Alfredo's - Pretentious Volume 1

Chapter 8

Aryn pulled a brush through her hair, threw it into her purse and grabbed the mascara wand. The front door opened with the sound of rushing air.

"Is that you Dad?"

"It's me," Peter Morgan yelled, rolling his suitcase across the living room floor.

Aryn always thought it sounded like a freight train driving through the house. She ran down the stairs and hugged him.

"How was your weekend? Did everything go smoothly while I was gone?" Mr. Morgan asked, opening his briefcase and pulling out some papers to look at?

Aryn looked up at her father. He was more than six feet tall and slender, the perfect form for the business suits he wore on a daily basis. She couldn't remember the last time she saw him in anything else. His hair was as brown as dark chocolate, and he wore it short and styled. The only thing he shared with Aryn was her bright hazel eyes. His were even darker. While Aryn didn't like Starr, she understood the attraction to her father. Peter Morgan was a successful and elegant man. He walked with an air of distinction and always had a goal or purpose.

"Not a bump in the road," Aryn said, sitting on the couch and wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Good, did you do anything exciting?"

"I went on a date with a guy from work." She said it casually, thinking someone from work might be more impressive than someone from school in her father's mind.

Mr. Morgan froze. "A date?"

Aryn put her legs down, sat up and cocked her head. "I'm old enough to date dad. What's the problem?"

He took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "I don't know that there is a problem Aryn, but I would like to meet these guys before you go out on dates with them. I'm sure someone from work is probably okay, but I would feel better if I met him first. Where did he take you?" He shifted his weight frowning.

"We went to dinner and a play. I totally loved it." Aryn said.

Mr. Morgan took another deep breath. "That sounds like something you would like," he said with a breath of indifference. He put his papers down. "I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat. A date with your dad tonight, we can go to Murphy's if you want."

Aryn cringed. "I already made plans for tonight," she said shrugging her shoulders. "I was getting ready to leave when you came in."

Mr. Morgan shrugged. "So, postpone them. We don't see each other much these days." He picked up his wallet from the end table and put it in his back pocket. "I'll tell you what? We'll go to Alfredo's, so I can meet this young man you're dating and you can show me where you work. How does that sound?"

Not so good, Aryn thought in a barely controlled panic. Her breathing quickened, but she schooled her voice to speak calmly. Arguing wouldn't get her anywhere. "He'll be working dad."

"Then we'll sit in his section; we shouldn't be too much trouble," Mr. Morgan said, his hands open in front of him as though he was offering her a great gift.

Aryn's fingers twisted together in her lap; she knew when her dad was digging his heels in. She stood up, put her hands in her pockets and shrugged. "We could do this another day when Danny isn't working. I'm more in a Mexican food kind of mood tonight anyway. I eat Italian almost every night."

"Then have a steak. It doesn't matter what style the food is, a steak is a steak. I want to see where you're working Aryn and this is perfect. I don't know when I'll get another chance to do this. We get to eat, and I get to meet your new friend and spend a little time with my daughter while I see where she's working."

Aryn's shoulders dropped in defeat. "Okay, let me make a few calls first," she said.

Mr. Morgan relaxed. "I'll put my bags in the bedroom and check my email. Let me know when you're ready to go," he said, wheeling the noisy suitcase across the floor. Aryn watched until he disappeared and ran up the stairs to call Danny.