Helena laughed although she sounded just as tired as he felt. The dinner certainly could have gone better, but she was thankful that it wasn't worse. And at least they ended on a good note. She was halfway through buckling up when he turned to her. His question wasn't wholly unexpected but she still had to slow down and give it considerable thought. The click of her seat belt sounded very loud in the silence around them.
"He's..." Vlad asked for honesty and she was trying to give him that but she didn't want to speak ill of someone he was so fond of. "I wish I liked him better. He was skittish. I didn't notice how much at first but he couldn't hide it for long, and I knew that going in." She sighed and shook her head. "A little bit of a temper, but I've seen worse. I really didn't like how he was snapping at Ella. Still, It's obvious that he cares. About you. Certainly about her. That's all that matters. The dinner was going to be awkward, what with the topic of discussion, so I'm going give him the benefit of the doubt." First impression was a bad one, but she wasn't going to hold it against him. She'd wait and see what a second impression would show. She hoped it would change her mind.