Because the Night

the agreement

Diego picked a bad place for launching a Big Conversation. The path was rocky and steep. He kept having to turn around and make sure Lily was still standing vertically. Normally he wouldn't be so worried, but she was his dancing partner for the week, after all.

That's why he was worried about her, right? Just that? This is what he told himself as he walked.

[Yes, we're in Diego's head now. It's different in here, right? A bit draft, a bit less anxious. Lily thinks too much. It's one of her principle problems.]

Diego hated this conversation. He hated it so much that he often postponed it long after the fun parts had already taken place. Of course, it was worse that way, always. There's a cut on his right eyebrow where a woman once threw a plate at him. A bit extreme, but he admitted he deserved a reaction. They'd been dating for six months — and that's when he confessed he couldn't date her.

He remembered the astonishment in her voice as she repeated back what he had just said.

"You're not allowed to date me?" They were seniors in college. She was looking up apartments for them to live in after graduation, which prompted the conversation.

"Not just you," he said, as if that would make it better. "I'm not allowed to date anyone. Or at least, not casually. And definitely not make out in the woods."

"Are you 14 years old?" She slammed the computer shut. She looked beautiful when she was angry, and when she was dancing. How could he have told her any sooner?

"My family is very traditional," he said.

"Who doesn't let their grown kid date?"

"Traditional according to their own traditions."

Diego couldn't believe he was about to explain these traditions again. Every time he had the Talk, it went the same way. The girl, understandably, realized he wasn't worth the work. Sure, he was tall. And handsome. And heir to a fortune. But all that came with a lot of strings. Better to find some other guy, one not burdened by a family promise.

Was it worth winding down this road again? He looked at Lily. She was funny, and smart, and had something about her that he wanted to peel back. In another life, he would definitely have kissed her. He owed it to tell her why he couldn't.

"So," Diego began. "I'm a Moody. On my dad's side, at least."

Lily sighed. "I know that. I just came back from the tour. I saw the pictures. Let's get to the juicy part."

"Well, I'm a Moody, so that means my family owns the place. We've run the Highland Mountain House for hundreds of years."

"How did you get a name like Diego, then?"

Diego laughed. She was putting things together quickly. "My mom's from Argentina. I spent a lot of time there, too."

"But now you're here?"

"Hey, can you let me tell this my way? I kind of have a routine."

"Fine."

He inhaled. Even she could tell that there was something lodged in his throat.

"So I'm a Moody. And I'm a Moody man. This is both a gift — I have this whole hotel! I can run it one day! And a curse. Because in order to run this hotel, I had to make a promise."

"And that promise is?"

"I wouldn't date anyone until I was ready to marry her."

"Um," Lily said. "That doesn't make much sense."