Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,68

each time we talk about politics, my social activism, my YouTube channel, or anything related to his job, we get into conflict. We are so different that the only thing in common we have is our surname. But in an effort to keep a semblance of a relationship with him, I’ve accepted an invitation to have lunch with him at one of his favorite restaurants. Upon entering, I briefly check the place and see only replicas of him—formal and boring dudes. He waves at me from afar, his short gray hair and fancy suit couldn’t blend any better with the rest of the crowd.

“Hi, Dad. How are you?” I greet mechanically as I sit across from him and drop my backpack from my shoulders. I then glance around the posh restaurant, and realize I’m the only one in jeans and sneakers. “I hope they have vegan options.”

“Yes, they do,” Pops replies, handing me the menu. “After waiting for you for half an hour, believe me, I had time to double-check.”

“Good,” I snap, and start checking the menu.

Leaning over a bit, he then asks with irritation, “When is this phase gonna end?”

And I can’t help but sigh at his comment. Putting down the menu, I say, “This is not a phase. This is the future.” Displeased by my answer, Pops lets out an exasperated breath and starts shaking his head. I’m already regretting having come here. “Look,” I start. “If we are just going to argue, it’s better that I leave.”

“How is your girl doing?” he asks to avoid an argument.

“First, she is not my girl,” I correct. “And this is stupid. No one belongs to anyone.”

Rolling his eyes, he says, “Sorry. How is your friend doing? Petra, right?”

“Yeah…” And I let myself dwell briefly on my thoughts. “She’s not doing well, unfortunately.”

“Really?” Pops asks with shock in his eyes. “You told me she was finally awake.”

“Yeah, but she is mentally ill.” As he gives me a confused look, I decide to open up. “She is engaged.”

He raises his brows in total disbelief. “At eighteen? To whom?”

“That’s the million-dollar question. I just know he’s got a hedge fund company.”

He rolls his eyes again, but this time I like it. “Oh, dear. Don’t tell me she fell for one of those assholes?”

“Yeah… That’s what I’m afraid of.” Leaning over, I say, “Petra has a good heart, like, really, I can’t explain it. When I told her I was starting a vegan diet, she was the only one who supported me all the way. So much so that she decided to do the same. We have this thing, you know, like, this connection.” Pops nods in perfect harmony with my words. “That dude once came to pick her up after exams,” I explain. “He was so full of himself. He even came in a Rolls-Royce. A Rolls-Royce, can you imagine? What a show-off,” I blurt out, my head shaking as I think of it. “She is just being lured with some cheap talk.”

“And I guess you’re going to save her…” Dad might sound like he’s teasing, but I take his words seriously.

“That’s what friends do,” I tell him. “She seems to like him a lot though. But that dude is gonna break her heart.” I take a sip of my water, and proceed, “It’s not healthy. I swear, he’s at least thirty-five. You have prosecuted people on Wall Street for decades. You know them, right?”

“Of course I do.” Pops leans closer to me, and in a lower voice, he says, “But that’s not enough to find out who her fiancé is.”

“I know…” Yeah, I kinda figured that out. And Petra is definitely not gonna tell me who he is out of the blue. She is so secretive about that, and I can’t help but wonder why.

“Good afternoon,” the waiter greets as he stands in front of us. “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes, please. I’ll have the filet mignon with potatoes,” Pops says. And as he orders his favorite wine, the sound of laughter breaks through the restaurant, and my attention goes to the table behind him.

To my surprise, the more I look at the dudes sitting there, the more I think I know one of them. I can’t really pinpoint from where, since I can only see half of his face, but his figure seems familiar. Suddenly, I see one of his middle-aged friends paying the bill and inviting the group toward the cigar lounge. As he stands up, I can finally see