Page 144 of The Single Dads Club
I elbowed his ribs, fixing a smile on my face as my parents approached.
A man in a suit approached from our left, tossing a set of keys into Cade’s hand. “Hey, keep it running, I’ll be back in a few.”
Cade’s eyes met mine, full of irritation at the man’s insinuation that he was the valet. Cade grumbled something at the man, and tossed the keys back to him just as my parents stopped beside us.
My mom and I exchanged kisses and I gave my dad a quick hug before introducing them to Cade.
They smiled at him politely and he and my dad shook hands.
“What was that?” my dad asked, tipping his head towards the guy now waiting by the curb for the actual valet.
“Just a misunderstanding,” I interjected quickly before Cade could open his mouth, and fixed a smile on my face.
This felt strange. Way strange. I shrugged it off.Go with it, Alexa.
My mother’s eyes roamed over my dress and her mouth pinched closed. I tugged at the hem of my skirt, willing it closer to my knees. Cade noticed what I was doing and took my hand in his, giving it a firm squeeze before releasing it. I took a deep breath and trailed behind my parents into the dining room.
The hostess seated us at my parents’ usual table near the windows overlooking the golf course. Seeing how fall was settling in, not many golfers were braving the course today, but for a few dedicated souls just finishing the back nine.
Cade was ever the gentlemen, seeming to have moved passed the valet mishap, and pulled out my chair before settling into his own. He frowned at the expansive quantity of silverware at his place setting and I gave his knee a gentle squeeze underneath the table.
“Alexa’s never brought adateto our Sunday dinners,” my mom said, suspiciously eyeing Cade.
Cade, thinking quick on his feet, grasped my hand on top of the table. “Well I’m very happy to be here.”
My mom settled back into her chair, her back still ramrod straight, but seemingly satisfied with his response.
The server came by for our drink order, beginning with Cade—he ordered a bottle of beer. I winced. We never drank at Sunday dinners. It was sort of athingwith my parents. The rest of us ordered iced tea.
When the server returned with our drinks, Cade waved away the suggestion of a pilsner glass and I thought my mother’s eyes were going to pop out of her head. But when he tipped his head back and drank straight from the bottle, exposing a little section of his tattoo, my mother sucked in a gasp and gripped the tablecloth in front of her.
I wanted to go to the bathroom and hide. It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d done so. The farthest stall back on the left side of the ladies’ room had served as a disappearing place a few times over the years when I needed to escape my mother’s meddling.
Dad finally asked the question I knew had been on his mind since meeting Cade. “So, what do you do, Cade?”
Cade pulled back another fortifying swig of this beer before answering. “I work construction. Roofing mostly.”
“Hmm,” my mother pursed her lips. “That sounds awfully … manual.” My mother shot me a disapproving glare letting me know that she was none too happy to be sharing a dinner table with this man she obviously viewed as below her.
My blood turned hot and my nostrils flared as I tried to contain my sudden flash of anger.
My dad simply nodded. “You enjoy working with your hands? I never was much good at it. Hell, I practically have to call an electrician just to change a lightbulb.”
Cade smiled, relaxing just a bit into his chair. “Yeah, I enjoy seeing the tangible results of my work. I do all sorts of things, carpentry, electrical—let me know if you ever need a hand. I draw the line at plumbing, but the rest I can usually figure out.”
I’d never really heard Cade talk about his work, I realized. I liked hearing him describe it. It was the same way I felt about nursing. I liked the notion of helping to improve something, leaving it in better condition than the way I found it. Sure, my work was with people, and Cade’s was with inanimate materials, but I still understood what he meant. I doubted my dad could relate, balance sheets weren’t exactly exciting. But I liked that he nodded and smiled, at least trying to relate to Cade. My mother on the other hand looked like someone had shoved a stick up her ass. I refused to look at her, focusing instead on the place setting in front of me.
The waiter was soon back, taking our order. “The prime-rib special Mr. and Mrs. Blake?”
My parents nodded in agreement. Cade handed over his menu without looking at it. “You have burgers here?”
The waiter nodded. “Certainly, sir.”
Without knowing what possessed me, perhaps it was the carefree chicken-wing-eating Lexa making her comeback, I followed Cade’s lead. “I’ll take the burger too.”
“But you always get the prime rib—” my mother interrupted.
I finally glanced at my mother. “I know, but I’m in the mood for a burger tonight so that’s what I’ve decided to order.”
