Evan's - would have been charming and soft, if they weren't outlined with black liner and nestled underneath permanently furrowed brows. Her dark brown hair contained not even a whisper of white, and was straightened to immaculate perfection.