I smile weakly. “Thanks .”
An awkward pause passes where I don’t want to talk further about my father, but Cedric isn’t sure if he can change the topic or not .
“I’m not really sure about what I want to do next with my life,” I say. That’s not completely true though. I just don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life. I know it doesn’t involve marrying Killian. “What do you want to do once you finish your law degree ?”
“I want to start my own firm. I like corporate law. And then I want to settle down with a beautiful girl like you. Somewhere warm .”
“Of course,” I say, smiling .
“And I want to marry her. I want to have kids with her. I want my life to be her .”
I blush. “I hope you find that someday .”
His eyes stay transfixed on mine. “I’m getting close .”
His eyes sparkle, and I quickly lose myself in them. It would be nice to be married to someone like Cedric. He seems nice. He seems like a gentleman. He seems like husband material, unlike Killian who is too focused on his work to ever give proper attention to a wife and family .
“Kinsley?” my grandfather says .
I turn and see my grandfather standing at the end of our table. He has a stern look on his face. I see Killian standing behind him with a small smirk on his face .
I try to pull my hand away from Cedric’s, but he doesn’t understand what’s happening. He just tightens his grip as his thumb slowly moves over my palm .
“Hi, Granddad,” I say .
“Who is this?” he asks, looking at Cedric .
“This is—” I start .
But, of course, Cedric, being a gentleman, jumps in immediately .
“I’m Cedric Allum. I’m her date for the evening—and, hopefully, if she will have me, for many dates after this .”
I wince at his words, and Cedric looks at me in confusion .
“I’m not just a model,” Cedric says in a rush, thinking that is the reason that my grandfather and I are so unhappy with what he just said. “I just do that on the side for some extra money, same as Kinsley. I just graduated with a business degree from UNLV. I got accepted into a law school in Chicago. I plan on being a lawyer, sir .”
My grandfather is paying him no attention. Instead, he is looking at me. “I think you’d better end the date now, Kinsley .”
I nod, unable to argue with him in such a public space. I don’t look at Killian. And I don’t look at Cedric as I begin to stand from my chair .
I take a deep breath before I do my best to look strong as I look at Cedric. “I’m sorry. You’ve been wonderful, but I think it’s best if we stop this here .”
“Why? I thought this was going well.” He glances up at my grandfather. “If your grandfather and”—he looks at Killian—“your brother would like to join us, they are more than welcome. Then, they can get to know me a little better and feel more comfortable with us going out .”
I chance a glance at Killian when Cedric calls him my brother. His smirk is gone. He’s rubbing the back of his neck in annoyance instead of the anger I was expecting. It seems he doesn’t even see Cedric as worthy of a challenge .
“That won’t be possible,” Granddad says .
“Another time then?” Cedric asks .
I smile weakly at his persistence, but he needs to learn when to give up .
That’s when Killian steps forward. “I’m sorry, Cedric, but you need to go home and forget about Kinsley. Don’t call her. Don’t think about her. Don’t try to reach out to her in any way. Plenty of other girls are out there who would be more suited to you .”
I close my eyes to keep the sting out of them after what he just said .
“I think Kinsley is plenty suited to me,” Cedric says .