Page 74 of Love to Hate You

“You can stop with the show,” she said, moving away from him. He gave her ass a little squeeze then let go. “How did you know my favorite restaurant is the Wharf House?”

“You’re my fiancée, after all.” He winked her way.

“I’ve been your fiancée for a whole five minutes, there’s no way you could know that about me.”

“Being your fiancée means I talk on the regular with your parents, so of course if I were to meet you at the boardwalk I’d know.”

“You really asked my parents?”

“I did and our reservation is in twenty minutes. We’re meeting Randy and Autum there.”

She was having so much fun with Wes, she didn’t want to involve Bonnie and Clyde, but this was Twin Day.

“You know,” she said. “A good fiancé would hold my hand.”

“A good fiancée would take me behind the funnel cake stand and give me a blow job.”

“And a gentleman would say ladies first.”

Being around families and happy couples usually made Wes uncomfortable. He wouldn’t know how to act, what to say, or how to feel when he saw people on some of the happiest days of their lives. Babies normally made him queasy, soon-to-be brides made him nervous, and he was confused at his reaction when Summer cooed and awwed every time they saw a couple with a stroller.

This was what Frank had been talking about. The hopeless-romantic side of Summer that wanted this kind of life. Usually in situations like this he’d come up with an excuse, something at the office that was time-sensitive, and bail. But not today.

Wes couldn’t seem to stop touching her. Holding her hand, letting their hips brush as they walked, even tugging on one of her braids as they leisurely made their way toward the Wharf House. They passed families with tiny tots, kids holding balloons, and couples holding hands. And for the first time, Wes felt as if he belonged.

She was wearing a parking cone and had puked on his shoes and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. In fact, the closer they got to the restaurant, where they were supposed to be meeting his brother and Autumn, the more he dragged his feet.

Randy was a lot on his own, the loudest guy in the room who was into bro hugs, chest bumps, and an all-around good time. Autumn seemed to be able to match his energy. Wes didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.

But he was here to support Randy, and that’s what he was going to do. His brother had promised to slow things down, really think things through, and Wes was counting on that.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but today has been one of the best Twin Days I’ve had in years.”

That warmed him in several places. “Why do you say that?”

“It wasn’t the Autumn show.” She clapped her hands over her mouth. “Did I just say that?”

He grinned at the look of horror on her pretty face. “Yes, you did.”

“I take it back. I just meant to say it was nice to have a low-key fun time with someone who enjoys dual-sided conversations over diatribes.”

“I had a good time too. When your dad told me that Randy had hijacked your day, I knew how important it was to you and I didn’t want you to be the third wheel.”

She stopped and her mouth fell open in pleasant surprise. “That’s exactly how I felt. How did you know?”

He tugged a pigtail that was sticking out from beneath the cone. “I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well over the last few days.”

She gifted him with the sweetest smile, and he was certain she was made of everything sugar and sweet. “Me too.”

“Today was a pretty epic meet-cute. It had all the tropes. Hero to the rescue, fake dating, Ferris wheel kiss—”

“That’s not a trope.”

“It is now. Just like puking on my shoes and wearing a traffic cone as an accessory.” He lowered his head until his lips grazed her earlobe and his breath tickled her neck. “I especially liked the fake-boyfriend part.”

“Only because you got to touch my ass.”

He was about to tell her that it was more than that when he heard a frat boy. “Yo, bro! We had a bet if you’d make it. I guessed Summer would bail because of the cone and puking and all, but Autumn said she’d stick it out.” He turned to Autumn. “I owe you a downtown tonight.”

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