Page 57 of The Sweetest Mistake

“What do I have to do to make you believe that it’s you I want? Tell me. I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?” she said, perking up.

“Name it.”

“Well, for starters you could take me out to breakfast.”

He tipped his head back and laughed, feeling better than he had in hours. If his girl wanted to eat, then he’d be happy to feed her. And maybe afterward, she’d want something else from him. Something that would allow him to show her how much he wanted, needed, and l—

Whoa. Hold on. Do I love her? Did I just think that?

“Connor? Everything okay?”

Nodding, he replied, “Yes. Everything’s fine.” Never mind that his hands were sweating and his heart was racing. She didn’t need to know that. Wiping his palms on his shorts, he said, “C’mon. Let’s go eat.”

Chapter Eighteen

Soon they were driving to Petoskey in Connor’s Jeep. It was another beautiful day, and he’d taken the top down, so the breeze ruffled their hair. Julia’s mood had improved drastically. She was in a place that she loved with a man that she l—liked a lot (Was I just thinking love?), and she was going out to breakfast. All those factors combined made it impossible to stay mad. But there was something else she was dying to know.

“Who told you where I was?” she asked.

“Harper.”

“I knew it! She’s terrible at keeping secrets.”

“Believe me, it was hard to get it out of her. I had to make all kinds of promises before she’d tell me.”

“Wait a minute. She knew that I was going to my parents’ lake house, but I never gave her the address.”

Connor was wearing his aviators, and she couldn’t see his eyes when he replied, “I know. I had to go to your mom for that.”

“What?! She caved too?”

“Yep.”

“But I told her that I wanted to be alone. I can’t believe she sent you up here.”

“She tried to talk me out of it, but I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be. That and I think she took pity on me.”

Julia laughed. “Now, that, I can believe.”

“I like your mom.”

“You might like my dad too if you give him a chance.”

“I think he’s still hung up on you being with Alec.”

“That isn’t going to happen.”

“Have you told your dad that?”

She’d said the very same thing to Connor about Cam. “I guess I need to sit down and have a talk with him.”

Connor shrugged. “Family stuff is tricky. Do whatever you need to do, but in the end, as long as we’re together, I’ll be happy.”

He’d said it so matter-of-factly, yet his words took her breath away. A few minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of Big Boy Restaurant on Spring Street. As she was getting out of the Jeep, he came around and took her hand before leading her inside.

“How’d you know I like Big Boy?” she asked, enjoying the feel of their hands clasped together.