Page 30 of One Pucking Surprise
I smirk, watching the way her mind is already racing. “Ah, there it is. The checklist. The infamous control tendencies.”
She glares at me, but the corners of her mouth twitch. “Be serious, Zach,” she says, exasperated. “We’re supposed to be in love. People in love know these things. Let’s figure it out before anyone asks.”
I pretend to think it over, my expression exaggerated. “Okay, fine. We met at a coffee shop. You spilled your drink on me, and I was so annoyed I demanded your number to send you the dry-cleaning bill.”
Lainey snorts. “You’re so full of it.”
“Wait, wait,” I say, grinning now. “We reconnected when Wyatt introduced us. Two friends getting married, and here we are—maid of honor and best man. It’s like fate.”
Her lips tug into a reluctant smile. “Okay, that’s not terrible.”
I press on. “And we fell for each other instantly. Sparks flew. You couldn’t resist me.”
“Obviously,” she deadpans, but there’s humor in her eyes.
“And,” I add with a teasing smirk, lowering my voice, “we had sex immediately because the connection was just that strong.”
Lainey gasps, her face flushing. She swats my arm, her voice rising. “Zach! Be serious.”
I laugh, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. No sex. Yet.”
She shakes her head, her cheeks still pink, but I catch the small smile playing on her lips. “You’re impossible.”
“That’s why this will work,” I say confidently. “We’re like a modern fairy tale. Coffee shop incident, reconnected through Wyatt and Chloe, fell in love over wedding planning. It’s perfect.”
Lainey exhales, nodding as her shoulders relax. “Okay. We can make that work. But please, don’t improvise when your family starts asking questions.”
“No promises,” I say, grinning as we head towards the porch. “But I’ll try to keep it PG—for your sake.”
We’re almost to the porch when my sisters—Cora, Whitney, and Blair—spot us. The way they all light up at once tells me I’m about to walk into an ambush.
“Brace yourself,” I add as they start toward us, all grins and sharp eyes. “The Darling sisters never go easy.”
Lainey glances up at me, and just like that, the nervous energy vanishes. Her shoulders square, her chin tilts slightly, and the glimmer of confidence I’ve come to admire returns. “Don’t worry about me,” she says lightly. “I’m more concerned about you surviving this.”
I laugh under my breath. Of course, she’s fine. Lainey knows how to handle herself.
Cora reaches us first, her elegant stride and poised expression making her look every inch the problem-solver. Her sharp eyes flick between us. “Is this real?” she asks, her tone even but carrying an undercurrent of curiosity.
Before I can answer, Whitney steps in, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Zach finally brings someone home, and we’re supposed to act like it’s no big deal?” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Blair isn’t far behind, her warm smile and easy energy radiating as she sizes up Lainey. “She’s gorgeous,” Blair says, her tone soft but brimming with excitement.
I sigh, trying not to let them get to me. “I’m standing right here, you know. You could askme directly instead of acting like I’ve lost my mind.”
Whitney crosses her arms, one brow arched. “Oh, you’ve definitely lost your mind. But in the best way possible.”
Blair laughs, stepping closer to Lainey. “So, who’s the miracle worker?”
I keep my hand on Lainey’s back, steadying both of us. “This is Lainey Carrey,” I say, keeping my tone even. “My girlfriend.”
For a beat, all three of them stare, clearly caught off guard. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them speechless, and for a moment, I almost enjoy it.
Then Whitney snorts, recovering first. “Girlfriend,” she repeats, her tone laced with dry humor. “We’ve been waiting for this day for years. Zach, you’ve outdone yourself.”
Blair nudges me playfully. “Seriously, who are you, and what have you done with our brother?”
Lainey doesn’t miss a beat. She steps forward, offering her hand to Cora first. “It’s so nice to meet everyone,” she says warmly, shaking hands with each of them. “Zach’s talked about you all a lot. I’ve been looking forward to this.”
