The Author and Her Bodyguard

Chapter 38

I hate when someone calls just to ask a question. It makes me feel tricked into answering immediately. No matter what the question is, I like to take a moment and think about it. It's more than being incredibly awkward on the phone, it's the fact that my first reaction is to say yes, even if it's an incredibly awkward request.

I froze, phone to my ear. "Laliana?" Tate asked on the other end of the phone. "You alive?"

I shook my head and then remembered that he couldn't see me standing in the middle of my living room wearing a pair of bunny slippers, cat leggings, and a neon green shirt with a nerdy crocodile on it. Laundry day left terrifying possibilities. 

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" 

"My aunt was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight." I pulled my phone away from my ear and stared at it, confused by the question and needing to check the caller ID. 

"Your aunt?" 

"Yeah, Aiden's mom," Tate clarified. 

"What? Why!?!" I squeaked. I loved Katherine. She was warm and reminded me of my own mother. But if there was even the slightest possibility that Aiden would be there, I didn't want to go. Dinner with people you didn't know well had a high potential for awkwardness, but dinner with people whose family members you've kissed and may be there... yeah that is a hard pass for me. 

"Um... because she likes you and it's family dinner and I've missed the last three and if I bring you she won't kill me," Tate spoke, his voice near panic. "Okay, truth time. I forgot and it's starting in an hour. She asked Aiden and me to ask you WEEKS ago but I forgot and Aiden isn't in town. So please save me from having to show up and tell my aunt that I have been literally seeing you every day since she asked and I still couldn't manage to ask you in time to come to family dinner." 

I smiled at the end of the world vibe Tate had taken to. I had to hold back a laugh to pull off my next set of words with a serious tone. "Uh... but you didn't tell me with enough time." 

"Look, I'll owe you BIG TIME! PLEASE COME LALIANA! SAVE ME FROM MY AUNT'S FURY!"

I muted the phone as I started laughing. "This guy." 

Clearing my throat, I unmuted the phone. "Gee Tate... this is really short notice and I am super busy," I said as I pulled a PopTart out of the cupboard, getting ready to eat it for dinner like the queen that I was. 

"I will buy you coffee for the next month!" He shouted, no longer trying to keep his calm. 

"As tempting as that is, I can't..." I looked down at my cat leggings. "I am in the middle of a laundry cycle and I don't have any clothes that I would willingly wear in public." 

"Fine! I'll buy you coffee for the next month AND bring you clothes that won't bring shame upon your household. Please, please, please Laliana." 

I laughed. "I don't know if I trust you to pick out clothes for me." 

He scoffed. "You offend me. I know EXACTLY what to bring you. I'll be there in twenty minutes!"

"Wait! I didn't say—"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"TATE! WAIT I DIDN'T SAY—"

"Going through a tunnel, can't hear you BYYYYE!" Then the line went dead. 

I sighed. "Guess I'm going to a Dalton family dinner." 

...

I stood in front of a vine-covered gate, surrounded by a large wall with vines of flowers filling the air with a sweet smell. I couldn't see the house I was about to enter, and the idea of going in blind made me nervous.