Page 73 of The Mr. Right Checklist

“I’m not taking any chances.” She pockets her phone and drapes an arm over my shoulder. “If you’re determined to do this, then let’s find you a dress that he’ll never forget. I don’t care how good he is to you. When this sexfest is over, I want him to suffer.”

“When did you get so coldhearted?”

“I’m practicing bringing out my mama claws.”

“Are you . . . ?”

Ruby shrugs with a hopeful grin.

“Oh my gosh, Rubes!”

“We don’t know yet, but I’m late, and I’ve been feeling pukey for two days.”

“Ruby! I’m so happy for you!” I throw my arms around her. “You’re going to be a great mom.”

“And you’re going to be a great auntie, but if you keep hugging me, I might puke on you.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

DESTINY

By the time Friday evening arrives, I’ve picked apart my conversation with Ruby until there’s nothing left but bones. I know I’m making the right choice spending this time with Fletch, because every time I get a text from him, or hear his voice, or kiss his lips, my heart sings. But that doesn’t mean thinking about the end of our arrangement is easy. Between thoughts of that and being nervous about meeting his family, my stomach has been queasy all day. Which is why I’ve decided not to think about what will happen after his brother’s wedding and to enjoy the here and now.

I glance at Fletch as we pull into the restaurant parking lot, with his perfectly combed hair, expertly manicured scruff, and finely pressed black dress shirt and matching slacks, so different from the tousled-haired, thick-scruffed man who makes love to me at night and wakes up wrapped around me like an octopus nearly every morning and the rugged fisherman who whisked me and Molly away last Saturday at five o’clock in the morning to prove there were fish in the lake after I teased him about not seeing anything but minnows the weekend before. We had such a great time. It felt like we’d found our own private oasis.

He glances over, catching me admiring him and bringing those hummingbirds to life. I don’t know how there could have been a time when he didn’t take my breath away.

It’s no wonder I’m so nervous about meeting his parents.

He parks and reaches across the console for my hand. “You okay, sunshine? You’ve been kind of quiet.”

“Yeah. I’m just a little anxious about meeting your family.” I touch the gift bag in my lap, second-guessing the socks with tiny fishing poles on them I brought as a birthday gift for his father. “I want to make a good impression.”

“Sweetheart, that’s the only kind of impression you could ever make.”

I cock a brow. “Shall I remind you of the park fiasco?”

He grins. “You left quite an impression.”

“Not a good one.”

“And yet look where I am.” He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it. “My parents will adore you, and you’ll love Beth. She’s a smartass, too, and she loves to shop. She’ll probably want to know where you got that gorgeous dress.”

I look down at the peach maxi dress with a wildflower design that Ruby and I bought the other night. It has spaghetti straps, a fitted bodice, and a slit along one side. When Fletch picked me up for dinner, he took one look at me in it, and he was all steamy kisses and filthy promises as he tried to convince me to skip dinner and let him make good on those promises.

I almost caved.

He climbs out, and as he comes around to open my door, I look out the front window at the sky and whisper, “I know this whole thing is complicated, Daddy, but if you’ve got any advice to make sure I don’t ramble or screw up, now’s the time to dole it out.”

No sooner do I say the last word than Fletch opens the door and takes my hand. As my feet hit the ground, he draws me into his arms and looks up at the sky. “Don’t worry, Mr. Amor. I’ve got her.” My throat thickens as he kisses me and whispers, “We’ve got this, sunshine.”

As we head into the restaurant, I know we do, which makes me even more nervous.

We’re led through the restaurant, and as we approach his family, Jimmy announces, “There they are.”

Everyone gets up to greet us, and they’re all talking at once. Jimmy and Chuck act like we’re old friends, pulling me into bear hugs before Fletch can introduce me to their parents or Beth. Beth, an apple-cheeked, golden-haired stunner, slides in after Jimmy for a hug and says, for my ears only, “You two are adorable together.”

Fletch eyes her as he puts an arm around me, his hand curling around my waist, pulling me closer. “How can you two have secrets already? You just met.”