He wasn't expecting Neal to come up with such a ridiculous business proposal. Of course, he had rejected the offer, but he still wanted that business deal. And he needed to get Neal to drop the marriage idea. That was the reason why he was at the party actually. 

It should come as no surprise. Neal Patchett was getting old, and it shouldn't be too surprising that he would want his only child to get married. Dash just didn't understand why Neal would pick him. He had met Tess just once, and while she had the innocence of an eighteen-year-old, she must be twenty six or twenty seven, having completed...