That night Andrea and Richie got ready for the Huntington's to come for dinner.   Richie could tell that Andrea was nervous just by the fact it took her an hour to fix her hair that had already been done twice before.  Richie himself though was nervous because he'd never actually met the Huntington's and since they were Tessa's good friends he wanted to make sure that he made a good impression. 

            "Andrea what are you doing?" said Richie opening the bathroom door to find her messing with her hair. He grabbed her arms and held them by her side.

            "Richie…"

            "Andrea Marie you look beautiful," he said as they both looked in the mirror

            "I know I just want this to go well for Tess."

            "I know I do too.  Hey they have to like you because you are exactly what Tessa always wanted in a daughter. Come on lets go help Mac."

            "There is something else that you have on your mind isn't there."

            "Yeah, but I think that one dinner is all we can handle in one night."

            "Richie what is that suppose to mean?" said Andrea grabbing his arm

            "I'll tell you later don't worry it's nothing horrible.  I just thought that it would be something that would be nice to do."

            "What?"

            "Trust me it's not something that you need to worry about tonight.  Just let us get through tonight and I'll tell you."

            "Have it your way."

            "Hi, guys are you ready?"

            "Yeah how's the food?"

            "It's coming along.  Andrea would you get the glasses from the self down for the wine please and Richie stay away from that food I'm going to go change real fast."

            "Change what exactly?  You are wearing nice clothes." said Richie

            "Yeah, but these people are very prestigious.  Besides I don't want them thinking I can't take care of things without Tess."

            "I hope that your watching all of this Tessa because it's all for you." whispered Richie.

            "What was that?"

            "Nothing." said Richie snagging a breadstick from the basket

            "Richie…" said Andrea slapping at his hand as he grabbed her and kissed her

            "Hmm?"

            "What is it that I have to wait to hear til later?"

            "You are horrible at the subtleness of this."

            "Come on if it's something that has to wait then it's something that I'm going to hate and that is going to make this look like the easiest thing I've ever done." she said hearing the doorbell

            "Well then I guess it's a good thing that I'm not telling you." said Richie answering the door.

            "Hello you must be Richie.  Tessa was right you are handsome."

            "Thanks please come in."

            When they got inside Richie took there coats and hung them up.  Duncan walked out of the bathroom and greeted them. 

            "Duncan it's so good to see you."

            "It's good to see you too.  Please come in.  Would you care for something to drink?"

            "Yes please."

            "You must be Andrea?  Tessa spoke very highly of you."

            "Thanks."

            "So Duncan what exactly have you been up to these past few years?"

            "I've been keeping busy running the Dojo downstairs and teaching classes at the university."

            "What kind of classes?"

            "History of the seventeenth century and the influence of the Western World."

            "Interesting and Andrea what is it that you do?"

            "I'm currently working for Dad and doing a few odd jobs for some people."

            "Richie what is it that you do?"

            "Well I'm keeping it in the family by helping Mac with the money of the dojo and also I ride motorbike for the Paris team and for one of the local teams here. Andrea has helped me out by being my manager when she can."

            "It seems that you are doing quite well for yourselves. So Andrea and Richie when's the wedding?"

            "What?!" said Duncan spitting his wine out along with Richie and Andrea managed to choke hers down.

            "Yeah we heard that Richie and you were getting married."

            "Well thanks for the heads up." said Richie wiping off the table.

            "What exactly is going on?" said Duncan eying Andrea

            "I'm taking this as not something that everyone knows about?" said Mr. Huntington

            "No because Richie and I aren't dating and we are far from engaged." said Andrea

            "Where exactly is this coming from?" said Duncan now curious

            "Well I work with a friend who knows one of your clients Charlie De Salvo." said Mrs.  Huntington

            "I don't believe this.  I'm going to kill him."

            "Andrea, relax you aren't going to kill him because I'm going to kill him first."

            "Sorry we just thought that this was something that everyone knew about since it's been a topic around town for about two months now.  Our daughter Erica has plans to throw a bachelorete party for Andrea and our son had planned a bachelor party for Richie."

            "It would probably be a good idea not to have them plan that." said Andrea getting up and walking into the kitchen to get some towels.

            "We are so sorry."

            "It's no problem I'm just glad that I wasn't missing my daughters wedding," smiled Duncan

            The rest of the evening went well and the Huntington's left thanking them for a wonderful evening.  Andrea was cleaning up and Richie was helping her.  He noticed the sudden change in mood from when they'd mentioned that Richie and her were getting married.  He didn't want to press because he knew that after everything that they'd been through the past few days that the shit had hit the fan finally.   Duncan helped finish cleaning up and then Richie left.  Andrea sat down on the couch tired and really upset.  

            "Andrea is everything alright?  I know that what they said must have upset you."

            "No, it's just that if it was anyone else that I probably would have laughed it off.  I felt like I don't know that I was doing something wrong.  I'm just so mad that Charlie had the nerve to put us in that position.  I mean he mentioned that we were really good friends and that we should be together I told him that we were just friends.  How many people know?"

            "I'm sure that Charlie didn't mean anything by it.  Why don't you go get some sleep you've had a long day.  I can finish this up."

            "Goodnight Dad."

            Andrea got on the phone in her room and called Richie, but all she got was the answering machine.  She figured that Richie stopped by Mel's apartment.  She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she shouldn't have felt the way that she did.  She'd been telling herself all this tiem that she wanted to never get involved with Richie because she didn't want to lose the great friendship that they'd builit, but she also felt something that she'd never felt before.  Could she be jealous?  Andrea decided to just deal with one thing at a time and first thing was first Charlie was a dead man as soon as he stepped through the door.