Page 121 of Take My Kiss
“This is Samuel’s husband, Troy,” I announce. “And this is Colton, my…”
My brain goes blank when it comes to introducing him. This is the first time I’ve had to.
“Her boyfriend.” He holds out his hand. “You can call me Colt.”
Boyfriend.Duh. But it sounds so childish at my age. Maybe partner? Or future baby daddy?
Scratch that.
Boyfriend, it is.
“A pleasure to meet you, Colt.”
“Likewise.” Colton takes Samuel’s hand next. “Great to see ya again. Under normal circumstances, this time.”
Samuel chuckles. “So much better.” Then he shifts his gaze to mine after staring at Colton’s hat. “You roped yourself a cowboy, huh? Nicely done.”
When he holds out his hand for a high-five, I laugh and playfully slap it.
Colton hands me a cup of tea to help me relax, and once I drink it, I feel calmer. The nerves aren’t as intense, but everything with my mother still has me on edge.
As we eat Colton’s amazing steak dinner, he catches Samuel and Troy up on Wilder and Maddox, and a partial plan they discussed. I’m still not sure what I’m supposed to do or say to my mom, but now that I suspect I’m pregnant, Colton doesn’t want me alone with her.
“What if you invite her to eat somewhere and say that you’re gonna pick her up, except it’ll be Maddox and me in the front seats as your drivers—disguised, of course—so she thinks y’all are talkin’ alone, but really, they’ll be two witnesses,” Samuel suggests.
“I like that idea, so if she tries anythin’, Maddox will be there to step in,” Colton adds.
“Maybe if I reveal myself, it’ll give her a heart attack.” Samuel shrugs nonchalantly, stuffing a piece of meat in his mouth.
“One can only hope,” I quip.
We continue talking while we eat dinner, then switch to the peach cobbler Aunt JoJo made for us. We eventually move to the couch, where they tell us how they met and how Troy proposed. When I share Colton’s and my story, and how our relationship is relatively new, both of them can’t believe it.
“Y’all look so in love,” Samuel gushes.
“It took kissin’ a lot of toads, but I think I finally found the right one.” I beam at Colton, squeezing his hand.
“Youthink?” he drawls.
I roll my eyes at his feigned offense. “Jury’s still out. We’ll see how you survive through the first semester of mornin’ sickness, fatigue, and mood swings.”
Samuel gasps.
“Oh shit,” I mutter, smacking my palm to my forehead.
“Bad word!” Sam shouts from across the living room, where he’s playing on his iPad. I didn’t realize he was paying attention to us. “That’ll be twenty dollars, Mom!”
“Twenty?It was ten last week.”
“Inflation!”
“You don’t even know what that means!” I argue.
Colton cracks up as do Samuel and Troy.
I sigh, shaking my head. “Gotta be careful with him. He’s a tough cookie.”
“Are you pregnant?” he asks, lowering his voice.
