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Now I was the one struggling not to laugh again. “We will discuss that rule going forward.”
Rolling his eyes, he scoffed and actually folded his arms. He was sexy when he was confident. “It’s always going to be cheating to praise me when we’re having a discussion.”
I was not going to agree to that.
“I think we can both say that when we’re having an argument or substantial debate on something, praise should be used very judicially, but—”
He cut me off with a huff. “No, we can not both say that.”
He was adorable when he was frustrated…but I was smart enough not to tell him that.
“What we can both say is that I’m really not ready to talk to your family and be introduced as your boyfriend. I’m not even going to ask if that would make me a wuss because I really don’t care.” The way he growled out the words so confidently made me want to give him a tight hug and tell him how proud I was.
He would not have appreciated that, though, so I let him continue uninterrupted. “Your family makes me nervous and I’m not ready for that level of drama. But don’t be mad because I’m not going to tell my family either.”
I wasn’t sure but I thought he was trying to make me feel better after thinking he was rude…but I just thought he was being smart.
“I’m not going to call myself a wuss either for agreeing with you.” That got a smile on his face and the tension he’d been carrying around seemed to pop like a balloon. “I’m not ashamed of you or who I am, but I’m also not sure what’s going to happen when I yank off the delusions the asshole has wrapped himself in.”
Because I wasn’t sure I could keep working at the bakery at that point.
Payton seemed to understand that without my having to voice the frustrating thought. “Would he…What would you do?”
I found myself shrugging. “I love what I do—don’t get me wrong. But they’re both jumping on my last nerve and trying to control everything about my life.”
From my name on down.
“Like ignoring the fact that they know you’re not dating Amanda?” Payton’s question went right to the most obvious issue.
“Yes, that’s why my father and Amanda are…let’s call it silently arguing because she tried to point it out and he refused to acknowledge it.” And I was stuck either without a life or without a job…and possibly without a family.
Payton stretched his arm across the table and wrapped his hands around mine so we both held the warm cup. “I’m not sure being boyfriends for about two hours qualifies me to say anything about this but I’ll support you no matter what you decide.”
“They’ve been two very meaningful hours for me, so if I thought you had the magic words to fix this, I would love to hear them.” As he grinned, I looped my thumbs around his fingers. “But since I’m not sure that’s possible, I will take your support and appreciate that.”
“I’d love to give you sage advice but I just started my own business and moved two hours from my family.” He gave a little shrug. “So, probably not helpful in this case.”
Moving was not an option.
“Okay, nothing is going to be fixed right now, so I’m going to vote for tabling this part of our discussion. How do you vote?” As he laughed, he released my hands and leaned back.
“I’m voting in agreement and nominating some TV and a cuddling session before I leave.” He smiled and raised one eyebrow. “We don’t really have time for anything more…more playful.”
“As much as I would love to be able to argue with that, I accept your terms.” He was sadly right. “We shall adjourn to the couch for cuddling and conversational avoidance.”
Payton banged his fist on the table like it was a gavel and nodded. “The motion is carried.”
The motion was perfect…and so was my sweet pup, even if he didn’t always seem to understand that.
Chapter 18
Payton
Oh…how did I get myself into situations like this?
I’d have preferred to be robbed.
“Hello, ladies, how can I help you?” They were back and it was like a hungry mob of smiling vultures. “Finish your books already?”
They kept getting closer until I was surrounded, trapped between the biographies and cookbooks. It was not where I wanted to die, so I did my best to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest, but they kept smiling at me…and inching even closer.
This was not the good kind of trapped.
“We thought we’d come to say hello and browse around.” The ringleader had a wide smile and was doing her best to project utter innocence, so I knew I should be worried. “There’s always so much to see and do in the area. It’s always so interesting around here.”
