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His words sting, but I manage a reluctant nod. “Alright, I get your point. I won’t use company funds for any personal travel in the future.”

“Did you go alone?” he inquires, his tone now edged with suspicion.

“No, I traveled with a companion,” I admit.

“A companion, huh? Let me guess—another one of your blonde floozies?” he asks bluntly.

“It’s really inappropriate for you to refer to my female friends like that,” I snap, the irritation evident in my voice.

Unrepentant, he continues, “Well, that’s just how I see them. Now, speaking of these floozies, who are you taking to these upcoming weddings?”

I carefully choose my words. “I’ve made a decision about that.”

His tone shifts to one of amused curiosity. “Oh really? Please don’t tell me it’s that woman you brought to the Anderson wedding last year—the one who was shamelessly flirting with the groom. Seriously, where do you even find these women?”

I wince internally at the memory of that disastrous date: she was drop-dead gorgeous with curves for days, yet utterly incapable of handling her liquor. I recall how she’d boldly asked the groom for a dance “somewhere private”, a moment overheard by my mother.

Clearing my throat, I finally say, “It’s Tess, actually. She’s coming with me to all four weddings.”

His face immediately brightens into an approving grin. “Well, well, well… that’s an excellent choice. How did that come about?”

“I asked her, and she accepted,” I reply simply, not really wanting to explain any more than that.

His voice softens as he continues, “She’ll fit in beautifully, especially since she already knows so many of the guests.

He continues on with a sharper edge to his voice. “But let me ask you this, Charles—Tess isn’t a romantic interest, is she? I mean, she’s your sister’s best friend. When are you going to settle down, son? You’re almost 40 now. Do you really plan to stay single forever?”

I press my lips together and run my hands through my hair in exasperation, annoyed by the recurring conversation. Before I can stop myself, a boldfaced tumbles out. “Actually, Tess and I are more than just friends.”

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Tess and I are dating,” I lie again.

“For how long?” he demands, his eyes narrowing in a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“Just a few months,” I say, feeling the weight of the lie. “We chose to keep it under wraps until we were both more comfortable. But now feels like the right time—since she’ll be my date for the weddings.”

A genuine smile spreads across his face as his tone softens. “I’m surprised, son. Surprised and, might I add, quite pleased. Tess is a wonderful girl—she’ll make a fantastic wife and a good mother one day. I hope you don’t screw it up.”

Why does he always treat me as if I’m a irresponsible child? “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I manage to say.

“You have always been a bit of a Peter Pan, refusing to grow up,” he says. “I’ve known that for years and always hoped it would change. Now, it seems like perhaps it might finally be happening. This is a big turn of events for you, Charles.”

“It might be, Bill. It’s still only been a few months,” I say, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

Dad gives me a pointed look, his eyes narrowing. "Don't screw this up, Charlie. You have a tendency to sabotage good relationships."

"What are you talking about?" I ask, though I already know exactly what he's going to say.

"Remember Olivia?"

I wince at the name. Olivia Lancaster—brilliant, beautiful, and the daughter of one of Dad's oldest friends. We dated for nearly a year, and things were going well. Too well.

Dad leans forward in his chair. "She was perfect for you. Intelligent, accomplished, from a good family. She was ready to settle down, build a life with you."

"I know," I say, trying to keep the defensiveness out of my voice.

"And what did you do?" He doesn't wait for my answer. "You panicked when she started talking about marriage. Took a sudden 'business trip' to Thailand for three weeks. Left her hanging without so much as a proper conversation."