A Nice Dinner Date
Chapter 29
Addison’s POV
The ride to the restaurant was enjoyable. Phillip asked what I majored in and if I liked designing dresses for Ana and Alex. He listened to my answers and occasionally smiled as I spoke. I felt safe around him. He didn’t strike me as a guy to be intimidated by. The trip went quickly, and I saw we were at an Italian restaurant. I liked Italian food and hadn’t had it in a while. So dinner was starting well.
He helped me out of the car after shooing away the valet. I noticed that Phillip was much broader in the shoulders than Garrett. I couldn’t help but notice that fact as he leaned over and held his hand out to me. Garret was no slouch, but clearly, Phillip had physically worked in the
field as a contractor. I was going to ask him about that as we entered the restaurant.
The restaurant had a fence around the parking lot’s perimeter and had signage warning that trespassers would be arrested. I guess they have had issues with the paparazzi trying to sneak photos of the people coming here to eat. I didn’t see any of them at the gate, which was a plus. Phillip noticed me looking at the fence and said, “You don’t have to worry. No one is
going to bother us tonight. My family owns this restaurant, and we value our privacy.”
I was determined to enjoy our dinner. I was still hesitating to call it a date. I wasn’t ready to
officially date, but I was happy to share a meal with him. I was curious about him now that I
had met him. The restaurant had low lighting and dark wood. It gave the impression that you
were in your own little world, as the booths were far apart and more intimate this way. There
were tables in the opposite seating area, but our side had rounded booths. They were
upholstered with beautiful deep red leather.
The distance between you and the next booth allowed you to speak without being overheard. I
looked around, impressed at how the restaurant was set up. From the artwork to the décor, it
was a nice, relaxing place to eat. I must admit I didn’t go out that often, and when we did go
out, it was usually to a Mexican restaurant, which I also love. It is typically the consensus of the whole family to go to our favorite restaurant. We all know what we want to order, and we usually only go out once a month as a family. Even my grandparents love it there.
“Do you approve?” Phillip asked me when I looked back at him.
“Yes, this is a very nice place. I love it. I am sure I will come back. Corbin loves spaghetti, I still have to cut it up for him, but he loves it,” I replied with a smile.
+8 Point
A Nice Dinner Date
“I am surprised that you didn’t bring him with you. I wanted you to be as comfortable as
possible when we went out,” Phillip told me with a small smile.
Phillip was very thoughtful, and I had to admit he was growing on me fast. I knew why. He
took me out, wanting to show me off like he was proud to be with me. He was appropriately
possessive. I liked him putting his hand on my lower back as he guided me into the
restaurant. I have to fight down comparing between him and Garrett again. If I am honest with
myself, Phillip is leaving Garrett behind in the dust. It is not a contest, even with me knowing
that Phillip was interested enough in me that he was willing to blackmail his good friend to
meet me. Thinking of that made me smile.
“What are you smiling about?” Phillip asked.
“The fact that you forced Bryson into begging me to go on a date. Are you usually this
forceful?” I asked in an amused tone.
“Only with things that are important to me,” Phillip answered with a straight face.
That comment caught me by surprise. “You don’t even know me. How could I be important to
you?”
“My dad and your grandfather have worked together longer than I have been alive. Over the
years, I have been around when your grandparents spoke to my father about you. How smart
you are. How beautiful you are, and I have to admit they were right. You are beautiful, but it is
who you are that I am most interested in. You have been hit with several painful memories.
Losing your father when you were young. Losing your mother and being a single mother. But
you haven’t let anything stop you from achieving your goals. You seem able to juggle work and
college courses and care for your son, making it look effortless. I was trying to wait until you
turned twenty–one, but I couldn’t wait. I wanted to express my interest in you. I want to let you know that I want to be with you. I would like to see where this goes,” Phillip told me.
I stared at his face, and I could tell he was serious. “Phillip, you don’t even know me. This is the first time we have met. How could you possibly know you want to be with me? I could be a
terrible person,” I asked in a strangled voice. He had caught me off guard.
I was being completely serious here. He may have seen a photo or two of me, but pictures tell
you nothing about anyone. They only allow you to see if someone is attractive. Just because he thought I was attractive didn’t mean I was a quality person.
Tammy’s face came to mind at that moment. She was beautiful. She had the body of a model,
and it brought back just how much Garrett doted on her, how he allowed her to shame and embarrass me at every opportunity. I am still double–digits size–wise and larger than most of the girls at my college. So, how is this incredibly handsome man telling me he wants to date
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A Nice Dinner Date
me? More surprisingly, he tells me he wants me to be his girlfriend. How is that even possible?
“Addison, I have heard enough about you from your whole family that I already know I am interested in you. They are all so proud of you. But I believe that your aunt and grandmother know just how hard it is for you to juggle being a mother and maintaining your GPA while still making creative designs. I look forward to seeing your creations at the gala,” Phillip replied.
“How did you know I designed their dresses?” I asked in surprise.
“I know a lot of things about you. Don’t forget I am friends with both Bryson and Evan. I know
that you designed their tuxedos, too. They told me how you managed to get into a tough
college based solely on your merits. How you earned scholarships to pay for school on your
own. That is not something that most of the people I know do. You don’t just expect to receive
something. You go out and earn it yourself. It makes me happy to succeed on my own. I got
paid as a contractor for my father’s business and paved my way through college, too. It may not sweep you off your feet, but I am not in a rush. I want to get to know you, get to know
Corbin. I love children, and he is part of you. I can already tell that I am interested enough. I
would like to pursue you. I didn’t mean just to blurt it out like that. But I don’t want to let you slip through my fingers after meeting you. You are much more than Bryson mentioned,” Phillip
told me.
I was stunned. I never expected the dinner to turn out like this. I may be inexperienced about
dating, but I don’t think this is how it is supposed to go. “Is that why you blackmailed Bryson
into getting me to go out with you?” I asked.
“No, it is not. I didn’t blackmail him. I had mentioned my interest in you before, but he mentioned you were still hung up on Corbin’s father. So I tried to be patient. When Bryson called me to get Kayla’s information, we spoke again. Bryson decided to give you a little nudge. That was his idea, not mine. But I don’t like that it reflects badly on my agreeing to participate. Ask Bryson about it. He is out with Kayla now. I gave him her information the first time he asked. I think Bryson is worried about you. He didn’t want you to just stay in the house anymore. We can start slow. I can wait for you, but you are easy to talk to. You are smart and funny. You are attractive, but that was not what drew me to you. Every single one of your family members adores you. Because you are a loving and caring person. You didn’t want to go on this date, but for Bryson, you pushed past it. You would do anything for your family, even if it causes discomfort. That is why I wanted to get to know you better,” Phillip told me.
I couldn’t help tearing up at his words. It seemed that he was not as interested in my outward appearance as he was in me. That was a wonderful feeling. “I would like to get to know you better, too, Phillip, especially if you can give me some time. Corbin’s father did a number on
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A Nice Dinner Date
- me. I was waiting to see if he could follow through on a promise. I am trying to allow him to right some wrongs. If things don’t work out, I will need to get over him to give you a fair chance. You’re not what I expected,” I responded. Phillip was happy to hear my answer and squeezed my hand instead of trying to hug me. I was positive that I made a good decision at that point. He then motioned our waiter over for us to order.
We had a good time. He was easy to talk to. I asked him about himself and was impressed at his aspirations as well. He wanted to drive his family’s company to greater heights as well. He had a vision. Hearing him speak about the land he bought and the homes he designed to put in the subdivision with such passion was exciting to me. His younger sister, Erin, is an interior designer and will help him stage the model homes. He has already made a deal with Bryson for everything he needs to build the houses. He knows that our family won’t cut corners on quality.
I was sad for the night to end. Driving home, he asked me about my men’s line, which I started a year ago. He told me he would have come to our shop to get one there if he had known sooner. There wasn’t enough time before the gala to get one made for him, but he asked if he could accompany me there.
He also asked that I get him a pocket square and tie that matched my dress. I don’t know why I did, but I agreed. I had enjoyed my night with him and wanted to see if it was a fluke or if I could eventually fall in love with him. I wanted to know if he would take it slowly, like he said. Right now, everything depends on what Garrett is going to do. The ball is in Garrett’s court. I am interested in seeing how this plays out.
