One's Boundaries

Chapter 21 - Confused Lee

5:00 P.M

DINNER TIME

My heart was pounding. The Rodriguezs are always fearless but I am panicking.

"Lee, it's 5. Where's your Dad?" I asked, clutching my hands together.

"Don't worry, he is a nice man, he will be here soon," Lee replied.

A few minutes later, Mr Lawrence came through the door. 

"Ah, were you all waiting for me?" he said, the butler taking his briefcase while he came to sit across us at the dining table.

"Yes, Grandpa!" Liam exclaimed.

"Let's go," he said.

"Where?" Lee and I asked.

"What do you mean where? We are eating out tonight!" Mr. Lawrence said.

"I want the world to see how proud I am of my son!" he said.

I smiled while Lee glared at me.

"What?" I mimicked.

"Stop smiling," Lee mimicked back.

I elbowed him and followed him behind Liam. We went into the limo and off we went.

"Liana," Lee's dad said.

"Y-Yes sir?" I said, stammering over my words.

"Please don't feel formal around me - you are my daughter-in-law, so you are my daughter just as Lee is my son. Please call me Dad, okay?" he asked.

"Yes Dad," I said. 

"There we go!" Dad said.

It will take me a while to get used to calling him Dad...

5:31 P.M

LA ROMANO RESTAURANT

I stood in front of the restaurant's entrance. 

"You guys... own this restaurant?" I asked Lee.

"Yeah," Lee replied. "Stop gazing too hard."

Lee walked away.

"Is your father always like this?" I asked Liam as he was standing next to me.

"No," Liam replied. "Let's go inside, you should try their desserts."

Together Liam and I went inside. The interior was so surreal, it felt more like a movie than reality. I always heard nice things about the place but I didn't care less about it. Everyone was dressed fancy - totally for the rich.

I didn't see Lee standing in front of me.

"Hey Liana," Lee said.

"Oh, sorry. It's all very new to me," I said.

He took my hand in his.

"You don't have to pretend, walking hand in hand was just enough," I said, trying to yank my hand free.

"But this is part of the contract sweetheart," Lee said.

"Speaking of contract, why didn't you tell me that going out would be part of the plan!" I exclaimed in a low voice.

"Do I look like I read minds?" Lee asked. "I didn't know."

"Yeah, and I believe you," I said. "Who doesn't know what their dads are up to?"

"Me," Lee said. "Dad never tells me his every plan."

My heart sank a bit. My dad always told me everything. But I mean he is a big man. He can handle it.