#13

“I forgot to say you look awesome James… you are such a hottie” I was blushing like a kid. This is followed by laughter. I place my hands on my mouth “Why are you laughing… I’m telling you the truth” Emma teases me.
We both are very much enjoying each other’s company. I don't want this moment to end. “no one has ever called me a hottie before”. now she knows how much her words touched me.
“Well someone is calling you a hottie now. so you better keep that in your mind you are a hottie” “Guys are not used to getting compliments freely”
“Well there’s a first time for everything” she held my hands across the table.
the waitress immediately brought the cart our to our table “These are both your lobster dishes. She places the lobster on my plate top of it and a shell cracker” the waitress finally served us. I won't lie I was getting impatient
Emma told me the last time she had lobster.
“When my dad was still alive we loved going out to eat lobster. He even let me crack the shell”. The lobster meal reminded her of fun times and family. I was happy to be the one to bring back such wonderful memories.

“I am happy to be the source of this happiness”
My family always had lobster and barbeque during weekends. my mom would cook lobster during the weekends. as a family, we would gather in our yard. We also had steak with burgers, bears, and expensive alcohol.
We always invited neighbors over from our cul de sac and dad's country club members and friends and also business associates. but I didn't tell her all that, I told a few stories. because that would give away my cover.
I stopped at where my mother cooked lobster on the weekends and I had family over.
I don't know why I was so scared to tell Emma about my family. Maybe I was scared because I knew my mother would not approve of her. And I know how demanding they could be if they did.
We had champagne and enjoyed ourselves. I could've sworn the other couples behind us that were arguing became jealous of how we were laughing and giggling a lot.
they always turned back to look at us from time to time. when we had an outburst of laughter. It made me proud of myself. It meant to me that I was doing something right with Emma and it convinced me that we understood each other.
Damn a girl that understood me and my corny jokes. so I didn't care about the people looking at us, though I knew they would not complain because some of them had seen me with my dad lots of times. so I am sure they can’t say anything.

She asked for my phone to take some pictures. “Hey James, come closer “ she whispered to me. “Why are all these people looking so stiff and stuck up? like they stuck a cucumber put their ass. is this how rich people are they look so unhappy”
i laughed and said “ ha…ha…ha i dont know. you can ask them if they are” I hope when I have to reveal myself to her she doesn't think I am busy and stiff and pretentious. who knows maybe she already thinks rich people are bougie and pretentious.

She came to my side and sat on my lap. She opened my phone and took pictures of us together. “say cheese James” she then pointed the camera at us and took a picture
“oh you got some lobster stew on your shirt… oh damn” she pointed at the screen showing me the picture. “it would look good in the picture… no, it's fine. It tells a story. when we are telling people our love stories in the future”
“Ewww, so cute. I like that” she said Then she kissed me on my forehead. when she was done. She went back to her seat. “I am done with these people. Why are they staring at me though” she laughed and said
“I don't want to catch some stuck-up energy, ” she laughed and winked at me. she laughed again getting some stew stuck in her throat. I laughed and said
“Ha… now you got some of em stuck in your throat”
Then I gave her water to drink. She raised her middle finger at me and we laughed about it. “That’s what you get for making fun of people”. “Keep talking and you won't get that kiss that you were hoping for” “ Sorry ma'am, I will keep my mouth shut
We were having so much fun, Little did I know trouble was lurking around. As we were about to leave the restaurant about three paparazzi photographers stormed us and started taking pictures.
“Hey, rich kid. smile for the camera,” one photographer yelled.
“Who are you people and why are you taking our pictures?” I yelled in confusion. The lights of the camera were blinding. I held Emma's hand trying to find a way to run away from them.
Emma kept shouting “ who are you people?..who the fuck are you people. She grabbed one of the photographers’ cameras and smashed it on the floor. By that time Jeffrey ran out of the car to confront each and every one of them. We finally found our chance to run into the car.
we were trending on the internet. Apparently, my father had just released a new cosmetic drug that was to revolutionize weight loss and the media was looking for any piece of information about him.
We rushed into the car as we were taking shots of ourselves. one photographer shouted while wrestling Jeffrey, saying “who is your new sidepiece kid? can both of you smile for the camera”
Jeffrey punched one of them and shouted at him
“Leave them alone they are just kids”
He blocked off the paparazzi from getting to us and we entered the car. Emma wanted to leave immediately. Emma was shocked and unhappy that some strangers took pictures without our permission.
“I knew I kind of recognized your last name,” Emma said.
“So you are actually the son of a billionaire mogul. hoodwink” She stared at me in disappointment.
“Why didn't you tell me? what now, you don't trust me ?”
“no, it's not that Emma, believe me, i just wanted you to see a side of me without the money and my family finding their clutches into my love life”
“What is so bad about your family? Are you hiding me from them? Are you not proud of me? So you think I am that peasant girl looking for prince charming?” she folded her arms in anger.
“Trust me when I say this I am proud of you. but I am protecting you from my family and my world. they could frustrate you, babe”
I was silent for a while, staring at her. Jeffrey rushed into the driver’s seat and started the car.
“i just wish you had prepared me for this”
“i am sorry Emma for the troubles I have caused you” I took her hands and stared into her eyes hoping for her to forgive me “forgive me Emma”
“It's fine, I have heard. next time give me a heads up”
“Thank you. so happy you have forgiven me”
“Hey, you are not off the hook yet. You are going to make it up to me”
“ok ma’am”