章 2: Dinner with Dad

"Who asked you to be a bridesmaid?" My dad repeated his question again during our dinner for two. On Saturday nights we would have dinner out of the house to get away from the craziness that is called my sister's kids.

I sighed as I stabbed my salad. "Karina. My college roommate. You've met her plenty of times. Along with her long-term boyfriend, Justin. We shared an apartment together."

"Wow. I'm just surprised. I thought they wouldn't last." He chuckled like it was completely normal to say something so mean without being bothered. "Don't you have to be a bridesmaid for Brittany's wedding though? Isn't there some kind of rule about being a bridesmaid for two different brides in the same year?"

I scoffed, pushing my half-eaten salad away in disgust. "If so, then I broke it last year." I pulled my hair tie out, letting down my brown, wavy hair. I quickly scooped it up into a cleaner ponytail to avoid it falling into my food, which should be coming out soon. "Veronica thinks I'm like that girl from the movie, 27 dresses."

My dad outright laughed. "Don't be absurd. You don't even have 27 friends."

My jaw dropped. "Daddd. How can you say that?"

"What?" He shrugged his shoulders, pretending to be innocent. "That's a good thing. You won't be like that girl from the movie. Not that it would be a bad thing if you were. Doesn't she get married at the end?"

"After a whopping 27 weddings? I'd die before then." I rested my chin in my hand with my elbow on the table.

"Come on, Val. This is a once in a lifetime event for your friends. It's only right that you're there to celebrate with them." He took off his reading glasses as the waiter came to our table with plates of food.

I waited until the waiter left before raising an eyebrow at my dad. "Once in a lifetime? How can you say that with a straight face as someone who has been divorced twice?"

He laughed as he cut his steak. "You don't go in a marriage expecting to divorce. So, in the moment, it's technically a once in a lifetime event. A grand party where you get to proclaim your love in front of everyone you know."

"Lame." I rolled my eyes and cut into my baked potato.

"You're just bitter because you're single." He pointed out.

My hand clenched the knife a little tighter. "I'm not bitter. I'm happy with being single. It's better than being tied to some loser who had the emotional index of a potato." My knife went right through the baked potato and clashed with the plate, drawing some attention from the nearby patrons. I gave a polite smile and put the knife down.

My dad raised an eyebrow, giving me a meaningful look. "Sounds like someone still isn't over it."

"This someone is doing just fine." I said between clenched teeth.

"You just need to get back out there. In the dating scene." My dad suggested. "All you've done in the past year is work and hangout at home."

"That's rich coming from you. When's the last time you went out on a date, Dad?"

"Been there, done that, took the pictures, and got a souvenir." He grinned. "You kids keep me busy as it is. Besides, if I found someone, where would all you guys go?"

"I'd still live with you." I paused to take some bites of food. "I wouldn't have a choice. All these weddings are going to make me go broke."

"It's not 'that' bad." My dad gave me a look, trying to call me out on a lie.

"Dad. It's even worse than last year. Last year, Ashley had her wedding in a church and her reception in a community center. That was my first and easiest wedding, which is seriously saying something. At least I didn't have to book a flight or hotel, and her mom hosted her bachelorette party. It was very lowkey and it still cost me a few hundred between the bridesmaid dress, shoes, and a wedding gift. Don't even get me started on Hailey's wedding." That one killed my savings account and set me back four figures. I wanted to cry every time I think back to it. And I thought back to it a lot, since it was right before Christmas. Let's just say...my nephews got their gifts from the dollar store last year.

"Ah, the life of being an adult." He laughed. "It's normal to go to a few weddings a year in your 20's and 30's. And let me tell you, the invitations become further apart, but they don't ever stop. Which reminds me..." He grinned.

I groaned. "Nooo, don't tell me..."

"Come on, stop your moping. I need you to come to Steven's wedding with me. You don't even have to do anything in the slightest. I'll pay for the hotel, gas, and gift. All you have to do is come, eat the fancy dinner, and enjoy the open bar."

"Open bar?" I perked up, feeling a little more welcoming to the idea. Ashley didn't have an open bar for her wedding, but that didn't stop me from drinking. What did stop me was catching my boyfriend making out with one of the other bridesmaids. Ugh. What a memory.

"Yea." He nodded. "And to make it better, the open bar won't have a limit."

"Wow. Real rich families, huh?" My eyes widened with amazement. I'm impressed by any wedding couple that can do an open bar. Especially without a limit. That's risky business.

"Both families love their alcohol." My dad told me. He knew both bride and groom from work, so it only made sense that he had the inside scoop.

My phone buzzed. I glanced down to see a text from my friend, Raquel. "Speaking of alcoholics." I opened the text. "Raquel wants me to come out tonight with her and Chrissy. I should probably drink some more water before they kill my liver."

Dad laughed. "You know, you would save a lot of money if you stop going out with those two. They're the reason your wallet is taking such a beating."

"Stop hanging out with my only single friends? I think not." I grinned, taking a big gulp of my water.