This is the fifteenth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, Part XI, Part XII, Part XIII, and Part XIV before continuing.
Owen had gotten up to dance with my grandma and I relished a moment to myself with both of them out of the way.
Then my mom sat down next to me.
“Keira, honey, are you OK?”
“Me? Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You didn’t seem as pleased as I thought you would be about the car. Don’t you understand that sort of thing is exactly why I’m doing this?”
I looked around to make sure we weren’t being overheard. Everyone was either on the dance floor or too busy drinking the free booze to pay any attention to us. “It’s not the car, Mom. OK, it’s a little bit about the car. I was surprised he was so generous, so at first I didn’t know what to say. But then when he said you wouldn’t have to give me a ride to the train station, I felt like you didn’t want to spend any time with me.”
“Oh, honey, of course that’s not true. Besides, if I were to give you a ride to the train station, it’s not exactly as if we’d be alone. I’d have to give Owen a ride, too. I noticed your persona with him is very…”
“Disney princess?” I finished for her.
“Yes!” She said with a snap of her fingers. “That’s it exactly.”
I nodded. “I know. It’s boring, but he seems to like a damsel in distress. What’s more damsel in distress than a classic Disney Princess?”
“It does seem to be working. I don’t think he’s taken his eyes off you all night.”
“Of course he has. Look. He’s dancing with Grandma and looking right at her.”
“Yeah, but he keeps stealing glances at you. He’s clearly smitten.”
“Yeah. Now all I have to do is figure out how to keep him interested.”
“Always the hardest part.”
“I know. I’ll come up with something.”
“I know you will,” she said, reaching over to give me a hug. “You always do.”
Not always, I thought to myself as Brian came to mind. I vowed I would never let that happen again. One way or another I would find a way to hold Owen’s interest without breaking character. There had to be a way. I was running out of wealthy fish to catch.
To be continued…