N    A    O    M    I

We were inside the cafeteria, which was very near to the beach. Dad's eyes were fixed on Harold. He was scrutinizing Harold's posture with narrowed eyes. Whereas  Harold sat tranquilly straight across him and beside me while passing dad a subtle smile.

"So is he new boyfriend?" Dad asked facing me.

I glanced at Harold, while looking at his stance anyone could make out that he was confident about himself. But beads of sweat droplets were already formed on my forehead slowly tipping down, I  was fiddling with my fingers and frantically tapping my foot on the floor.

Slightly I nodded in nervousness.

Why the hell am I so nervous??

Ofcourse he's my boyfriend and I'm his girlfriend.

Right??

Harold glanced at me with a cute adorable smile and I, in return passed him a nervous smile.

"What happened to Mike Anderson?" Dad asked with furrowed brows.

Ahhh!!!! I knew this question would pop out and I seriously don't wanna answer this.

Like goddammit!!!

I again glanced at dad with an agitated look, I was flabbergasted by the question, I opened my mouth and then closed it.
"Um....he.." I stuttered while dad was waiting for my reply.

"He cheated on her and broke her heart." Harold replied for me as my head snapped at him with a horrified look.

Is he nuts??!

How can he tell that to my dad!!!!

And one more thing!!

I hope he won't call Miss Nolan infront of my dad!!

"Dad..I.." I was interrupted by dad as dad banged his fist on the table and I jolted back in fear.

Dad scoffed bitterly before cursing.
"That son of a swine, tattooed bastard..." he gritted and continued.
"I knew he would cheat the first time I saw his ugly tattoos."

Harold blinked in amusement as he slowly leaned towards my ear and whispered.
"Woah! You're just like him."

Dad cleared his throat as I moved away from Harold.
"When did you two meet?" He asked.

"Around two months before." Harold replied without an ounce of nervousness.

"How did you two meet?"

Um...he don't know how to answer this because how we met was crucial..

"We met in a bar....um...I mean restaurant." in haste, I stammered.

Dad nodded before glancing at Harold accurately.
"What do you do for a living?" He asked.

"I'm an entrepreneur." Harold replied.

"Oh no!!!" I muttered under my breath.

I hope this ends well..

"Entrepreneur?!" Dad raised a brow.

"Yes! I run a software company named SDC and I'm also the CEO of my own company." Harold replied with ten on ten determination.
"I also have an automobile industry under SDC."

He gotta stop bragging himself.

But he's stating the truth.

He's that rich!!!

"CEO and owner of the whole SDC enterprise, Mr Harold Kingston!!" Dad gave him an impressed look by twitching his lips and shaking his head a little.
"I knew I saw you somewhere, I saw you at the charity gala in Florida. The owner of the most powerful and the well known company." Dad smiled.

"Yeah!!" Harold replied with a smile.

"Financially you're stable but money isn't everything son, there's a thing called emotional support. Can you give that to my daughter?" Dad asked with a raised brows.

Suddenly nostalgia swept over me as I reminisced dad questioning Mike with the same question.

"Financially you're not that stable, you're still jobless..--" I interrupted dad.

"I completed my studies dad, I'll get a job and...--"

"Let Mike speak Naomi." Dad stated firmly.

I glanced at Mike, he was nervous.
"I can, I will always take care of her no matter what. She'll be the only one to me. For the rest of my life." My eyes welled up at his affirming commitment.

Dad scoffed in return.
"You're no match for my daughter, so stay away from her." Dad gritted while glaring at his tattooed arms.

Back then I was impressed by his words but now I feel it was just a copy-paste dialogue from a cliché romantic movie.

Huh!!! Buthead bastard!!!

"I don't know!" I was out of my long trance as Harold spoke up.
"I mean..your daughter has always been there for me as an emotional support.. a companion, whenever I needed her and I'm grateful for that and I would also like to give her the same support as she gave me." Harold smiled.

"Will you take care of her?!" Dad proceeded further.

Enough dad!!!

"I will!"

"Can I trust you with my daughter?" Dad had a subtle smile on his face.

"I am a man of words so I'll certainly say yes."

Dad chuckled and pushed his one hand out for a handshake. Harold and dad shook hands together.
"I like your words and you too!" Dad said.

"Thanks Mr Nolan." Dad nodded in return.

I slowly butted in to divert the conversation.
"How's everything in Florida? And how's mom?" I asked.

"Your mom misses you everyday." Dad responded as my eyes burned with tears.

"Then why didn't you call me to ask my whereabouts?" I choked at the end.
"I had written my new number in the end of the letter." I said.

Dad sighed,
"When I read the first two sentences of your letter, rage took over me as I just burnt the letter without having a second thought."

"It's okay!" I smiled.
"I'm glad that we met! How about we go somewhere out for dinner dad." I asked and then glanced at Harold whose posture stiffened.

I leaned towards him before whispering,
"What happened?"

"Tonight...dinner?" He stuttered in disbelief.

"No, Naomi. I was here for a business campaigning and now..I mean at half past five I have my flight booked but I hope you visit Florida soon." Dad said while standing up.

We stood too as I walked forward and hugged dad.
"See you soon sweet pie." He pulled back and ruffled my hair.

.................

We were inside the car heading back to home and Harold was smiling like a creep.

I mean he never smiles like that.

But he looks gorgeous even with a creepy smile.

Soon we entered the gates of our house and...

Harold pulled the hand brake before hurriedly getting out of the car. He opened the door and also stretched his one hand out for me to take. I placed my hand on his before getting out.

"What has gotten into you?!" I asked but he didn't reply instead he was smiling.

We together walked inside the house and everything was normal. Suddenly he came behind me and carried me up in his arms before sauntering towards the staircase. He climbed up with me in his arms.

After reaching upstairs, he still didn't put me down instead he walked further more towards the mini Maldives room.
He pushed the door open and walked inside and I was awestruck. This dude has totally changed the room.

He slowly put me down as beneath my foot was a rose petals shaped into a carpet which lead me towards a water. The palm trees in here were glimmering with the fairy lights and scented candles were placed everywhere on the huge rocks. The water was gushing down from the rocks and on top of the water was placed the table and a chairs. I slowly walked into the water and my whole feet was inside the water. Harold came beside me and pulled a chair for me as I sat and he sat across me.

"How is it?" He asked.

"It's beyond beautiful!" I replied.

______________________