“We can leave as soon as we finish eating,” Katie told Matt as he pulled into the parking lot outside the restaurant where they were meeting her father for dinner. “The whole thing is stupid anyway. I don’t care what he says.” She hated that Matt was nervous. He’d been quiet since picking her up at her house, and with his freshly shaven face and toned-down hair, it was obvious he’d spent extra care on his appearance.

“It’s better if he likes me,” Matt said. “I don’t want to start sneaking around.”

“But we would,” she said, her own anxieties kicking in.

Matt turned to her then, his dark eyes meeting hers. “No one is keeping me from you.”

Her father stood as they approached his table, obviously coming straight from work in a dark suit, and Katie felt Matt’s whole body stiffen.

“Matt, how are you?” He held out his hand.

“Good.” Matt returned his handshake.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Katie said. “I have homework.” She sat on her father’s left, directly across from Matt.

“If you’re a meat eater, their filet is excellent,” he told Matt as they looked at their menus.

“Sounds good.” Matt closed his menu.

“So.” Phil turned his attention to Matt as soon as the waiter left with their order. “Last time we talked you were playing in a band and working at a lumberyard, I believe. Is that still accurate?”

“You know it is,” Katie said. “You asked me that last week.”

“And now I’m asking Matt.”

“You already know the answer,” Katie grumbled.

“Yeah, it’s still accurate,” Matt answered.

“Still no plans to go to college?”

“He’s a musician,” Katie answered. “He doesn’t need college to do that.”

“I think Matt is capable of speaking for himself.”

“I’m not going to college,” Matt answered. “School isn’t really my thing.”

“What if the band doesn’t work out? Do you—”

“It’s going to work out,” Katie interrupted. “He’s amazing.”

“That’s good to hear,” Phil said, his focus remaining on Matt. “How serious are you about my daughter?”

“Dad!” Katie glared at him. “You wouldn’t ask one of Megan’s boyfriends that question.”

“Sure I would.”

“You never even made one come to dinner.”

Her father pushed back his chair. “Matt, excuse us for a minute.”

“What?” Katie asked as soon as they stopped in a private corner just inside the bar.

“This is going to be easy or difficult,” her father said. “It’s all up to you. I came here to get to know him, and that’s going to require speaking to him.”

“You don’t have to ask him embarrassing questions.” Katie crossed her arms over her chest. “You wouldn’t be doing this to Megan.”