Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,125
much is way harder than I thought.
Chapter 31
Manhattan, October 22, 2020
Petra Van Gatt
That Thursday evening, I should’ve been on the arm of my fiancé attending the dinner at Mike’s place, but alas, Dad made it clear that he’s got other plans for me, so instead, I find myself going to one of his many lobbying dinners. I have no idea why he insisted I attend, since he knows perfectly well I don’t like politics, but he assured me I’ll soon find out. As we arrive at the event hosted in a modern and spacious apartment in Greenwich Village, we’re welcomed by a host who asks for our IDs, making sure we are on the guest list. Afterward, he thanks us and says, “No pictures or videos during the evening, please.”
Not surprising.
As we step inside, we find a waiter handing out flutes of bubbly, so Dad takes one for himself while I scan the room for a waiter carrying soft drinks instead. After he takes a sip, Dad gestures for me to follow him toward the crowd that has gathered in groups around the open space that includes the living room and the dining room. I try to find a terrace, but I don’t see any. The more I look around, though, the more confused I am, as I recognize absolutely no one here. Dad, on the other hand, is already smiling, greeting, and shaking hands, and despite the fact that he introduces me to everyone he knows, I can’t find the will to feign interest in these people. They are friends of my dad’s, allies, lobbyists, political influencers, and the longer I stay, the more they monopolize the conversation with their plans for 2021. Discreetly enough, when the group is engrossed in conversation, I sneak out and start strolling toward the quietest part of the house: the hallway leading to the other rooms. As I walk down the corridor, my eyes are drawn to the many frames hanging on the wall, featuring the same man in a suit, but posing with different governors, head of states, and even US presidents. He must be the owner of the place. Then, standing still, my eyes squint as I focus on the last photograph, trying to figure out who he is.
“And yet not even a single photo with his family.” A male voice startles me, and I turn around, recognizing it.
“Matthew?” I say in surprise as my gaze lands on him. Unlike the rest of the guests, I find him in casual attire though—gray sweater, a pair of jeans, and sneakers. What a contrast with everyone else. “What are you doing here?” He glances over my shoulder at the wall behind me. “Oh, so this is your dad?” I ask, pointing to the frame I was looking at.
“Yep,” he answers, nearly in embarrassment. “That’s when he became the attorney general of New York.” Jeez, that explains all the pictures with politicians, then. And I’m pretty sure Dad knew who Matthew’s father was long before I did. After briefly scanning the other photos, Matthew says, “Pops calls it his wall of fame.”
The entire situation feels truly bizarre though, and I’m pretty confused about how Dad got invited here in the first place. “Was it you or your dad who invited us to come tonight?”
“Well…” A faint cheeky smile appears on his lips. “Let’s just say I made some quick intros to get you here.”
I cross my arms in amusement at his little game. “All of that just to see me?”
Matthew doesn’t even bother to hide his smirk. “Guilty.” I should be mad at him, but I simply laugh at the whole thing. “Let’s be real—it was the only way to persuade you to come over so I could apologize face-to-face.” He takes a step closer to me, his eyes still on mine. “I’m really sorry that I pissed you off.” He breaks eye contact, searching for his next words. “Um, you are really dear to me.” My lips part in surprise at how sincere he sounds. “Can you forgive me?”
With as much effort as he’s put in to see me again, it’s hard not to. “Your friendship is also dear to me,” I tell him.
And before our talk becomes too awkward, we smile at each other, and Matthew takes me by the hand, ushering me toward the crowd. “Let me introduce you to my pops.” We stop in front of a group standing in a circle, which also includes my dad. “Pops…” Matthew starts