Walking Heartthrob

Chapter 32 Couple at Covent Garden

"Lys, I have a favor to ask you," Daylen spoke to me after mass while we drove.

"I'm all ears," I said invitingly. I saw him chewing the inside of his mouth like he was mulling things over.

"Have you told your parents about us yet?" He finally asked.

"Well actually, no," I admitted, "I was gonna call them tonight when we get back. I only told my brother Tony about you, he's got a new girlfriend so I'd love to rub it in his face that I got you for an amazing boyfriend and I ditched the cheater I used to date. I thought we could make it official on a video call, get the introductions out of the way—"

"Lys." Daylen gave an apologetic smile at me. I tapped my lips.

"Sorry, I'm rambling here. What's the favor you need?"

"Do you think you could hold off on the video call until later?" Daylen asked hesitantly. "And not mention any last names?"

"What? Why?" I asked, confused. That was an odd thing to ask, considering how he knew I'd been dying to introduce him to my folks since I broke up with jerk-face.

"And I'd rather you didn't send any photos of us just yet." Daylen sidestepped my questions, keeping his eyes on the road. I frowned.

"Daylen, I thought you'd be stoked to meet my parents, what gives?"

"I am, Lys, truly. But... I'd rather meet them in person and introduce myself properly then, alright?"

"In person? Daylen, the odds of them visiting London are next to none," I said with a humorless laugh. "Unless you're willing to take a trip with me to Venice..."

"Please, Lys." He turned those pleading eyes to me—the same eyes I saw after I discovered he was my Peter Pan. I sighed. I couldn't resist those.

"Okay, you can—trust me to be the soul of discretion," I acquiesced subduedly. "God knows why though... you're not gonna tell me what brought this on?" Daylen shook his head sorrowfully.

"Not now, Lys, but someday. I can't explain right now, it's—complicated."

"Okay, I'll trust you on that," I vowed. "But you know, Daylen, if it's because you work for my Gwan, you have nothing to be ashamed of. My folks are really down to earth, they appreciate a hard-working boy. Especially when it's a labor of love," I said softly. He gave me a modest smile.

"Trust me, Lys, I have no qualms about my position as the butler's help."

"Good, because they'd approve of you simply because you have the guts to work for my Gwan," I laughed, lightening the mood. "They once tried to get me a job to learn responsibility—let's just say the coffee shop that hired me was less likely to be blown up without me." We dissolved into laughter and more funny stories after that, but at the back of my mind, I wondered uneasily what was the reason behind Daylen's request. Was there another mystery behind that? Another secret?

"So, dove, what say you to a bit of fun?" Daylen asked with sparkling eyes, returning to his normal self again. "We've the whole day ahead of us and so many possibilities..."

"I still haven't toured this city you know," I said with a fake pout. Daylen gave an exaggerated gasp.

"An atrocious oversight on my part, one I must remedy post-haste." I snorted in laughter.

"You know, sometimes it takes me a minute to process what you say," I said, leaning over close to him so that my lips were a breath away from his cheek. "I dig a smart guy, I think smarts are super sexy." Daylen parked the car and turned to me, trailing a wicked finger across my jaw.