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“And how areyouhandling things? With a man.” Her mother’s gaze sharpened, but Pixie had already been prepared for the tougher questions. She wasn’t going to pull any punches.
“In the beginning, I trusted Doug because he saved me and my students from what could have been a really terrible situation. And when he asked me out, I was more than willing to give him a try. But when he opted out after date number two, I was actually disappointed. I’d let myself get a little carried away, thinking how comfortable I was with him, and how easily I could let him into my life.”
“I knew you were hurt,” Helena replied. “I watched you go from an exuberance I hadn’t seen in a long time, to just living by the numbers again. But,” her mother grinned, “it seems like he couldn’t stay away from you.”
Pixie snorted, remembering. “He actually parked outside Talia’s house last weekend while I was cat-sitting, thinking it would make me more comfortable that I had protection if something went wrong. But the distance he was keeping just made me mad. So I went out and confronted him.”
“You did?” Her mother’s eyes grew wide.
“Yup. I basically ordered him to come inside for dinner, and I didn’t give him room to wiggle out of it. And after that…? Well, let’s say we’ve had a few adventures like the one yesterday that let me know I wasn’t imagining my feelings for him. He’s a natural protector, and that appeals to me.” Pixie giggled. “Just as much as his muscles, if you can believe that.”
“I knew it would take a special man to make you trust again, Pixie. I’m glad you found Doug, and I’m glad he’s come to his senses to date you again.” There was a brief pause. “Hehascome to his senses, right?”
Pixie supplied that answer. “He’s used the ‘D’ word—dating,” she clarified, “and has even gone so far as to invoke the term relationship, which hethencoupled with the word romantic. So, yes. I think he’s taking things seriously this time.”
Her mother came over and squeezed Pixie’s unmoving arm. “I’m so happy for you, Pixie. You can’t imagine the worry your father and I have harbored since that horrible boy took so much from you.”
“Water under the bridge, Mom. Dr. Bright has helped immeasurably, and with Doug in the picture… Everything feels different this time, and right. Now if I can just hang on to him…”
It was her mother’s turn to snort. “I don’t think you have any worries on that score. The way Doug looks at you…” She sighed. “He has stars in his eyes every time he glances your way.”
“You think so?”
“I know so,” her mother stated definitively.
Pixie nodded. She’d take all the encouragement she could get. She was certain ofherfeelings which had definitely started out as hero-worship, but had since taken root so deep inside her, she knew it was love.
If her visceral reaction to his brush of her lips was any indication, she was up shit’s creek if he backed off. She wasn’t far from blurting out her feelings. But if she did, she feared scaring the shit out of Doug. His trust issues put hers to shame, and she needed to tread lightly; be patient. She was hoping to get more insight into the efficacy of their future together by meeting Will. And she wasreallycounting on that mushroom-therapy-thing to move Doug’s faith-meter further into the green. Because without an intervention of that sort, were superficial kisses all she’d ever get?
And that wasn’t the only question roiling around in Pixie’s mind. She had so many…
How would Doug deal with sleeping arrangements if they eventually moved in together? Would he dare share a bed? How would he react to her nakedness if he caught her changing her clothes? How would he behave if she inadvertently or spontaneously touched him? Could she live with the constant restrictions his trepidation would bring, and would that limited kind of togetherness be enough for her?
Pixie sighed, hiding her concerns from her mother because the woman was astute when it came to her daughters, and she’d pounce on any glimpse at negativity.
Still…
There were too many variables for Pixie to say that things would work out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Doug chuckled to himself as he drove. He thought Pixie would be nervous about meeting Will, but instead she was all wound up about her earlier trip to Bangor; regaling him with hysterical tales of wedding-shopping with Talia. He wasn’t one who normally enjoyed hearing about dresses and shoes, but the stories about the LT were a riot. Pixie, in her exuberance, painted a picture of her disgruntled sister trying on frou-frou outfit after outfit, ending with the LT threatening to pull a weapon. Not really, of course, but the tongue-in-cheek warning had capped a hilarious and memorable boutique experience.
“At least we got her blotto later when we ate lunch at Mis Amigos,” Pixie wound down with an amused sigh that had tears standing in the corners of her eyes. “I’m sure Fleet appreciated that she was semi-soused when we delivered her home so she wouldn’t take her foul mood out on him.”
“I hope you took some pictures,” Doug added. “Not of her drunk.” He’d seen that a time or two off-duty. It was rare, but pretty damned funny. “I’m hoping you’ve got some that show her covered in lace and bows.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” Pixie giggled. “Even though she eventually settled on something very pretty and plain, I snappeda pic of every other dress she tried on. And there were a bunch. I’m almost embarrassed to say that my mother and I bribed the clerk to bring out the most hideous choices she had.”
“You are so bad, Pixie,” Doug chuckled.
“You don’t even know the best part,” she added excitedly. “I’m having all the pictures printed, and they’re going on the wedding tables as centerpieces.”
“Evil woman,” Doug snorted, but he loved it. The team would, too. Especially Mike, who was always razzing Talia for being too uptight.
Talia, on the other hand, was going to kill her sister. “You know, payback’s a bitch,” Doug warned her. “When Talia gets an opportunity, she’s going to make sure you regret your actions.”
“Bring it on,” Pixie snickered. “There’s nothing that can be worse than what we did to each other when…” She trailed off.
