Page 36 of The Maid
"Adalyn Finney? The maid?" His mother interrupted.
"Yes, sir." Addie replied, but Gunther interrupted. "She is not a maid."
Addie's hand still extended but just hanging in the air. Gun added and took Addie’s hand in his, feeling extremely protective of her.
"How have you been darling?" His mother said. "What a pretty dress. Isn't it lovely Liam? You might catch a draft sitting out here by the water with all that skin exposed, though." God, his mother could be a bitch. She turned to Gun. "Gun, darling, you might want to hurry up and finish quickly so Adalyn doesn't catch a cold. Don't you agree, Liam?"
Her father nodded, his expression harsh. They didn't want their son being seen with Adalyn, it had been that obvious.
"Well, we've got to get going, our table is ready. It was nice to see you, son." She squeezed his shoulder before walking off, his father on her heals.
Once they walked away, Addie blew out a loud gush of air and plopped down on her chair.
"Sorry about my parents they can be assholes."
She waived her hands. "It's fine. It's fine."
"Can I get you another beer, sir?" The waitress came by at that moment.
"Yes, another one for me, thank you. Addie?"
"Nah, I'm good, thank you." She responded. Her bib was back on and she'd pulled another claw to her plate but it was obvious that the mood had changed. She looked 'off'.
"Addie, babe?" He reached across the table and took her hand, she looked up and smiled, but it didn't at all reach her eyes.
"This is so delicious, right?" She was distracted and wasn't eating it anymore. In fact, for the rest of lunch he noticed she moved her food around the plate but didn't eat another bite.
After dinner, Gun had planned to drive to the beach for a walk but she said, “I think I want to go home. I have a long day tomorrow.”
“You’re pulling away again. Don’t do that,” he said, as he drove.
“I can’t do this, Gun. You changed things. I was honest from day one. I told you this couldn’t be more than sex and you came in and made it more. Now your parents think we're in a relationship.”
"Like it or not, we are in a relationship. This isn't ten years ago. I'm not going anywhere.”
"We are not in a relationship!” Her voice was quaking and her eyes watered.
“Really? So, if I started dating other women right now, you’d be okay with it? Because I would not be okay with you dating other men. In fact, the idea makes me fucking insane.”
"You can't date someone like me, Gunther."
"You know what, Adalyn. The one with the problem over our social class is you."
"Me?" she said, indignantly.
"You are the one that brings it up. You're the one with the chip on your shoulder. I pursued you, knowing your financial worth. Hell, I'm still pursuing you. I don't give a fuck about my money or what my parents think. But, you do. You're the one that can't handle it."
"I just think that we are too different and the issue with your parents will keep coming up and you'll grow to resent me."
“No. I will not. And all I can say is that you should know me better than that." He parked the car and turned to her. “You don't have to prove anything to my parents or to me.
? You don't have to prove it to anyone. You are worth it. To me you are worth everything. We're dating, Addie. Like it or not, we are in a committed loving relationship,” he said, his forehead practically on hers, his hands cupping her face. We’re practically living together. Now, the only thing left is for you to understand your own worth and for you to accept that I want you just as you are.”
She wiped her eyes and her chin wobbled. “Gun, you have to go or you’ll miss your flight. Give me some time to think about things, okay? I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Why do I feel like this is goodbye?”
“It’s not. I promise. Be safe and call me when you arrive?”