“I could definitely do without my father’s matchmaking, but we aren’t even sure there is a stalker. I could still be a paranoid freak.”
“And that’s where Jasper comes in.”
I pull up to my house and notice a package sitting on my stoop. I look around, trying to see if anyone is watching, but again, I don’t see anyone. I didn’t order anything and it makes me nervous seeing that box innocuously sitting on my front porch. After meeting with Jasper today, it doesn’t feel innocent at all. He took my concerns seriously, and that’s made me take things more seriously.
“I gotta go,” I say, quickly cutting off Darlene and whatever her next words were going to be. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, don’t think this conversation is over.” She warns before hanging up.
I cautiously make my way to where the package sits. If it weren’t for my potential stalker and my unwanted suitor, I would maybe be excited about a surprise package. I used to love surprises, but as it is, nerves are eating at my insides.
There’s no label on the box, which causes even more nerves to flood my system. A silly part of my mind trails off, thinking it could be a bomb or some other dangerous thing waiting to strike, but that’s silly. Stuff like that happens in movies and certainly not to cheer coaches who are new to town with zero enemies.
I carefully lift the box and carry it inside, setting it down on my table. I chew my bottom lip and stare at the box for a long while. I find my lady balls and open the lid. There is a note sitting on top of a bed of tissue paper. I take the card and open it.
Charity,
I look forward to seeing you this weekend.
Dima
I flip up the tissue paper, and inside is a gorgeous dress. Something that I might pick out for myself, but certainly nothing I would wear for the likes of Dima Sokolov and what the heck does he mean see me this weekend? Unless he’s coming to cheer camp, he won’t be seeing me. In fact, I plan to do my level best to never see him again.
I toss the lid back on the box and pace my house, wondering what the hell is going on. Even though it goes against everything I’ve told myself, I pick up my phone and dial my father.
“Charity, to what do I owe this rare pleasure?” he says with a saccharine-sweet tone that lets me know he’s not alone.
“I have a feeling you know exactly why I’m calling.”
“Excuse me, gentlemen… family matters,” my dad says. I hear shuffling papers then the distinct sound of his office door closing.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to educate me, daughter,” he growls, his public façade leaving immediately.
I shake my head, hating how two-faced he is. The public sees him as some kind of gentle family man who has the best wishes for the world. His family knows the truth. He’s a selfish man who is power-hungry and won’t take no for an answer. Well, he’s got another think coming if he believes I’m going to give in to him.
“Dima Sokolov seems to be under the impression that we will be going out this weekend. Considering I have agreed to no such thing, he’s madly mistaken.” I’m almost proud of the strong sound of my voice.
“Listen here, you ungrateful brat. You will fall in line or else,” he threatens.
“Or else what? You’ll take away my toys?”
“How about that trust fund of yours?”
I laugh at that. “Take it. I don’t want it.”
He scoffs. “Like you can survive on that piddly little teacher’s salary of yours.”
What he doesn’t know is that in college, I took the barest amount of that trust fund and invested it. As soon as I made that money back, I returned it to the trust fund. Now I have a bank account full of money all of my own. I could easily live for ten lifetimes on the money I’ve got sitting around. Not that I’ll tell him that.
Even with all that money sitting in my accounts, I live off of my teacher’s salary. I don’t need more. I’m perfectly happy living a nice, normal life.
“My financial situation is none of your business and doesn’t change the fact that I don’t need you to set me up with a boyfriend,” I say sharply, practically yelling.
“Not a boyfriend, my dear. A fiancé. A powerful one. One that will bind our families together into a powerful and lucrative partnership,” he growls.
“Dad, he’s your age. I’m not attracted to him. We have nothing in common. Need I go on about how this couldn’t possibly work?”
There’s a knock at my door. When I look in the peephole, I’m not surprised to see Jasper calmly waiting on the other side. I open the door and usher him in as I listen to my father rant and rave about how I will combine our houses. I swear it’s like some crazy-assed Shakespeare shit happening. He’s lost his ever-loving mind.