The Husband Beside Me(68)

“Didn’t cook,” I noted sadly.

“Why didn’t you cook? You like cooking,” Daimon questioned.

“Didn’t feel like it,” I shrugged.

“Addie, what’s wrong?” he asked, walking to where I was, ignoring Drako.

“Nothing…it’s just…that…I GOT IN! THEY ACCEPTED ME!” I jumped up on the couch and began screaming.

“Holy shit. How the hell did you pull that off? They must have been desperate if they took you,” Daimon mocked.

“Not even your fucking teasing is going to ruin my day,” I said happily, smiling from ear-to-ear. Daimon snaked one arm around me and pulled me in for a hug.

“I'm proud of you,” he whispered in my ear. My heart jumped and my body froze. I pulled away not yet comfortable with how our relationship changed.

“So…” Daimon stopped and looked confused. “I guess I should take you out for dinner then.”

“No. Today I'm taking you out. I want to go where I like to eat and at least enjoy myself. I honestly hate going to those haute cuisine places,” I teased, trying to not seem like I pulled away from him out of fear.

“You lead the way, Mrs. University student.” He extended his hand to the elevator.



We stood in line at Lombardi’s pizza. Daimon wasn’t too impressed but didn’t say anything.

“Stop making that face. It’s one of the best pizzas in the city and I seriously wanted one,” I warned.

“Thank God, I changed into jeans,” he said under his breath.

He wore a simple pair of jeans and a dark grey t-shirt; he even tied his hair in a low ponytail. It was growing too long now, but I had to admit, he looked so fucking sexy, I’d rather eat him than the pizza.

“I can’t believe you’re seriously looking down your nose at everyone,” I said, surprised at him, but I shouldn’t have been. Daimon was raised differently than me, so I should have known he’d be this way.

“Forget it; let’s go where you want to go.” I gave up and started to get out of the line.

“Shut up and get your sexy ass back here.” He grabbed my arm and yanked me back. He slid his hand down my arm to my palm and intertwined our fingers. “I’ve taken you places; now, it’s your turn,” he said, looking down at me.

We finally sat down at a booth by the windows. A classic Italian New York pizzeria, red was splashed everywhere, the red brick walls, with its red pleather booths and checkered red and white tablecloths. I loved it. It felt so much like home.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Daimon asked.

“Just remembering the early years of the restaurant, when I worked with my mom and dad. It was packed just like this. The line goes right out to the corner. The sounds of plates hitting each other and the hustle and bustle of everyone trying to get their work done; it was crazy stressful and we all loved it. This place just reminds me of it,” I shrugged, reminiscing.

A waiter wearing black pants and a white, well what used to be white, shirt came to ask us our drink orders. Poor guy must have been working all day; red stains were all over him.

“I’ll have the sparkling water,” I said to him.

“Make it two.” Daimon held up two fingers.

“Sure. Do you guys know what you want?” he asked before leaving.

“Actually, yeah. One small original pizza and your Grandma’s Meatballs,” I ordered. Daimon narrowed his eyes at me. “What? You said I'm supposed to take you out.”

“Okay, coming right up,” the waiter said. Daimon continued to look at me suspiciously.

“Sofia and I used to come here when we were younger. My mom and dad didn’t know, since they worked all the time. It was kind of easy to get out of the house without them knowing. Plus staying at home with Sofia would sometimes drive me crazy,” I admitted.

“So Addie was a little bit of a bad girl.” He smiled all sexy like.

“Addie was bored babysitting all the time,” I challenged.

“Your parents worked all day?”

“All day and all night, until nine o’clock that is. They usually got home by ten,” I noted.

“Then who took care of you?” Daimon asked.

“Me. Look, Daimon, this was my reality. Yours was different,” I said earnestly.

“Yeah, I had nannies and butlers,” Daimon said annoyed.

“Well, I was the butler and the nanny.”

The waiter came back with our sparkling waters and placed them down onto the table. “Here you go, guys,” he said, rushing off to his next table that was waiting.

“It’s pretty busy,” Daimon noted.

“It’s always this busy,” I said, cracking open the first bottle of sparking water and pouring for both of us.