Falling For Her Manny: A Sweet Workplace Romance (Single In the City Book 2) by Souders Tia

Author:Souders, Tia [Souders, Tia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Cherry Valley Press
Published: 2019-12-29T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

BLAKE

Classical music tinkled in the background. Pretension filled the air like a choking fog, slowly filling Blake’s lungs until his chest went tight. All of the dinner guests in attendance stood around in gowns and designer suits that could feed a family of five for a month, if not more. The men’s cufflinks glinted under the chandelier as they raised their pre-dinner drinks to their lips, sipping on liquors and wine imported from faraway lands.

It was like a movie set, with everyone auditioning for a role. Blake’s would most definitely be the out-of-towner or the sore thumb.

He leaned into Jen’s ear, taking some comfort in the familiar scent of her perfume, and whispered, “Are you sure we can’t head out before dinner? We could get last minute tickets to a show, whatever you want.”

Jen smiled and spoke through the side of her mouth. “You know my father will have both of our heads if we leave.”

Blake sighed inwardly and shoved his hands in his pockets. It was worth a shot. There had been a subtle ripple of tension between them since the whole “underprivileged event” at the hotel, whether on his part or hers, he wasn’t entirely sure. Whatever the cause, it seemed to have dissipated over the course of the week, which made the timing of this impromptu dinner party all the more inconvenient. The last thing he wanted was to schmooze her parents. For starters, it never worked. Mr. Garwood wasn’t exactly the schmoozing type, and all Blake really wanted was to spend some time with Jen where he wasn’t on eggshells.

Though they’d only been dating a year, he had a feeling he’d never gain her parent’s approval. Her father, especially, always had this way of looking at him through narrowed eyes like he was staring at a foreign object under a Petri dish. These dinners they hosted only amplified Blake’s feeling of inadequacy. He’d do almost anything to get out of them, including peel out of his own skin just for an excuse to take a trip to the ER, but Jen wanted him there, and if he was to become her fiancé, her family was a part of the package.

Clusters of pale pink and white roses decorated nearly every available surface. Soft light dripped from the crystal chandeliers above. Starched, white linens covered the expansive twenty-two-foot table made of solid wood, along with gold candelabras and delicate china. Blake knew from experience, an entire crew had been ensembled in the Garwood’s kitchen—caterers, bartenders, and waitstaff. They spared no expense when hosting a dinner.

Everything reeked of old money and class—two things Blake felt he’d never have enough of for Jen. He could spend half his life with her and still feel as though he’d never fit in with her family. On nights like these, he hated having to put on an act, to smile, play nice, and pretend he was interested in the banal conversations around him when all he wanted to do was fall asleep in his soup.

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