Page 138 of Falling for the Grumpy Bad Boy

She squeezed my hand. “This is a good start. And to be fair, I pushed you away. That was stupid. I hated doing it. I’m sorry for all the things I said. I think your family is great. I don’t care what the media says. People just like to gossip.”

“I love you too,” she said quietly. “Just so we’re clear.”

“Thank God,” I breathed. “Because that would have made the rest of this conversation really awkward.”

She laughed. “So, boyfriend and girlfriend. This is really happening.”

“It’s really happening. If you want it to.”

She nodded and smiled. “I do.”

“I told you my father was in prison,” I said carefully.

“You did.”

“I’m going to see him tomorrow,” I said. “I just want you to know in case I get photographed. Or shanked.”

She laughed. “Stop.”

“No, but sometimes they do get a picture. It doesn’t happen often, but when I show up, there’s always someone with a cell phone that wants to make sure the world doesn’t forget my father is in prison. It usually stirs up some articles for a few days. I know you need to distance the family name from that, so I totally understand if you want to keep this a secret for a while and⁠—”

“Would you like some company?”

The offer surprised me. “You’d want to come with me? It’s not exactly… I mean, it can be pretty difficult. It’s a prison. I’m not sure that’s the place for you.”

“All the more reason you shouldn’t go alone,” she said firmly. “Besides, I’d like to meet the man who put you in this world.”

My throat got tight. “I don’t know.”

“I mean it. If you want me there, I’d like to be there. For you.”

I brought her hand to my lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I’d love for you to come with me.”

“Then it’s settled.” She smiled. “Our second official date will be visiting your father.”

“Most people would consider that moving pretty fast,” I pointed out.

“Most people aren’t us,” she said. “Besides, I have a feeling we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for.”