Page 73 of The Trouble with Flings

“I did talk about it a lot. Remember in Costa Rica,” I say, turning to Fitz, “when I couldn’t shut up about the program?” As I say it, the timing nags at me.

Fitz goes very still. “I remember well.”

The way he says it, tight, like he can only say those words, starkly different from his usual smooth confidence. It hits me then, the outrageously large donation, the timing, and my heart squeezes. “Fitz, did you donate that money?” I ask quietly.

He meets my gaze, his expression perfectly composed, and says, “I never divulge my charitable donations.”

“Fitz…?”

Mia sighs, looking at him like he’s a knight in shining armor.

“Nice,” Reggie says, nodding approvingly.

And I can do little more than look at him with my heart in my throat. His thumb brushes the back of my hand, ever so casually, but it’s also not just casual. It’s his quiet confirmation. He showed up for those kids without expecting anything in return. Not even a thank-you.

I lean forward and kiss him. “Thank you. You have no idea how much of a difference you’ve made in those kids’ lives.”

“With you at the helm, I think I do.”

The conversation flows easily over dinner. Reggie says he heard Silver House was going solar, and Fitz tells us about the project, which leads to a conversation about the island. Fitz mentions the community Easter event.

“You should come,” he says to me. “You can meet my family.”

“For Easter?” I ask.

“For however long you’d like,” he says. “Come for the weekend, so you don’t miss the community Easter egg hunt. It’s a lot of fun. Even better, come for the week and get to know my friends. I’ll show you around the island. You must get some time off for spring break.”

“She does,” Mia says enthusiastically.

“What do you say, wild girl?” he asks.

“Yeah, wild girl,” Mia teases. “What do you say?”

I wag my finger at Mia. “I say if you call me that again, you’ll be sorry.” My heart is racing as I turn back to Fitz. Meeting his family is big. Huge. Nerve-racking. But it’s also necessary. Easter is a month away, which gives us time to figure things out, so I bite the bullet and say, “Okay. I can come Friday afternoon.”

“Perfect.”

The magnitude of what I’ve just agreed to hits me, and those anxious prickles return. “Excuse me. I need to find the ladies’ room.”

Fitz slides out of the booth, and as I follow, Mia says, “I’ll come with you.”

She and I hurry away from the table.

“I’m not buying this friendly dinner nonsense,” I say as we push through the bathroom door, hoping she won’t focus on Fitz. “Okay, spill. What is going on with you and Reggie?”

“I don’t know,” Mia says, wringing her hands. “What’s up with you and Fitz? You just kissed him in front of us. I haven’t seen you kiss a guy since you were in ninth grade, when you kissed Chip Gambit on Halloween.”

“I forgot about that. I was a brazen little thing.”

“Was?” Mia teases. “I’m dying to know what’s going on with you two. He’s so in. He looks at you like Jace looks at Dixie and Rush looks at Jayla.”

“I know,” I say just above a whisper, hardly able to believe I’m admitting that out loud.

“That’s a good thing, Jen. Are you guys officially a couple now?” Mia asks.

“No” shoots out like the knee-jerk reaction it is. “Yes. I don’t know.”

I shake my head, pacing the small space. “I mean, he’s definitely all in for the baby, but we’re taking it slow. Getting to know each other outside the bedroom, making sure we get along and can parent together.” I swallow hard. “I can’t even believe I’m talking in terms of parenting or meeting his family.”