Chapter 21 - Token Of My Appreciation

"Your Dad wants to personally thank me?" I pointed to myself while frowning.

I got over the initial shock and just decided to stop eating for the time being. I already embarrassed myself twice I did not need to do it again. I simply drank the water slowly to help soothe my throat.

"Yeah he is kinda old school so for him he feels that a proper thank you is in order. You won't be alone though I will accompany you the whole time so no matter what happens I can take him."

Why did he make it seem like he would fight his dad. This made me more wary. "I mean I wouldn't want to be rude but you saying that doesn't exactly make me feel better."

I guess because I choked a few times Dean pulled his chair to be closer to me. In the midst of my panic I did not notice so I jumped a bit as his proximity shocked me and even more he pulled my hands into his.

"Listen I am not someone who would throw you to the wolves and leave you to fend for yourself. He is not a bad guy, he is just more direct and stoic. When I say I could take him I just mean that if you feel like he is trying to push you into a corner due to social conventions or whatever I am not afraid to kick him down a peg."

The slight squeeze of his hands felt more reassuring than his words. "Ok then I guess I can stop by. Tomorrow night right?"

He smiled and leaned forward further in his chair. "Yes princess tomorrow. Initially my dad wanted you to come to our family home but that could lead to other issues so I proposed meeting here. You can stop by my work and we can meet him in the building instead. "

"What does a formal thank you even mean? Should I hold off on eating or eat beforehand?" In my family if we wanted to show our gratitude we usually wrote a card and sent a gift which was almost always a bottle of wine from our private vineyard. For people I knew more personally I would just get them something I knew they would like.

Having a whole meeting for this was not something I was used to. "I think my Dad is going to order us food to eat cause his style is usually a meal then a 'token of appreciation'. "

'I wonder what he could possibly give me?' If he and Dean had a hard time selecting a gift for his wife what would he think that I would enjoy? As I contemplated and imagined what a man like him would give me I felt Deans hand wave over my face.

"Earth to princess you there?" He laughed as I refocused back to him. "I will send a driver over to you at 6. So keep an eye out for my texts. Also..." He glanced over at his watch as he noticed the time. "I need to send you back, its getting pretty late."

I glanced over at the clock and sure enough it was already when I would normally head home from work. So we repeated the same steps we took to get from his office to his apartment and my driver took me back home.

'Ahhh lets hope the meeting with his father goes over well.' It was well intended thoughts. I probably should have been more specific in my prayers because while it did go 'well' it opened another can of worms I was't expecting.

My work day flew by and I was getting ready for dinner with Dean and his Dad. I decided on wearing a long sleeve dress since the evenings cooled down a lot compared to the afternoon heat.

I smoothed out my hair and retouched up the makeup I wore earlier in the day. The buzz from my phone indicated that times up and I was to head down.

The drive seemed like a blur and before I knew it Dean and I were seated facing his dad. He stared at my face for a while before finally saying something. "You truly are Enzos kid. You are his spitting image."

That was a common thing most people would say whenever they have seen my Dad and then look at me. Personally I look more like my mom because we both have the same nose and lips but because of my hair and eyes immediately everyone think of my Dad.

"Thank you Mr. Cortez I appreciate the compliment." He took ahold of my hand and gave it a firm shake. "It has been a while since I have last seen you. You have grown quite a lot. Lets eat before the food gets cold."

I gave a small smile to that. He was just as I remembered. Very direct and to the point. Dean and I helped assemble all the plates as we shared the food. We ate and shared a few words just commenting on the weather and traffic conditions as of late.

I finished my wine early and was going to go to his kitchen to pour myself a glass of water instead. Just as I was about to get up Dean pushed my shoulders slightly and got up instead, "I got it princess, water right?" He murmured. I nodded as he left.

I almost dropped my fork as I realized that his father was right in front of us. Dean has many nicknames he calls me since we were little. It was initially little red when I was in elementary school. In middle school after coming back from his visit to Australia he called me bluey for a bit because thats how they referred to redheads over there. In high school after becoming class president he felt princess was somehow better than bluey so he called me that and it stuck. No matter how many times I told him to stop he never did.

It was too much to argue with him even when I tried to bargain to get back bluey as at least that one was more unique. Eventually I tuned it out so I don't even react when he calls me that.

I glanced up at his dad but he seemed engrossed in whatever was on his phone which I was unsure of when he pulled out. 'Hopefully he did not catch that.'

When Dean returned his dad put down his phone and he began talking. "Initially Celeste I wanted to send you a card but having seen how my wife reacted and how even now her spirits are high you have done my son and I a great service." He set down his fork and folded his hands as he spoke. He was very serious about this.

"It was no problem at all, I am thrilled to hear that she throughly enjoyed the gifts." I gave my signature soft smile and kept my hands folded under the desk. Mainly so he couldn't see my palms wring from my nervousness.

"I did prepare a token of my appreciation but I would like to give it to you in private. I have it in my sons office if you could follow me." I froze as I watched him walk away into what I assume to be Deans office. 'What did he just say?' I peeked over at Dean whose eyebrows were equally raised.

Seems both of us were not expecting this.