Page 40 of Matched By Mistake
“So if things go badly, what then?”
“My family is dead to me and I spend the rest of my life having mind-blowing sex and avoiding everyone else in Royal,” Maggie said.
Misha choked on her iced coffee and shook her head. “At least you have a plan B.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” she said. They ate lunch and talked more about the app, then Misha hugged her before she left.
“Stay strong this time,” Misha said as she walked out.
“I am.”
And she was. New Maggie hadn’t checked her common sense the moment that Jericho had kissed her. She was realistic. The chance that the first man she dated after a two-year-long dry streak being the one for her was slim. Sexual chemistry aside, there were other things that made her want to believe that it could be more.
And for now that was enough.
Just the belief that he could be. They were still getting to know each other. No pressure, she had another four dates before their contract was up. She was going to be chill and just let things happen.
Except when had she ever been chill about a relationship?
It wasn’t like she hadn’t already made a decision matrix about Jericho, and she knew that wasn’t sexy or chill. But it was her. And the last time... She’d done things like a girl was supposed to. Just relax and be in love, trust her feelings. And that had gotten her dumped at Sheen in front of the entire town of Royal.
So this time she was going to be more Maggie about it. Do it her way, and if it all got screwed up, well, she’d be no worse off... But she knew that wasn’t true. She’d be a lot worse because this “like” she felt for Jericho was more intense than the love she’d thought she had for Randall.
Trey texted him that the k!smet IPO might happen sooner than expected thanks to the success of his dates with Maggie. His brother had left things open by saying he’d heard that Mom and Dad had met her and liked her. Jericho wasn’t one to talk about his emotions, but he almost wished he was. He just texted back that he liked Maggie and she was fun.
Trey sent a smiley-face emoji and the words, “Be careful. She’s still a Del Rio.”
Which he simply thumbs-upped before putting his phone away. What did he want Trey to say?
His mom had texted that she’d enjoyed meeting Maggie last night. Just that. He knew she’d been fishing, and he’d disappointed her by saying “she did too” and then “love you.” She’d hearted back and let it be.
The plan he was working on for gaining Maggie’s trust was also, at some point, going to involve brokering a peace between his parents and hers. Which was what tonight was about. Impressing the parents was kind of Basic Dating 101 as far as Jericho was concerned. So he brought a bottle of scotch whiskey he’d gotten from his friend in the UK and stopped by the local florist for a bouquet for Mrs. Del Rio before he picked up Maggie.
He’d also packed a change of clothes, and when he knocked on her door, she seemed more hesitant than she’d been when he’d left her this morning.
“What’s up?”
He set his gym bag on the floor just next to her entryway table. He’d left the scotch and the flowers in his car.
She chewed her lower lip and he recognized that as a sign of nerves. “Just had a long day with messages from a lot of people about us. And many of them were asking if it’s real or if we’re just going along with it to help Misha.”
That was to be expected. “Yeah, my family all texted, too, but because Mom and Dad met you, they were nicer than they had been before.”
“Really? I’m glad. I really liked your parents,” she said.
“They liked you, too,” he said, finally feeling like she’d relaxed and he could pull her into his arms and claim the kiss he’d been wanting.
She relaxed as she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around him. She laid her head on his chest. “I think my mom was...well,jealousisn’t the right word, but disappointed and wondering why she didn’t get to meet you when I met your parents.”
He laughed. Moms were like that. At least his was. “So no pressure to not fuck things up tonight.”
She playfully punched his shoulder as she stepped back. “That’s right. Sorry I was having a moment when you got here.”
“That’s cool. I guess I’m the first guy you’ve brought home since the jerk who dumped you?”
“You are. So if things get odd, blame it on that and not the fact that you are the son of my father’s mortal enemy.”
She sort of smiled when she said the last part.
