Page 66 of Faking It Right
“Enthusiastically misguided?”
“Something like that.” He leaned against me. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we can have fun with it instead of dreading it.”
“That’s the spirit! Imagine all the ways we can scandalize your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s?—”
“Don’t you dare start that again,” he warned, but he was smiling. “I’m just worried.”
“Worried about what?” I nudged him when he fell silent.
He hesitated before answering. “What if this ruins everything?”
And just like that, it clicked. It wasn’t about his mom or Maylin. It was about us. My best friend, the man I’d been in love with for three years, was terrified of losing what we’d only just discovered. The vulnerability in his confession made me fall for him all over again.
I cupped his face in my hands, waiting for his stormy gray eyes to lock onto mine. “Listen to me, Ryker. Nothing and no one could ever come between us. You know why?”
He shook his head, his skin warm against my palms.
“Because I’ve waited three years for this chance with you. Three years of watching you date other people, three years of hoping you’d finally see me as a viable option. I’m not about to give that up for your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s daughter’s mother’s book club friend’s Pilates instructor’s cat sitter’s estranged cousin’s matchmaking schemes.”
A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“You opening up to me like this?” I brushed my thumb across his cheek. “That means everything to me.”
I leaned in for a kiss, pouring all my affection and reassurance into the gentle contact. When I pulled back, I wrapped him in a tight hug, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders as he melted against me.
“We’re going to be fine,” I promised, then kissed his temple. “It’s only one dinner. How bad could it be?”
Ryker groaned against my chest. “Why would you say that out loud? That’s like rule number one in horror movies and life. Congratulations, you’ve just signed us up for an unmitigated disaster.”
I chuckled, squeezing him tighter. “I promise to be on my absolute best behavior. I’ll make sure you feel secure the whole time. Though my best behavior might still involve playing footsie under the table.”
“Of course it would,” he muttered, but I could hear the grin in his voice.
“But we should hurry back downstairs before Sawyer claims the rest of those pastries. You know how she gets with your mom’s baking.”
As we reached the door, I pulled him in for one last quick kiss. “No matter what happens at dinner tonight, we’re ending it the same way we started this morning by being together.”
Chapter Fifteen
RYKER
I paced backand forth across the living room, tugging at my collar for what felt like the hundredth time. The damn thing was choking me, but unbuttoning it felt like surrender. Looking presentable was the least I could do to survive the impending disaster.
I glanced at my phone to check the time. “Only seventeen minutes until my personal hell begins.”
The sound of soft footsteps pulled me from my mental inventory of every way the night could go wrong. Mom approached with a sympathetic smile, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“Biscuit, I’m so sorry about this,” she apologized.
I blew out a long breath, my anger from earlier fading into grim acceptance. “It’s fine. It’s not like this is my first time suffering through one of your matchmaking attempts, but it better be the last.”
“I promise. You’re with Harley now, and I respect that.” She gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
“Thanks,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “What’s her deal?”
Mom’s expression brightened. “Oh, Maylin is lovely! She’s studying history and adores animals. Under different circumstances, you two might have hit it off.”
“Yeah, well, circumstances are what they are,” I muttered, checking the clock again. “And now I get to explain to this poor woman that she’s coming to the world’s most awkward dinner party.”
