Chapter 11
Matteo
I was surprised that Lacey went back to the hotel. My family really loved her. In fact, they only had good things to say about her. My mother adored her and thought she was just the right fit for me. She even went as far as to say she was surprised I finally found someone that could put up with me. I wasn’t sure how I should take that, but whatever. I think we did better at acting tonight. We really sold that we were a happy couple.
Tonight was interesting. After a couple of hours, I wasn’t disgusted by her anymore. She seemed like a nice woman. She was smart as hell too. I was happy to be helping her with paying for her education. I just couldn’t put my finger on where my feelings were starting to come in. I guess it all had to do with how she carried herself. I felt deep down that we could have a connection, but my fears dragged me down.
I swore to myself that I would never tell her this though. There was no way in hell I’d allow myself to go soft and reveal that I had an actual heart. At one point though, it dawned on me how big of an ass I’d been to her and felt a little bad about it.
My dad came over and put his arm around me. “I’m so happy for you. Who knows, maybe you are the next to get married, son.” He laughed, but I knew he was serious.
My dad and I had always been close. Most boys were drawn to their mother but not me. My dad worked hard for our family. Sometimes, he worked two or three jobs to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. I supposed it was the reason I worked so hard with my business. I remembered him straggling into the house with his shoulders slumped and eyes barely open. I was convinced he wasn't human. He never let us see how tired he was though. He loved us and provided for us. I swore I’d turn out just like him, since I deeply respected him. As an adult, I understood what he went through, and I ended up respecting him even more. It was too bad I didn’t end up more like him.
“Maybe so, Dad,” I said to him with a huge smile.
About an hour went by, then Abigail dismissed everyone, and I headed back to the hotel room. Walking in the door, I found her sleeping on the pull-out couch. Her hair was spread out all around her, making her look like a beautiful angel. My heart melted. She looked so peaceful. I had been making her sleep on an uncomfortable couch as I slept like a king. I knew that my father would never approve. Sighing, I gently picked her up and placed her on the bed, careful not to disturb her sleep. Things needed to start being different, and I wanted to start small.