Chapter 12: The Dinner

Azalea Johnson's POV

After Alex parked the car, I was looking at the mansion that was standing tall in front of me. Alex opened my door as I was offered his hand. I took it as I know that I will fall flat on my face because of the stilettos that I was wearing tonight.

Damn it! I was not used to these kinds of shoes. It was more of my sister's thing.

"ready to meet my family?" He asked me as he put his hand on my lower back. A shiver ran through my bones but I keep smiling as I turned to look at him.

"let's do it," I said as he gestured me toward the big door. It was huge and there was someone that opened the door for us.

"Master Alex. I thought you would be late tonight," the old man said as Alex just grinned at him.

"Hello to you too, Josh. May I introduce my fiancée, Azalea," he gestured to me as I dipped my chin toward him. Josh's black gaze was eyeing me up and down as he kept his face stoic.

"pleased to meet you, ma'am. Mrs. MacWatters told me about your company. Come on in," he said as he opened the door as we walked inside. I was holding Alex's arm the whole time, not that I wanted to make sure that we make the perfect engaged couples, but I don't want to trip on my own. And Alex seemed did not mind at all. He just grinned at me.

"Are you nervous?" He asked me. I giggled nervously.

"maybe," I said as I was looking around the ballroom that Josh had shown us.

"Thank you, Josh," Alex said before he bowed at him.

"Enjoy the evening, Master Alex. Ma'am," he said as he looked at me again. I waved at him before we walked through the door.

The dinner was not as what I would expect it to be. It was grand and there were almost 30 people inside this ballroom. Alex groaned.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath before he rubbed his face with one hand. He took a deep breath before a woman in her forties approached us.

"Alex, you came! And you brought someone," she said as she pretended to be shocked that I would have known. I smiled at her. She eyed me again as Josh did.

"Mum, meet Azalea, my fiancée," Alex said as he pulled me close to him. I was not trying to squirm but I think I just smiled at Alex's mum.

"oh my, you did not tell me that you were engaged! This call for a celebration!" She said before she clinked her glass, getting everyone's attention.

"Attention, everyone. I have some great news," she said as she was looking around the room. A few laughter and chat had died as people have given their undivided attention to us and Alex's mum.

"It has been a great day for us. My son has come home and he had brought himself a fiancée!" She said as she toasted to that before everyone cheered. They drank the champagne that they had as Alex and I just watched them.

"mum," Alex said before she cut off him. His mum turned before she asked the dreaded question of them all.

"how do you guys meet?" She asked. I drew a sharp breath as Alex's grip on my waist tightens.

"mum, we've not even announced it yet and you already wanted to know about the story. Can't we have some dinner first? Azalea has been starving to death," Alex said before I turned sharply at him. He just smirked as his deep blue eyes were looking at me.

"well, I can say the same to you, honey," I said as I narrowed my eyes at him. He laughed.

"well, we can wait for that meet up before we have some dinner. okay, let's feast," his mum said before everyone left to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, I was seated next to Alex, thankfully and to my left was his friend named Brandon.

"brad, a pleasure to meet you, Azalea, right?" He asked me as we shook hands. I smiled at him as I nodded.

"yes, that would be me," I said. He laughed.

"Alex never told us about you," he said that got my attention. Us?

"Us? Who are the other 'us' beside yourself?" I asked him. He laughed before he looked at Alex as he was engaged in another conversation with someone beside him.

"well, there's me, Alex, Cam, and Dylan. You will meet them eventually but for now, you stuck with me," he said as he winked at me. I laughed as I sensed someone was looking in our direction.

"It seems you get to know better, Brad," Alex chimed in as I turned to look that he was scowling. I tried to surpass a smile as he was scowling. He never did in our few dates together.

"easy there, bro. I was just getting to know your bride-to-be. I think I like her," Brad said as he was smiling at Alex. He scowled deeper.

"well, just don't cross the line, Brad," he said as he turned to take my hand and kissed my knuckles. Brad laughed.

"would never dream that," he said before someone was coming through the door. Everyone fell quiet. I wanted to know who it was before everyone in the room was standing up. I followed them.

"why do he must always be so dramatic?" Alex mumbled under his breath before the man that just walked in, around his mid-forties, was coming closer to Alex. Alex cursed before he looked up to see that man.

"Hello, dad," he said bored. The old man smiled before he pulled Alex into a bear hug. I can see that Alex crushed under his hug. For a mid-forties man, he was sure strong.

"oh Alex, I thought you did not come here. If you did, I would have earlier. And look, you brought someone," he said before he released Alex and went to hug me. I was not expecting it but he did not squish me like a bug, yet.

"Yeah, good to see you too, Dad," Alex said before he coughed. Alex's dad released me and went to look at my left hand. He spotted the ring and his smile grew wider.

"oh, son, you've been keeping her to yourself. When will I ever get to know my future daughter-in-law?" He said as he turned toward me. I blushed as I can sense that Alex was looking deeply at me before he smiled at his father.

"well, I would not like to share her with anyone just yet but I wanted to get your blessing so, I bring her to meet you guys," he said as he went to introduce me to his father. I was smiling sweetly as I dipped my chin at him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. MacWatters," I said politely. He laughed, a throaty laugh.

"Oh, the pleasure's mine, dear. And please, call me Da," he said as he patted Alex on the shoulder.

"She's a keeper. You are right to make a choice, Son," he said before he took a seat at the head of the table. Alex pulled my chair back and I thanked him as I was seated.

"I hope I don't make a bad first impression," I said to Alex. He was chuckling at my statement. I scowled at him before he took my left hand and kissed my knuckles.

"if anything, he likes you, my darling," he said. My heart ached as he was calling me that endearment. I guess it will be stuck with him now.

we ate some more and we dined with precious wine and all that I can imagine the wealthy eat daily. Not that I was complaining, but I could never get used to this as I was a simple woman.

"Attention, everyone," Alex's mum said as she clinked the glass again. I looked at her as everyone was paying attention to her. She smiled brightly before she held her glass.

"I would like to propose a toast to my son and his new fiancée. It has been a while since I asked him to get married," a few laughter broke the silence, "but now, I can rest assured that he was taken care of. Azalea, thank you for coming into our humble life. Let's toast on that," she said as everyone was raising their glass and toasted for us.

I smiled at them before I sipped on the champagne as well. It was bubbly and expensive. I don't even dare to ask about the price.

"My mum likes to exaggerate things so we need to make sure that our story was good enough so that she was convinced," Alex whispered to me.

"what about your Da?" I asked. His brows shot up.

"what about him?" He asked me.

"well, shouldn't we convince him as well?" I asked him. He looked at me for a moment before he laughed. A genuine laugh and it was the first time that escaped his mouth.

"oh, Lea, you are full of surprise," I grimaced. Not everyone can call me Lea, well, except for my family and Ian.

"why not?"

"Just…just because," I said as I was sipping on my champagne. I was nervous besides that he just called me casual which for me was a huge deal when a guy, a very drop-dead gorgeous guy, called me that.

"don't you like it, darling?" His hot breath was on my ear. I gasped as I can sense my blush was on my face.

"now, why don't we hear their story?" His mother said as he gestured to Alex. Alex was smirking as I turned to look at him after he went away from my ear and raised to tell the biggest lie of them all.