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“I didnotcome to ambush her,” Delly says indignantly. “But just look at her. And you didn’t think to introduce her to the family sooner? Where are your manners, boy?”
The sheepish look he gives his mother makes me smile.
I smooth my hair down, wishing I could just disappear. But Dexter pushes in closer, enveloping me in his arm and that rich manly scent like leather and teakwood that makes me tingle.
“I couldn’t risk your enthusiasm, Mother,” he says. “Don’t scare her off. I warned her you’d be starting a fan club damn near instantly.”
“It’s cool, Dex. She’s awesome.” I look up at him shyly and put my hand on his leg.
It’s a deliberate movement, and he smiles down at me, even though the muscles under my fingers tense.
“It’ll take more than a conversation with your mother to scare me off. And I’m a little mad you dragged your feet with the introductions, seeing how lovely she is.”
“Yes, you’ve been keeping her hidden away far too long,” Delly says, sending me a wink. “This simply must be the best torte in the state, by the way.”
“Call me Junie, please.”
“Well, wearefamily now, or near enough.” She beams at me, oblivious to the way every muscle in my body locks up at the idea.
Dexter trails his hand along my shoulder and down my arm, and I exhale, forcibly relaxing.
“Coffee,” Oliver says, putting two cups down in front of us. His brows shoot up when he sees us, but he knows not to say anything. “Would you like anything else? Anything for you, sir?”
“Nothing right now, thanks.” Dexter smiles up at Oliver like I’m not already mortified enough.
Holy hell, I need to know where he went to acting school. I could use a tenth of his superpowers.
Also, the gossip from the staff is going to be brutal tomorrow. As our newest hire, Oliver never misses a chance to blab to the others and build his cred around here.
Delly takes a long sip of coffee and sighs as she sets down her cup.
“I’m beginning to understand how you lured him in.” She gives her son a quick, sharp smile. “He loves his coffee.Especiallygood honest coffee like this.”
“We only source the best. Right now, we’re serving up a crowd pleaser from this little shop in Heart’s Edge, Montana.”
“Heart’s Edge?” Delly echoes warmly. “Sounds like a romantic place. You two should add it to your honeymoon list.”
Honeymoon?
My heartbeat doubles.
Good thing we’ll never get that far.
I store that little snippet away for the future, though. Understanding Dexter Rory is like peeling back an onion. It can’t hurt to know the very few things he enjoys, especially if I’m going to convince his family we’re madly in love.
“Actually, I didn’t even know about this place until—” He stops and glances at me like he can’t remember. “Was it the third date? After we finished fighting over AI art?”
I get what he’s doing. Together, we’re weaving our narrative, just like we did with Nana, and he needs me to play along.
“You mean after I kicked your butt when you couldn’t show me an AI art engine that can make human hands? And then you told me you hate all things sugar and I considered walking out right there?” I smile, praying it doesn’t look too fake. “Yeah, I remember. Third date.”
Delly leans forward, clasping her hands together. “So howdidyou meet? Dexter said something about a museum?”
“The Nelson-Atkins,” Dexter says. “She’s an art nerd just like you.”
“Oh!” I think Delly’s eyes blow up like golf balls. That’s where Dexter gets his charm, I think, even if on the surface it comes out very differently. “How lovely. You see, the very reason I came here, dear, was to invite you to my art show this weekend.”
“Art show?” I glance at Dexter, whose face stays impassive, though his fingers dip gently into my flesh.
