Chapter 54 Chapter Fifty-Four
Vanessa POV
I say hunched over myself glancing up at my best friend suddenly not sure what to say and then I huffed
“ Yeah oh”
Bean swallowed
"So we're meeting the parents already?" Bean asked.
"That's big. When?"
"This thanksgiving " I said.
"But Bean, it's not just dinner. They want us to come to their house. Their penthouse in Tribeca."
Bean's eyes went wide with surprise
"I'm sorry, did you just say penthouse in Tribeca?"
"Yeah."
"As in New York City Tribeca? One of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country Tribeca?" Bean exclaimed, she was rich herself so it shouldn't surprise her but still, it was Tribeca
"That would be the one," I confirmed.
"Holy shit," Bean whistled.
"Nessa, that's crazy did you know his family was that loaded” she asked and I shook my head
“ Of course not do you have any idea how much penthouses in Tribeca cost? We're talking tens of millions of dollars.” I said feeling my anxiety spike just talking about it.
"I'm aware," she said, wryly and I huffed
“ Why are you not surprised” I asked and she shrugged
“ My family has a house there, I just didn't think Danny and I were neighbors” she mumbled softly
“ I can't believe I'm friends with rich kids” I huffed and she grinned
"You have a talent for drawing us in” she drawled and I laughed.
" So your boyfriend's parents one of the richest men in professional sports have asked you to their home for Thanksgiving." she asked and I nodded
"Yep."
"And have you agreed to this” she asked
"I'm not sure," I said weakly.
Bean stared at me for a long moment, then burst out laughing.
"I'm sorry," she gasped between giggles.
"I'm sorry, I know this isn't funny. But Nessa, you're—the girl who spent three years avoiding anything hockey-related.”
“Now you're dating the son of hockey royalty and having dinner with them.The irony is just too much."
Despite my anxiety, I found myself laughing too.
"I don't know if I'm having dinner with them though."
"So what are you going to do?" Bean asked, finally getting her laughter under control.
"I don't know," I admitted.
"I already said yes,to thinking about it and I'm pretty sure I'm going but I'm terrified. What if they hate me? What if I use the wrong fork or say something stupid?”
"What if they love you?" Bean interrupted taking her hand.
"What if you go and have a perfectly nice time and Danny's mom decides you're the best thing that ever happened to her son?"
"That seems unlikely," I said.
"Why?" Bean challenged.
"Because you're not rich? Or from some fancy family? Nessa, you're brilliant and kind and funny. Any parent would be lucky to have you dating their son."
"You have to say that," I pointed out.
"You're my best friend."
"I don't have to say anything," Bean said firmly.
"I'm saying it because it's true. And honestly, if Danny's parents can't see how amazing you are, then they don't deserve to have you in their lives."
I felt tears prick at my eyes.
"Thank you. I needed to hear that."
"Anytime," Bean said. Then, quieter,
"So what do you want to do? About the dinner?"
That was the question, wasn't it? What did I want?
"I want to go," I said slowly, working through my thoughts out loud.
"I want to meet Danny's parents and show them that I'm serious about him. Plus I want to prove to myself that I can do this even though I'm also scared out of my mind."
"Being scared is okay," Bean said.
"That means it matters to you. If you weren't scared, that would be weird."
"I guess," I said.
"Danny keeps saying it'll be fine, that his mom will love me. But what about his dad? From what Danny's told me, Jonathan Glover is... intense."
"Intense how?" Bean asked.
"Well he's controlling and very demanding, plus he's very stuck up in my last name another thing that my father managed to ruin for me” I added the part I'd been avoiding thinking about too hard.
Bean's eyes went wide.
"Oh shit. Danny's dad knows your dad?"
"Yes he does and he's not very fond of him" I admitted and she winced
“ So you're showing up to dinner that's slightly rigged against you” she asked and I shrugged
"Pretty much."
"That's terrifying."
"I know."
Bean was quiet for a moment, thinking. "What does Danny think you should do?"
"He says to come," I said.
"He says we'll face it together, whatever happens. That our relationship is stronger than our fathers' history."
"And do you believe him?" Bean asked.
I thought about Danny—about the way he looked at me, the way he supported my work, the way he'd defended me against Marco.
About how he'd stood up to his own father on the phone about his career choices. About how he'd said he loved me and meant it with his whole heart.
"Yeah," I said finally.
"I do. I believe him. I believe in us."
"Then you have your answer," Bean said simply.
"You go to dinner. You hold your head high. You show Jonathan Glover that his son chose you, and you're not going anywhere."
"When did you become so wise?" I asked, echoing what Danny had said to me earlier.
"I've always been wise," Bean said with a small smile.
"I'm just not always great at taking my own advice."
"None of us are," I said.
Bean pulled me into another hug, this one warmer and more genuine than the first.
"Thank you. For listening. For not making me feel like an idiot for being sad about Marco."
"You're not an idiot," I said into her shoulder.
"You're heartbroken. There's a difference."
"I love you, you know that?" Bean said.
"I love you too," I said. "Even when you disappear for a week and scare me half to death."
"I won't do it again," Bean promised.
"From now on, we face our relationship disasters together. Deal?"
"Deal," I agreed.
We pulled apart, and Bean grabbed her coffee mug from the counter where she'd abandoned it.
"So, Friday in Manhattan. What are you going to wear?"
And just like that, we were back to being normal roommates instead of two girls nursing broken hearts and anxiety attacks.
It wasn't perfect, and I knew Bean still had a lot of healing to do. But we were okay so we'd get through this.
Together.
"I have no idea what to wear," I admitted.
"Everything I own is either casual student wear or professional dissertation-defense wear. I don't have 'meeting billionaires in their penthouse' wear."
"Good thing your best friend knows fashion," Bean said with a glint in her eye that reminded me of the old Bean.
"Come on. We're going shopping."
"Bean, I can't afford—"
"My treat," she interrupted.
"Consider it payment for putting up with me being MIA for a week. Besides, retail therapy is exactly what I need right now."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Positive," Bean said.
"Now go grab your purse. We have a wardrobe crisis to solve and only three days to do it."
As I headed to my room to get ready, I couldn't help but smile.
No matter what happened at dinner or how terrifying meeting Jonathan Glover turned out to be, I had Bean in my corner.
And that meant everything.