"I'm a little more realistic now," Richard told his son. "Back then, I thought you'd want a 'nice' girl, that Melba would show you the value of … yes … personality. Don't snort at me, and don't forget that I'm still your father and always want what's best for you. Plus, I now know rather more about what men your age want and even need."
Had his dad gone round the bend? The guy hadn't even dated for years and years after Tanner's mom had departed from all their lives faster than a tired-out tornado. And now the old man was actually attempting to get a hot date for his son? Interesting. Might be worth playing along - at least for a few minutes, or until he grew bored.
"What's her name?"
"Merinda Raffel. She's the daughter of a big real estate investor in town - a friend of mine - and she needs a date tonight to take her mind off a recent disappointment. You've met her before, if I recall."
Wow. Merinda Raffel. Yes, Tanner had met her before. It was only about a month ago, at a party, and she had been endowed in all the right places. She was a true beauty. Smart, too - not just some little bimbo who would coo at him and have him ready to head for the hills before the sheets got cold. She'd been all over him, but he couldn't close on the deal because he had to get up early for his worthless trial. One of his attorneys had been at that party and had run interference, damn his hide, saying it wouldn't look good for the defendant to stand in front of Judge Kragle and look like he'd just had the debauched time of his life.
But now! Yes, now, Tanner was going to get a belated Christmas present.
"Okay, Dad, I suppose I could help you out. Not for more than this mercy operation, you know. I don't do long term. But if you want me to take her out once or twice to cheer her up, I'm sure I can take everything into hand."
"Great, son. She wants to go to a new place. It's called L'Appétit Avide."
"Of course she does. I wouldn't expect anything other than the highest pedigree of taste for a woman like Merinda."
"I thought you could afford it, Tanner, but I'd be happy to slip you the cash if you need a little help."
Crap. He'd completely forgotten that his father thought he was on the same tight budget as his siblings. He'd best be a little more careful in what and how he said certain things.
"C'mon, Dad. You know it's no problem." He delivered those words with just enough arrogance that his father surely had to ask himself what was going on. Was he wondering whether his son was covering up his insecurity about being trapped in this game with his dad as puppet master? Or was the guy unsure how he'd be able to afford the five-star meal?
Tanner expected to pay the highest of prices for his dates. It was well worth it when, at the end of the night, they kindly paid him back.
* * * * *
Merinda was certainly treating the place as if there were prizes to be won by finding the top-dollar dishes despite the built-in handicap of places like these, which had no prices on the women's menu. What would she do, Tanner asked himself, if he suggested going to get warm cookies for dessert? Or if he took her to a soup kitchen? Nah …
But he was having a good time, he tried to assure himself. All signs pointed to the sack. Her knee kept brushing his, and the gleam in her eyes and the flutter in her eyelashes told him a lot, too. She could talk with authority about caviar and wine, and when the subject turned off onto business and even the stock market, she easily kept pace with him there as well. Maybe he'd even consider a second date, at least if she was as good in bed as her looks and the heat coming off her promised.
Just as he was getting ready to suggest they take their meal to go, her eyes lit up and she looked him straight in the eye. And the conversation turned quickly for the worse.
"I couldn't help but hear about your recent sentence, Tanner." Merinda threw him a sly smile after saying what she must have been holding in all evening.
"Oh, that." He pursed his lips together, then decided to chill. Maybe she was going to actually commiserate with him and say properly nasty things about that senile judge. What was the worst she could do? They were having a great time. She wouldn't want to ruin it.
"I wish I could have seen you as Santa! I could have poked that cute little padded belly, and … "
Dammit. She was screwing with him. He should have guessed that even the most cultivated of women weren't above poking a guy while he was down. But he wasn't a wimp, or a little girl, as someone had recently suggested. He could handle this. Or he thought he could until Merinda continued.
"But, seriously, Tanner, how did you manage to live and work among the great unwashed? All those middle-class people brushing up against you in a tacky Seattle mall! And those old apartments! Have those people no shame? How can anyone live that way?"