Page 43 of The Best Man Problem
Lincoln paused. She held her breath, fearing he wouldn’t let it go, but then he spoke.
“From the moment they met, my parents weren’t apart more than a few days.”
She could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke.
“Dad always said it was love at first sight, but Mom said he just wanted help on his math homework.” He gave a soft laugh. “They married right out of high school. Dad was an electrician, and Mom was a mathematician. She was wicked smart with numbers. She even taught at Harvard as a guest professor for a few semesters. When I started getting into computers, she encouraged me, reminding me a lot of computing was math. We had fun figuring out programming and stuff together. Dad always said I got all my smarts from her, but I think I got the best of both of them. They were great parents.”
The way he talked about his parents made her heart yearn. Growing up, she ached for a family dynamic like Lincoln was describing. It sounded so loving, so warm. But she also noticed a hint of sadness as he described his parents—and his use of the past tense.
“Were?”
He cleared his throat before he spoke again. “They passed away a little over five years ago. Mom had a stroke, and Dad just couldn’t live without her. He died a few months later. The doctors said his heart just gave out.”
“Oh, Lincoln.” She placed a hand to her chest, feeling his loss as he spoke the words. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. I miss them every day.” He sighed, a wistful breath traveling over the airways. “They were both in their mid-seventies when they passed. I was a late-in-life baby. Mom had a few miscarriages early on, and they figured it just wasn’t in the cards for them, but then I came along a couple years before Dad was set to retire. It was quite a shock for them.”
“A happy shock, I’m sure.”
He laughed softly. “Yeah. They always said I was their best surprise.”
“They sound like they were amazing parents. I’m sure they would be proud of you, Lincoln.”
“Careful, sweetheart,” he said in a deep, warm tone. “Keep giving me compliments, and I might start to think you actually like me.”
She was pretty sure she made that clear last night when she had inappropriate text sex with him.
“It doesn’t matter what I think of you. We’re completely unsuitable as a match in almost every way.”
He chuckled. “There’s the Lilly I know.”
She joined in his laughter. “Seriously, Lincoln. I do think you are an amazing man. You’re smart, funny, kind, sexy—”
“Why do I hear a but coming?”
“But…” She sighed. “I’m not sure we want the same things out of life, and you’re still a part of a wedding party I’m running.”
“Ah yes,” he mused. “Your rule. Let’s put that aside for a moment, considering it won’t be an issue after next weekend.”
Holy crap, he was right. Next weekend was Marie and Kenneth’s wedding. The big obstacle getting in their way of pursuing something more, the thing she was holding onto like a lifeline, saving her from drowning in a sea of feelings for a man she already felt too much for, was rapidly approaching. Once the wedding was over, what was to stop them from being together? Nothing, really. So what the heck was she worrying about?
A lightbulb went off in her brain, illuminating the one situation she’d never pondered. What if—after the wedding, of course—she and Lincoln continued getting to know each other, and things actually worked out? Could she dare hope? Maybe they wouldn’t be compatible enough to make it long term, but didn’t she owe it to herself to try and find out? If Lincoln was willing to try and see, then why not? What the hell was holding her back?
Possible heartbreak.
Not if she led with her head and not her heart. She could do that. Right?
“We haven’t really been on a proper date; we don’t really know that much about each other or what we want in life. Do we?” Lincoln asked.
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Perfect! Then it’s settled.”
“What’s settled?” She had no idea where his logic was going at the moment.
“After the wedding is over, I’m going to take you on a date, one where we keep our clothes on, and we’ll get to know each other better. It doesn’t have to be anything life-altering. We can just see where the night takes us, have a little fun.”
His tone was slightly teasing, but the thought of going on an actual date with Lincoln made her want to squeal with joy and hide under the covers all at the same time.
