An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 48

If Echo thought it had been difficult to get away and see Luke before, now it was nearly impossible. 

Somehow the fact that their relationship was now out in the open, official and formal, made it so that her parents were more suspicious. By parents, of course, she meant her father and also, her brothers. Brothers, plural, because both Ben and George were acting suspiciously jealous. It started with a congratulatory call from George that quickly turned into a game of 20 questions. Later that evening, Ben and George both arrived unannounced for dinner and sat on either side of her, goading her with questions that her father supported would need an answer. 

She sighed, she laughed, she teased, she tried to tell them, in the most polite way possible, that most of it was nobody's business. She shared what she could- they'd met by accident, she'd granted him his assistance and from that point forth, they'd just continued to meet. She tried to be vague, firstly because there was a lot that they could not know and secondly because she wanted to wait until she'd spoken to Luke so that they could agree on the details together.  She had certainly not been prepared to be interrogated at dinner and so she called Luke immediately to ensure they could speak before his visit. 

But when she told her parents she would be having dinner with Luke, she didn't expect them to come down so hard. 

Where are you having dinner?

Is it just the two of you?

How late will you be?

Are you driving all the way to North Town?

I want you home by midnight!

Echo had intended to drive to North Town and spend an evening with Luke going over the details carefully, spend some time alone with him even... But how could she possibly accomplish that by midnight? She'd have to drive home by 9! And she was absolutely certain that her father would be waiting to make sure that she made it home on time.

She could have fought the newly imposed curfew but as it was, she was under fire because Luke would not be coming to pick her up. She told them that she had insisted on meeting him halfway but Michael just didn't like it. He didn't seem like he was even open to the idea. 

Luke had been very accommodating to her- insisting that it was no problem to meet in the city for dinner, he'd even suggested they meet a bit earlier so as to not have to rush and so that she could make sure to be home before curfew. 

So here she was, meeting her fiancee at a nice restaurant for an early dinner at 6 PM.  

"I'm a little surprised they let you leave the house like that." Luke's voice startled her. She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed he'd pulled open her door. She frowned. 

"What's wrong this time?" She asked, letting him help her out of the car. She pulled her dress down a bit, wondering if she'd worn the wrong thing. He handed her keys to the valet.

"There's nothing wrong with what you're wearing." He said, reaching out and taking her hand. He slid his glasses down for a second, taking her in from head to toe. "But from what you've told me..."

"Right." She said, allowing him to lead her towards the restaurant door. "Well, my mother didn't say anything but my dad... he made a comment or two."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that this would cause so many problems." He replied and she shook her head. 

"If there are any problems it's only because I insisted on keeping this a secret. They just have to get used to it." She said, "They'll get used to it. We just have to give them time."