How to Date a Millionaire by Allison Rushby Page B

‘Maybe we don’t have to. It’s been such a nice day. Maybe we shouldn’t spoil it. We don’t have to talk about anything serious. I think we’ve done enough serious in our lives. Maybe today, just once, we can take a break.’
    Seth doesn’t look convinced.
    â€˜Really,’ I tell him. ‘Just for today. Today’s about fish and wayward ice-cream drips and …’
    â€˜Tide pools?’ Seth tries.
    I laugh. ‘And tide pools. Let’s not spoil it with anything else. Okay?’
    Seth pauses one more time and looks more serious than ever.
    â€˜Please?’ I beg, my eyes saying even more – don’t spoil this day, Seth. Don’t be a gas pump jockey. Please.
    It takes a while, but finally his eyes smile back, relieved, at me. ‘Okay. But just for today.’

    â€˜Right on time.’ I check my watch as Seth and I turn into the path that leads up to our apartment building. I don’t tell him what for – that at 4.01 pm, one minute after curfew, my dad will have me turned into a pumpkin, a mouse, or maybe a Hawaiian-themed sea urchin or a cocktail umbrella or something, Cinderella style.
    â€˜I …’ I start to say, before I look up and spot them. ‘Oh. Uh oh.’
    â€˜Uh oh what?’ Seth asks, following my gaze.
    â€˜It’s my dad. And my, um, my … stepmother.’ Yeah, right. Like Seth hasn’t already noticed that my stepmother, approaching us, looking gorgeously stunning despite her huge bump on front, happens to be Holly Isles.
    â€˜Hi, pumpkin!’ my dad calls out, waving (I guess I was half right about that Cinderella thing, even if I am back before curfew).
    â€˜William …’ Holly gives my dad a sly dig in the ribs. ‘She’s sixteen now! Don’t call her that.’
    I give her a wan grin in return. Too late. I think he already did.
    Dad and Holly stop in front of us.
    â€˜Um, Dad, Holly, this is Seth. Seth, this is my dad and my stepmother, Holly.’ I introduce everybody. In case Seth hasn’t already noticed that Holly is, in fact, The Holly, I watch him carefully. But, to his credit, he doesn’t freak out, or curtsy, or do anything remotely weird. I guess with his father being so big in business, he’s probably had to meet important people all his life (‘Could you pass the potatoes, please, Bill Gates?’; ‘Would you like another slice of apple pie, Oprah?’). The one thing that Seth does look, however, is kind of like he wants out of here, and fast. Still, that’s pretty normal, isn’t it? Who wants to meet someone’s parents on the first date? And, frankly, after the pumpkin thing, I want out of here and fast too. And I’m related to these people.
    â€˜Did you have a good time?’ my dad asks after everyone’s done the ‘lovely to meet you’ stuff.
    â€˜The aquarium was great,’ I say. ‘You guys should go.’
    Holly sighs. ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have time. We’re already halfway through our stay and there’s still so much we haven’t done. How about you, Seth? When are you headed back home?’
    Seth coughs. ‘Er, I’m not sure about when we’re leaving yet. In the next few days, I guess.’
    My dad rubs his hands together. ‘Right. Well, we’re off to meet the girls for an ice-cream. Coming?’
    I shrug. ‘I just had one, but I’ll come anyway.’
    With this, my dad reaches over and pinches my stomach. ‘Always room in there for another ice-cream, isn’t there, poppet?’
    â€˜Dad!’
    â€˜William!’ Holly seconds.
    Oh brother. I glance sideways at Seth, whose eyes are now searching wildly for exit signs.
    â€˜Seth?’ My dad turns to him.
    The poor guy jumps a mile and it takes him a moment or two to work out my dad’s inviting him for ice-cream as well. ‘Er, no. Sorry. I’ve got