Words & Whiskey

EDITED VERSION: Chapter Twenty-One

I looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow. "You talk to your mom about me? I thought you just told her you had a girlfriend."

His hazel eyes were gleaming with deviousness as he said, "I may have lied, just a little."

I opened my mouth but didn't say anything as we entered the house.

Darian was right, it was a lot cozier on the inside. The stairs looked like they came out of the movie Titanic as they were the first thing you saw as you entered the house. On the left, there was the living room, filled with bookshelves floor to ceiling covered in books and black leather couches, one of which was occupied by a sleeping golden retriever. On the right was the dining room with a large Ashwood rectangular table with loads of food on it.

As we entered the dining room, I could see the entryway to the kitchen, which was equally as large as all the other rooms in the house.

Nathan guided me to a seat, pulling out the chair for me, causing me to blush yet again. "For my princess."

I laughed a little and my heart picked up in pace as I studied the smirk that was resting on his face. He sat beside me and threw an arm over the back of my chair.

Darian sat across from me and their mom sat beside him. Looking around the room with a big smile on her face, she said, "I never thought I'd see the day where my Nathan would find the girl of his dreams."

Nathan let out a sigh. "Mom..."

"Oh, I am sorry, I don't mean to embarrass you in front of your girl!" She apologized, not at all sounding sorry. She rested a hand on Darian's arm. "Now, how's that boy of yours? And get that hat off, it's not polite at the dinner table."

Darian took his beanie off his head and scratched his head awkwardly. "Justin is good, he went to visit his dad in Vancouver."

"Oh, that's lovely!" Julie mused. "I just love that boy, he's so kind."

Darian nodded his head awkwardly and Nathan started twirling my hair with the hand that rested behind me. "Where's Steve?"

Just as Nathan finished his question, a man walked in. He looked like he was in his late fifties, maybe early sixties at most, with a well-kept, short salt and peppered beard, and styled hair to match. With a kind smile, he said, "Hello boys!"

"Steve!" Nathan boomed from his seat, with a genuine grin on his face. "How are you doing? Did you catch that match the other day?"

"You bet," he chuckled as he sat at the head of the table. "And I'm good, thank you. Darian, how's your school doing?"

Darian smiled at his dad and nodded his head enthusiastically. "It's great! Doing well with my scripts. My prof said they have great potential."

"Good," his father nodded. "I always knew you were going to go places with that writing of yours."

His gaze turned to me and he outstretched his hand across the table. "Steve West, you must be Audrey."

"Indeed I am, sir," I placed my hand in his. "It's nice to meet you."

"Please," he chuckled. "Call me Steve. Sir makes me feel ol- Nathan no comment."

Nathan put his hands up in surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it, Pops."

Darian chuckled and I let out a small laugh as Steve rolled his eyes and Julie shook her head.

After the laughter died down, Julie clapped her hands. "Let's eat!"

***

When the dinner was finished, Darian and his parents went to the living room. Nathan and I, on the other hand, went on a tour of the house. He led me upstairs, showing me everything from the library to the five guest rooms. Eventually, he showed me his room, well, his old room. The walls were painted a deep green, filled with posters of different famous boxers and other sports stars. I had no idea who any of them were. My eyes landed on one poster, in particular, a woman basically naked on the top of a yellow sports car. I raised an eyebrow and pointed at it. "Classy."