minutes while we were presenting nodding his head and didn’t spend any time clarifying our points once we’d wrapped up, two sure signs we’d covered the material effectively.
After class, we patted each other on the back and someone suggested a celebratory coffee at Starbucks, but I begged off, using my next class as an excuse. Instead I walked to the library where Daniel was waiting for me, sitting by the window. When he saw me approaching, he stood and moved toward the end of the stacks in the corner of the reading room. I followed.
“How did it go?” he said once I’d caught up with him.
“It was great. Everything ran like clockwork,” I whispered.
“I knew it would. I’m glad the time you lost working on it on Sunday didn’t have any negative repercussions.” He paused for a moment. “I know you’re going to have trouble with this, but I got you something, and I’d really like you to accept it graciously.”
He handed me a small envelope. I opened it and found a gift card for Holt Renfrew. I’d window shopped at Holt’s but never actually bought anything. It was out of my league entirely.
“Why are you doing this, Daniel? I don’t need anything. You don’t have to spend your money on me to prove you care.”
“That’s not why I’m doing it. It makes me happy. Anyway, I think you do need to buy a few things. I’m taking you away tomorrow night, if you’re okay with that.”
“Taking me away? What do you mean? Where?”
“I should have checked with you first, but I wanted to surprise you. You’ve worked so hard this week. I’ve booked us a chalet at a resort up north. It’s called Taboo. It used to be Muskoka Sands?”
“I’m familiar with it. I mean, I’ve seen pictures…” I trailed off, embarrassed. Taboo was not the kind of vacation spot my mom and I would ever have been able to afford.
“You don’t sound particularly interested.” His face fell.
“It’s not that. I would have been fine with staying at your place, that’s all.”
“I know, but I thought it would be nice to be far away from here so we can go out and have fun together. We can rent some cross-country skis and curl up by the fire. Find something redeeming about winter.” He smiled and rested his hand on the shelf beside us, close to my cheek but not quite close enough.
“So, what’s this for?” I held up the gift card.
“I don’t know. Maybe you could buy a dress, some new shoes. I’d like to take you out for dinner. And there’s an indoor pool and hot tub. Do you need a new bathing suit?” Now he looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, poppet. I want to spoil you. Please let me?”
I sighed and turned the card over in my hand. There was no dollar amount on it.
“Buy whatever you want, and they’ll bill me. That’s how I set it up. Will you do that for me? Please?”
He looked at me beseechingly. God, how could I resist?
“All right. You win. But I’m totally doing this under duress.”
He smiled beatifically.
“So, tomorrow—when would we leave?” I asked, feeling a glimmer of excitement despite my initial reluctance.
“As soon as you’re able to get your things together after tutorial. You can take the subway up to Yorkdale, and I’ll pick you up there. If we leave by three, we can be up north in time to go out for dinner. Maybe we can ski on Saturday and be home after dinner. Penny’s expecting us on Sunday to help with painting, if you’re still interested.”
“I see you’ve got this all planned.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said last Sunday—about hating winter. It’ll be beautiful up there with all the snow we’ve had this week. There’s supposed to be quite a snowfall tonight too.”
I put the gift card in my pocket and zipped it up. “Okay, well, thank you. You’re very…generous,” I said, still not entirely comfortable.
“One other thing—please don’t be frugal.”
He knew me so well already.
“That’s going to be hard. Frugal is
After class, we patted each other on the back and someone suggested a celebratory coffee at Starbucks, but I begged off, using my next class as an excuse. Instead I walked to the library where Daniel was waiting for me, sitting by the window. When he saw me approaching, he stood and moved toward the end of the stacks in the corner of the reading room. I followed.
“How did it go?” he said once I’d caught up with him.
“It was great. Everything ran like clockwork,” I whispered.
“I knew it would. I’m glad the time you lost working on it on Sunday didn’t have any negative repercussions.” He paused for a moment. “I know you’re going to have trouble with this, but I got you something, and I’d really like you to accept it graciously.”
He handed me a small envelope. I opened it and found a gift card for Holt Renfrew. I’d window shopped at Holt’s but never actually bought anything. It was out of my league entirely.
“Why are you doing this, Daniel? I don’t need anything. You don’t have to spend your money on me to prove you care.”
“That’s not why I’m doing it. It makes me happy. Anyway, I think you do need to buy a few things. I’m taking you away tomorrow night, if you’re okay with that.”
“Taking me away? What do you mean? Where?”
“I should have checked with you first, but I wanted to surprise you. You’ve worked so hard this week. I’ve booked us a chalet at a resort up north. It’s called Taboo. It used to be Muskoka Sands?”
“I’m familiar with it. I mean, I’ve seen pictures…” I trailed off, embarrassed. Taboo was not the kind of vacation spot my mom and I would ever have been able to afford.
“You don’t sound particularly interested.” His face fell.
“It’s not that. I would have been fine with staying at your place, that’s all.”
“I know, but I thought it would be nice to be far away from here so we can go out and have fun together. We can rent some cross-country skis and curl up by the fire. Find something redeeming about winter.” He smiled and rested his hand on the shelf beside us, close to my cheek but not quite close enough.
“So, what’s this for?” I held up the gift card.
“I don’t know. Maybe you could buy a dress, some new shoes. I’d like to take you out for dinner. And there’s an indoor pool and hot tub. Do you need a new bathing suit?” Now he looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, poppet. I want to spoil you. Please let me?”
I sighed and turned the card over in my hand. There was no dollar amount on it.
“Buy whatever you want, and they’ll bill me. That’s how I set it up. Will you do that for me? Please?”
He looked at me beseechingly. God, how could I resist?
“All right. You win. But I’m totally doing this under duress.”
He smiled beatifically.
“So, tomorrow—when would we leave?” I asked, feeling a glimmer of excitement despite my initial reluctance.
“As soon as you’re able to get your things together after tutorial. You can take the subway up to Yorkdale, and I’ll pick you up there. If we leave by three, we can be up north in time to go out for dinner. Maybe we can ski on Saturday and be home after dinner. Penny’s expecting us on Sunday to help with painting, if you’re still interested.”
“I see you’ve got this all planned.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said last Sunday—about hating winter. It’ll be beautiful up there with all the snow we’ve had this week. There’s supposed to be quite a snowfall tonight too.”
I put the gift card in my pocket and zipped it up. “Okay, well, thank you. You’re very…generous,” I said, still not entirely comfortable.
“One other thing—please don’t be frugal.”
He knew me so well already.
“That’s going to be hard. Frugal is
Similar Books
