Page 33 of Doing It for Love

I gulp down more wine, the burn in my throat not nearly as potent as it was during glass one.

“I work at Bed Bath & Beyond,” I announce proudly. “Employee of the Month this past JuneandJuly.” Damn straight. August was a bust, though, because of my mid-month proposal and baby scare. I snort into my glass, and I’m not sure why.

“She works with Alec,” Landon says, interrupting whatever his mom was about to say. She’s stuck with her mouth open, and when she realizes how ridiculous she looks, she sticks a shrimp in there. Buster makes me jump as he settles his head in my lap. I decide to scratch behind his ears while I have a stare-off with my future mother-in-law.

“That’s right. And I know you like Alec, so you can stop looking at me like that.”

Landon snorts into his food, and I give him a funny look. Why is he laughing?

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Wangford looks right at me, and I blink. I didn’t say anything, did I?

She puts her fork down, leaning in her chair, and crosses her arms. “In what way am I looking at you?”

I cross my arms to mimic her, pretty sure I’m hallucinating this entire thing while we all sit in silence and eat. So I’m going to let my mouth run like I wish I had the guts to do in real life.

“You’ve passed judgment since the second I walked through that door. You don’t know me well enough to do that.”

“Okay, then enlighten me.”

“I’m Elizabeth Fanning, grew up in Covington, Georgia, then moved to New York. I am much more than someone who sweeps floors at Bed Bath & Beyond.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” The room is spinning. “I’m a cashier, too.”

Elle laughs behind her hand. I think I like her, but I can’t tell if she’s laughing at me or with me, and it doesn’t matter anyway because I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming.

“And I’m marrying your son because I love him. We’re also really good at living together. But he keeps those damn socks on the floor. What is with that? So you should stop looking at me like I have some kind of ulterior motive. It’s insulting, and I don’t like it.”

Check and mate. I lean back in my seat, but the back of the chair is nonexistent and I topple into Landon’s side. He’s grinning at me. Laughing.

Mrs. Wangford pushes her chair out and stands. “That reminds me. I have laundry to do for our day out tomorrow.”

“Day out?” Huh, who, what? Why does my head feel puffy?

“Mom and Dad were going to show you and Landon around town.” Elle hands me a napkin, and I look at it weird before she gestures to my chin and I wipe away whatever goo is there.

“So it was nice meeting you,” Mrs. Wangford says. It’s so not nice meeting me. She gestures to the dishes, and Mr. Wangford nods. Then she leaves the room.

“Did I do something?” I ask Landon. He’s wearing his I-absolutely-love-you smile.

“I think we should go lie down.”

“I concur.” I wobble on my feet and wipe the drool stain Buster left on my pant leg.

“It was nice meeting you, Elizabeth,” Mr. Wangford says, getting up from the table. Aww, I like that. Elizabeth. My dad calls me that, too.

He chuckles, and I wonder if I said that out loud, but the ground starts moving and I realize Landon’s pulling me away from his family and into the hallway. Buster follows, sniffing at my sandal the whole way.

We get to the landing, where we’re alone. Ah, it’s about time. No pressure, just me and my Landy boy. Ha! Never called him that before. I don’t think I like it. Yeah, that is so not his nickname.

Do I have a nickname for him?

Landon crooks a finger at me. I swallow a burp and lean in to him.

“I want to show you something.”

“Landon, keep it in your pants.”

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