For The Love of Easton (For the Love Of #2) - A.M. Hargrove Page 0,49

was going on.”

“When he asks you that, talk about school or things going on with you, not Aunt Stacey Bear.”

“Okayyyy. Mommy, can I please have some cheese?”

“Yes, you may.”

Rey ran into the room. “Sorry, she escaped.”

“Rey, my daughter isn’t in prison.” English shook her head.

“I know, but we were playing and my phone rang. When I turned around, she was gone.”

“She’s sneaky like that.” English handed Easton her cheese, and told her, “Don’t leave Rey again, you goofball.”

“I’m not a goofball. I’m a princess today. See?” Easton patted her tiara.

Rey huffed. “What am I going to do with you? You need to put on some soccer cleats so we can kick the soccer ball around in the back yard.”

“I don’t wanna. I wanna play princess. Can you dress up like me?”

Rey glanced at English. “I have a lot of work to do here.”

“Good luck with that.”

Rey took Easton’s hand and off they went.

Sheridan said, “Rey will do her best to convert your daughter into a tomboy.”

“I doubt that’ll happen. Easton is too girly right now. I wish she liked playing sports more, though.”

“She does. She tells me how much she likes soccer. Remember though, they were never your thing.”

“Yeah, don’t remind me, Mom.”

While they discussed the merits of soccer versus being a princess, I took my chance at broaching what I wanted to say to Beck.

But when I did, two things happened. The women took a break in their conversation and Beck decided to say something to me just as I was ready to ask him something.

I nearly choked on the swallow of beer as he said, “I’d like to talk about you marrying my daughter.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

English

Twenty-four hours earlier

Dinner on Friday with Tristian was superb. He was engaging and congenial. I’d expected it, but was more pleased than I cared to admit. The food was exquisite but didn’t compare to the man himself. Why did I have to succumb to his charm? In many ways, it was better when he was an ass. At least it made it easy to dislike him. When he was pleasant and appealing, it was impossible to ignore him.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he’d said in the car on the way to dinner. It sent shivers skipping over my flesh and my heart did a little dance beneath my ribs. Jeez, if words did this, what would his touch do? I’d already experienced his artful kiss. I dared not imagine what the rest of his body had in store.

“Thank you. I have a confession. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date.” And why in the world had my big mouth even mentioned that?

“You must be joking.”

“I’m not.”

“I really find that hard to believe.”

“Why’s that?” I turned my curious eyes toward him.

“The truth?”

“No, Tristian, I want you to lie to me.” I poked him in the ribs. “Yes, I want the truth.”

“Because you’re beautiful and any man would give his left arm to take you out.”

“Would you stop?”

“I swear it’s the truth. If I weren’t driving, I’d prove it to you.”

“How?” Would he kiss me again?

“I’d look you straight in the eyes and you’d be able to tell I wasn’t lying.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed.”

Embarrassment wrapped itself around me in the form of a hot oven. My face must’ve appeared sunburned. “I’m not. It wasn’t what I expected you to say.”

“What did you expect me to say?”

I couldn’t very well tell him what I was thinking, so I answered with a lame, “Not really sure. But something with a little more snark.”

“Nope. I left all my snark at home.”

By then we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and he went directly to valet parking. The door was opened by an attendant and I got out and waited for Tristian. We entered and were quickly escorted to our table.

“I’ve wanted to eat here forever. My parents love this place.”

“Then I’m happy I chose it.”

During dinner our conversation ranged from photography—of course—to where we’d traveled. He had a keen desire to see the world, as did I, and he was interested in photography of animals, like my father.

“I remember as a little kid when Dad went off to do a polar bear shoot. Mom tried to explain that they weren’t all fuzzy and cute. I wouldn’t hear of it. Now I know how dangerous and freezing it was.”

“I’d love to go out there and do a shoot like that.”

“He took me once when I was older, a teenager. We sat in the cold for a