Page 92 of More Than Pen Pals

“He what?” she prompts before I can think about how I’m going to deal with the Melissa situation.

“He’s getting over a breakup,” I say. “He recently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him with one of his friends.”

Leslie’s hand goes to her chest. “Oh, poor Randall. Is he okay?”

The news thoroughly dismays her, which warms my heart.

“He’ll be fine.”

“Not for a while, I bet. And there he was, helping you and me get together. That had to be so hard for him.”

I’m a little ashamed that didn’t occur to me. That makes everything he said even more meaningful. “Yeah, it might have been. But back to Wendy, I thought she was determined to dateyourbrother, not mine.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. She calls him ‘Sexy Shannon,’ which gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

I laugh. “Speaking of brothers, Randall invited himself to dinner with Shannon. He insists if your brother gets to come, so should he. Is that okay?”

“The more, the merrier. Plus, I like Randall. He seems fun.”

“That’s one word for him.”

forty-five

At dinner we’re one of those sappy couples that holds hands across the table, but I don’t care what others might think of us. I’m reveling in the fact that I can now hold Ash’s hand whenever I want. I think he feels the same, as the smile hasn’t left his face since we sat down.

“I hate to bring this up,” I say, “because we seem to have thrown all the rules out the window, but I do have one rule I’d like you to always follow.”

“Anything.”

“Please don’t ever call me ‘baby.’”

He cocks his head to the side. “I have no problem following that rule. But why do you have it?”

“Because that’s what Glenn called me. I hated it then, and I hate it more now.”

Ash swipes his thumb across my hand. “I promise I will never, ever call you that.”

“Thank you.”

He grins. “Can I call you ‘petal’?”

I giggle. “Why would you call me ‘petal’?”

“Because you smell like flowers.”

My heart skips a beat. “That’s sweet, but rule number two is you can’t call me ‘petal.’”

“What about ‘cookie’?”

“Nope.”

“Cupcake?”

I hold up four fingers. “Rule number four.”

“Snookums?”

I extend my thumb. “Five!”

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