we closed down the night after making four hundred and seventy-two in only four hours. Not bad for a first day. In fact, it was pretty epic.
And I knew the minute Dean kissed me as Foreigner played behind us that I didn’t need to make a pros and cons list to know I was in love with this man. The proof is in the croinut.
“I still can’t believe Foreigner came in and had croinuts in my bakery!” I flop down on the long black sofa in the living room that connects to the kitchen and dining room. I swipe through the eighty photos I had Rachael take of me with the band. “This picture is so going on the wall in the bakery.”
Dean ditches his shoes and socks and joins me on the couch to glance through the pictures with me. “It’s really crazy how well everything worked out tonight.”
“Thank goodness for Max.” I shut my screen down to look at him.
“You mean, thank goodness for Dean,” Dean corrects me, looking offended. “It was my idea. Do you know how many palms I had to grease to get the permit and the equipment out there with only a twenty-four-hour notice? This whole thing wouldn’t have happened without your boyfriend being awesome.”
I quirk a knowing brow at him. “This whole thing wouldn’t have had to happen if my boyfriend would have stayed my boyfriend.”
Dean wilts slightly but then wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest. “Hey, we should try that makeup sex thing again. We were pretty good at that if I remember correctly.”
I pull back and turn to face him. “I think we should talk first.”
Dean winces and takes off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose before turning to give me his full attention. “Kate and Lynsey warned me this was something boyfriends had to do a lot.”
“What else did Kate and Lynsey say?” I tilt my head and eye him curiously. “Seriously, I want to know. I mean…the band and you showing up and saying everything you said was…amazing. But I want to make sure this is real, Dean. That you’re genuinely ready for this.”
“I’m ready, sugar butt.” Dean reaches out and grabs my hands, twining his fingers with mine in a way that sends goose bumps up my wrist. “I realized a lot of things this past week.”
“Like the fact that Lala is way too young for you, and you were an asshole for going out with her again?” I pin him with an accusatory stare, and Dean cringes and nods his head.
“I didn’t mean to be out with her,” he groans, his voice laced with frustration. “I was drinking alone, drowning my sorrows, and she came into the bar. I was so drunk at that point that I didn’t think about who I was with. I ditched her after you left…you have to believe that nothing happened between us.”
“I believe you,” I reply, the corner of my mouth quirking up with relief over the fact that trusting Dean has never been an issue for me.
“And you and Captain Douche Cookie?” His eyes turn dark as he asks the silent question.
I sigh, knowing this was coming. “It wasn’t a romantic outing.”
“You didn’t give me that impression at the bar,” he replies, his sulky lip sticking out adorably.
I reach out and tug on it. “You didn’t deserve to know what I was doing because you didn’t want me.” I jut my chin at him defiantly.
“I always wanted you,” Dean says, running his hand up and down my thigh as his eyes rove over every one of my features. “It just took me a minute to realize that all the shit my mom has said to me over the years about me being like my father and being bad for women has kind of stuck. I used to think it rolled right off my back, but clearly, it didn’t. I’m planning to have a big talk with her about how her comments are affecting me. Her baggage can’t be mine.”
“I think that’s great.” I jerk my head in amazement at how mature and adult he sounds. Dean is normally the guy looking to have fun. Peter Pan syndrome through and through. This is certainly something he’s given some serious thought to. “And you know, I’d love to meet your mom sometime if you’re ready for that. Maybe it’ll help to see you with a girlfriend.”
Dean’s eyes dance with affection. “She would actually love