Page 66 of Blitzing Emily

“I almost forgot about this. Meg, would you like some of this with dinner?”

“Yes,” Emily’s mother said. “It was thoughtful of Brandon to bring such a nice gift.”

She was flirting with him now. The friendlier Emily’s mother got, the more her father’s expression soured.

“It was my pleasure, Mrs. Hamilton. I’m glad you like it.” Brandon gave Emily an almost imperceptible wink. He was workin’ it.

“So, honey, you and Brandon are staying engaged?” her mother asked.

Emily had a mouthful of lasagna. She glanced across the table at Brandon and nodded in response.

“Brandon, if you don’t mind my asking, how do your mom and dad feel about this?” Meg Hamilton sipped her wine. Her ex-husband’s lips formed a thin line of disapproval.

“They were unhappy with me.” The twinkle in Brandon’s eyes was gone. “I’d also like to say that, while this did not start well, it has been my pleasure to spend time with Emily, and I’d like to keep doing so if she’ll have me.” He and Emily’s eyes met across the table.

“I’m not happy with your beginning any relationship with a lie, and frankly, Brandon, this reinforces what I’ve heard and read about you,” her father told him.

“Dad,” Emily pleaded.

Brandon gave her a slight head shake. He sat up in his chair and squared his shoulders. “Sir, I’ll have to prove I’m not that person.” The men sized each other up. It was like two bulls pawing and snorting before the inevitable clash.

“Mark,” Meg interrupted, but Mark was on a roll.

“Our family sacrificed so Emily could have the success she enjoys. Once she was out of the conservatory and performing with opera companies, she made her own luck, but at the same time, the cost was enormous, not just financially, and not just on Emily, but on everyone in the family.”

Emily’s bite of lasagna turned to sawdust in her mouth. Her dad’s insistence on bringing up their family problems in front of Brandon was humiliating.

Her father continued. “I worked two jobs for years. My wife worked. When we weren’t working, we were taking Emily to voice lessons and dance lessons till she was old enough to get herself there.” His eyes narrowed. “Our daughter’s not throwing her career away because you think it’ll be fun to play house with her, or because you’d like the publicity. There was no other way you could possibly get yourself in the paper?”

Emily’s mouth dropped open in horror. “I’m as responsible for this as Brandon is. My name was in the paper, too,” she blurted out. Brandon shook his head at her again, but she couldn’t remain quiet. “And I am not ‘throwing away’ my career. Maybe we should talk about how much my bookings have taken off since this all happened.”

“Mark, we’re at the table. This isn’t the time,” her mother said.

“Yes, it is. This needs to stop, right now. You’re not continuing a sham engagement for Brandon’s convenience,” Emily’s father told her. “I won’t stand by and watch your career blow up in a huge scandal.”

“It wasn’t all his idea. It’s helping me, too,” Emily said. “I just said my bookings are up.”

Meg Hamilton was white-faced and silent.

“For the record, I’ve offered to repay you and Mom over and over for the lessons and my schooling. You keep saying no. We’ve both told you that this was our decision, and Brandon apologized. What more do you want?” Emily said.

“It’s not the money,” her father ground out.

“Then why bring it up?” Emily asked.

“Sir, this seems to be a painful subject. Maybe we could talk some more about it later,” Brandon said.

“There won’t be any more discussion. My mind is made up.” Mark glanced over at his daughter. “As an adult, you are free to make your own decisions, but I want you to know I don’t agree, and I won’t support this choice.”

Emily sat silently for a few minutes. She knew all families fought, but their arguments never seemed to have a resolution. She loved her dad, but he never tried to understand how she felt about a situation or see her point of view. She’d had a fairly shocking revelation between bites of her mother’s lasagna: She didn’t want their “engagement” to end, no matter what her father thought about the subject. She and Brandon’s slowly growing relationship deserved a chance to thrive.

Emily tossed her napkin on the table, pushed her chair back, and got to her feet.

“Mom, thank you for the delicious dinner,” she said, despite eating only a few bites. “Dad, excuse us.”

“Sit down and finish your dinner,” her father said.

Brandon got up from his chair, rounded the table, and took her arm. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked in a low voice.

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