Love Me

Chapter Twelve

I nodded with understanding. I always have a lot on my mind. “Is everything okay at work?”

“Everything is fine, Alyssa.” He placed his hand on mine that was on the table reassuringly. “Don't worry.”

“You know you can talk if anything is bothering you, right?”

He sent me a little smile. “Thank you, Alyssa but it's okay.”

He was lying. Somehow, I always knew when people were lying and right now Nathan wasn't telling the truth.

Soon after, Hannah, our waitress, returned with our drinks and we ordered our food. I got a salad, not because I was watching my weight, I just wasn't so hungry, while Nathan ordered an escargot salad. I didn't even know that was a thing.

Who puts snail in a perfectly good salad?

Our meal was quiet and a bit awkward on my part. Is this how dates usually are? If so, I don't think I want to go on any more. If I wanted a quiet and awkward dinner, I would go to Christopher's house, at least they spoke to each other.

The same person who told me he was going to explain everything to me tonight isn't saying anything at all. Great.

Sick and tired of the atmosphere, I decided to start a conversation. “So, your company, what does it do exactly?”

The man I was talking to, looked up from his food probably not expecting my question. “It's a tech company. We make phones and stuff.”

Oh wow, I did not know that.

“That's pretty cool, what are you working on now?”

“Well, we're working on a new phone, to be released after Christmas.” He explained. “We're calling it GForm I. Right now we're putting the last few touches on it and making sure it's safe and secure so you don't switch your phone on one day and find out everything is gone.”

From there we started talking about other things but he didn't quite mention any of what he was supposed to explain to me. I wanted to know about Oliver's mother. Does she see her son? Is she alive?

The only person that can answer those questions seems to have forgotten about them.

I wanted to remind him but before I could, his phone rang. Upon looking at it his smile dropped and he excused himself.

When he came back, it was obvious that he had reverted to the grouch that I started the evening with. Hating the awkwardness that was making its way back, I asked him, once again, if everything was fine?

He took a deep breath before replying. “I'm sorry about tonight, I'm a little distracted.”

“It's alri...” He interrupted me.

“It's not alright, Alyssa. I'm making this night unbearable for you. I did not want it to be like this.” He paused, running a hand through his hair. “I wanted tonight to be romantic but everyone's putting pressure on me and...”

It was my turn to interrupt. “Who's putting pressure on you?”

He took another deep breath. “My father. There's a contract you're supposed to sign. It's so that we conclude that the wedding will happen. You're still deciding if you want to marry me or not and I don't want to force you to do anything.”

“I'll do it.”

“What?”

Yeah, what? We never decided on that.

“I'll marry you, Nathan.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, what do I have to lose?”