Rules Of Engagement

Chapter 7 - Family Dinner

Chapter 7 – Family Dinner

Asher Kincaid

POV

When I arrived here, I couldn’t figure out what my parents and Vana’s parents wanted to talk about, why we needed to move up our family lunch. Until this very moment.

We’ve sat here for an hour in a tense and quiet setting. My father was first to speak up.

“We’ve found a new respectable contractor for the two of you. This doesn’t prove the two of you are ready to take over the company though. It just shows that we’ve got connections. You two need to start working on building connections, so when you take over you won’t need us anymore.” He says looking me straight in the eye.

“What your father means to say is, there’s a gala in three days. That’s where you’ll meet people to build connections with.” My mother tries to smooth things over as usual.

Savannah is oddly quiet; she hasn’t said a word since she arrived.

“… I understand” Savannah says absentmindedly.

I narrow my eyes at her. I place my hand on her thigh and squeeze it, she looks at me in shock.

I lean in “Are you okay?” I whisper.

She nods. “Just thinking, don’t worry about me…”

“Savy dear are you alright? You’ve been awfully quiet all through lunch…” Her mother asks.

Savannah puts on a bright smile. It’s fake. We’ve been doing this for so long we’ve been able to see when the other is lying or faking something.

“I’m fine mommy, I’m just a little tired.” She says.

Everyone else believes her and lets it go.

“Savannah and Asher, we’ve been thinking for a while now. The two of you are in love and as a family we couldn’t be happier. How about setting a date for the wedding?” My mother asks.

My movements pause.

We don’t have an exact date for the wedding, we’ve been tiptoeing around it for years. We’ve avoided this conversation for years. We know we have to get married before we’re off to college.

Savannah and I are well aware that once we’re married there’s no more random hook ups, no more one-night stands. We agreed to that from the start.

“I don’t know… We haven’t had time to speak about the wedding date…” Savannah says playing with the fork in her plate. She’s barely eaten today.

I barely ever worry about her, yet her behavior today worries me. which isn’t like me.

“How about the two of you choose a date since Savy and Ash isn’t sure?” Savannah’s father suggests.

Vana looks at her father and nods. “I don’t mind that.” She says.

“I don’t mind. Mom and aunt Ryan you can plan the wedding. All I care about is Savannah walking down the aisle to me.” I smile hugging Savannah.

She stiffens in my arms but doesn’t show it on her face. “I would love it if Mom and Aunt Lydia plans the wedding. Asher and I are busy with school and the Melgrove project we won’t time to plan a nice wedding…”

Our parents agree.

“Savannah your father and I were talking we were thinking that the two of you should get your marriage license before the wedding… Soon after graduation.” My father butts in.

I don’t say anything but glare at him.

Just thinking about the s**t, he said last night makes my blood boil.

=======

Flashback…

“You cheated on her?” my father hisses.

I pause in my steps and look over at him. “I don’t know how that’s any of your business.” I told him.

I reach for the door handle when he speaks again. “You couldn’t wait until you’re married before you start looking for another woman? I know what it’s like to be young, but there’s a lot riding on your marriage to Savannah. If you mess this up, I don’t just lose millions I lose half of my company. A company that’s been in my family for generations.” He sounds angry.

“Like I said it’s none of your business” I repeat.

“You think I would care if you were sleeping around? There’s an infidelity clause in the contract. If either you or Savannah is caught in a cheating scandal the party who cheated loses everything. Bruce made me add that clause to protect his daughter. Keep it in your pants until father the wedding, can you? Or at least make sure no one finds out, will you?” he grunts before dismissing me.

I stood outside his office door for a whole hour. I couldn’t believe it. If I made my cheating public, we would lose our business and my engagement to Savannah is null and void. I can go to a college I want to and play hockey.

Leaving Savannah to deal with the entire company and to pick up the pieces of our love story and deal with the backlash.

========

I decided I wouldn’t do that to Savannah, I wouldn’t even bring up the fact that I knew about the contract clause. Bruce Michaelson had a damn good brain when he came up with that clause.

My father suggested I hide my infidelity better he didn’t even care about Savannah’s feelings. If she truly loved me, she would have been hurt by my cheating. He didn’t even care whether she was hurt or not. He didn’t even ask about her.

All he cares about is the business. My father has always been cold. He loves my mother for sure. But he never cared for me. Bruce Michaelson has been more of a father to me than my own father has ever been to me.

Bruce and Ryan Michaelson have always been warm and welcoming to me because they knew what my parents are like. They knew my mother always supported my father whether he was right or wrong. She didn’t care as long as she got her big fat check every month to spend as she pleased.

My mother wasn’t cut out to be a mother, she’s never shown me any kind of love I’ve seen Ryan show Savannah. I know most of my hatred for Savannah comes from envy. I know I don’t actually hate Savannah. I envy the love her parents show her, I envy her perfect life.

I clench my fists around my knife and fork.

I feel warmth on my right hand. My hands relax, I look at Savannah’s hand on mine. I feel my entire body relaxed. I think about something else.

I look at Savannah and she smiles at me. She winks and goes back to speaking to our mothers about the wedding.

I couldn’t help looking at her. Why was I hesitating to end all of this. one word from me and all of this comes to an end. I won’t have to get married at eighteen. I would be free, and I would be able screw over my own father. The thought of being able screw him over brings joy to my heart.

“Have you died your hair Savy?” my mother asks Savannah.

That brings a smile to my face. I look at Savannah’s blonde hair. She darkened her hair before I got home from Chicago. She even cut her hair.

Vana nods. “I did. I had it done this morning…”

“It looks lovely dear.” My mother compliments her.

They go on to speak whereas my eyes are on my father. He must have moved up the marriage date in fear of me screwing everything up. which means I finally have some leverage on the man. Excitement runs through me.

What if I blackmailed him into letting me play hockey for a few years until I retire and have Savannah take over the company until then.

I bit the inside of my cheek; it wasn’t guaranteed though. But I did get some information. He has someone watching me at school.

I couldn’t trust anyone now. I hated the feeling of suspecting one of my peers of ratting me out to my father but there’s no way he would have heard it if he didn’t have someone paying close attention to me at school.

As if Savannah knows my thoughts, she places her hand on my arm.

“We were just talking about maybe going away for a weekend. What do you think Ash?” she asks.

I shrug my shoulders. I leaned into her giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Up to you babe…” I smile.