Page 116 of Perfect Distraction
She relaxed into him.
“That wasn’t nice, you know,” he said into her hair. Damn she smelled good. “Sending me a text like that. You freaked me out.”
“Sorry. I was a little blindsided by Jeni’s comment about St. Louis.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything to her. She can’t keep her mouth shut.”
Lauren tilted her head up to look at him. “Women talk, you know. I’d have thought you knew that, having so many women in your family.”
“Hopefully, someday I’ll add another to it.”
“You’re not theoretically proposing again, are you?”
“No. But if I was, what would you say?” He loved this game.
“Maybe.” She elbowed him in the ribs. “Speaking of your family…can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Do they…are they all, um, happy about this? Us? I haven’t seen them since Thanksgiving, and we were just friends then. I’m a little worried what they think about it.”
“They’re thrilled. They love you, my mom especially. And Jeni, of course. Valerie couldn’t care less, as long as I’m happy.”
“What about Rhonda? I get the feeling she doesn’t like me much.”
Andrew shook his head. “Don’t worry about Rhonda. She’s the moodiest of the bunch, and the most protective. She’s always looking at the negative side of things and expects the worst. She’ll come around.”
Her concerned expression didn’t change.
Andrew kissed her once more. “I mean it,” he said. “Don’t let her get to you.”
“You say it like it’s easy.”
“It is. But then again, I’ve had twenty-six years to get used to her…but I promise you—it’s just her personality. Once she gets to know you, she’ll love you as much as I do.”
She raised an eyebrow at that.
He grinned. “Okay, not quite as much as I do. But close.” He tightened his arms around her and brushed his cheek along her soft hair, loving the feel of her against his body. “I don’t think anyone has ever loved anyone as much as I love you.”
She slipped her arms around his torso. “I don’t think anyone ever will love anyone as much as I love you.”
“Don’t try to one-up me.”
“I’m competitive by nature. Get used to it.”
He leaned her back against the cushions and sealed his mouth over hers, determined to prove her wrong.
…
Two days before his last chemo treatment, Andrew was alone at his apartment studying when a knock sounded at the door. He grinned and jumped up, hoping Lauren had decided to back out of her plans for a girl’s night and come over instead.
He swung open the door and froze.
“Dad?”
His father stood on his welcome mat, wearing his signature Wranglers and a flannel button-up, hands buried deep in his pockets. His weathered skin looked darker than Andrew remembered, and his previously brown hair was peppered with gray.
“Hi,” his dad said. “Can I come in?”
