Page 100 of The Fiance Dilemma

I wasn’t going to get my kiss today. And as much as I was a touch disappointed, I was also in awe of the man. He had a willpower I lacked, and we were so backward it wasn’t even funny anymore. “If you’re going to ask me to dance, the least you can do is sing a little louder than that.”

His eyes lit up, and his voice grew louder as we twirled between the rows of chairs. Soon, the earlier heaviness in my mind started to recede, and it was just us. Me and Matthew’s voice and Matthew’sgoofiness and the promise of that kiss. By the time we were hitting the verse, I was laughing, and he was turning around.

He stuck his ass up in the air. And he—

“Are you twerking?” I asked him. “To an a cappella country song?”

Matthew caught my eye over his shoulder, still moving. “Absolutely I am.” He winked. “And you can give me a nice pat. You know, test the horse before you buy it. Go on, country girl. It’s a nice butt.”

My smile turned so big I was afraid it’d hurt. He really had a nice ass. And maybe—

A throat cleared.

I froze. Matthew did, too, perky butt sticking out.

We turned, finding Andrew standing awkwardly at the end of the rows of chairs I’d unfolded.

“Sorry to, uh, interrupt?” he said. “Bobbi’s asking for you. The two of you. If you can spare a minute.”

There was a moment of silence. Matthew was probably letting me decide whether we immediately left or stayed to make small talk. Or how to respond to Andrew’s request. I stayed put. I’d never seen Andrew look so sheepish. So shy.

“I could make an excuse,” Andrew offered, making my brows arch with more surprise. “If you’d like me to. While you… finish here?”

My chest warmed. And maybe it was stupid of me, but it felt so nice that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at him.

“I think we’re finished,” I told him. I sounded happy. Way too happy. “But that’s so nice of you. Thank you.”

For a moment, I wondered what it’d be like to add aDadat the end of those words. To have him smiling back at me the way I did at him. But that would be silly. That’s what would make me naïve. Just like back at the party that night, when Andrew had chosen a picture with Duncan over me. But that was fine. It was all right. Ididn’t need things that were realistically out of my reach. I wanted simple things. Things that sometimes came easy, and things that you oftentimes had to put a little work in. And I wanted to believe this was him trying.

Matthew pressed a kiss on my temple. As if sensing the strange cloud hovering above my head. “Let’s go, Baby Blue,” he said. “See what Bobbi wants. Then I’ll drive us home.”

“That sounds nice,” escaped my lips.Us.I didn’t think he’d said it for my father’s benefit, and I’d take a win where I saw one. “We should be rested for tomorrow.”

Andrew nodded, his eyes bouncing between the two of us, as if he was noticing something he hadn’t before. I couldn’t imagine what. Matthew had always been like this. At least around me. The realization seemed important, but just as I was grasping it, Andrew spoke.

“Josephine?”

The thought fled. “Yeah?”

“I was wondering,” he started, with a little pause. “If you’d like me to be there. For you. Next Saturday.”

Next Saturday was December first.

Matthew stilled by my side. The hold of his hand tightening around mine.

“What do you mean?” I asked, even though I knew what Andrew was referring to. I was also very aware of what I’d just shared with Matthew. Of what I’d told him that day in my truck. About Mom.

“I am your father,” Andrew stated. His throat tripped over something. Air? Words? Then he said, “I could walk you down the aisle. If you’d like me to.”

It was my turn to stall. Although I’d known he was referring to this. I’d known and I’d asked. I’d pushed, made him say the words. “Is that something you would like?” I heard myself ask.

His face did a weird thing. Or maybe it wasn’t weird. Maybe itwas just something Andrew’s expression did. I couldn’t really know. “Yes.”

I tried to stop the burst of emotion in the middle of my chest. I really tried.

It made me feel so tiny again, like a child. It made me happy and sad, too, all at once. I couldn’t believe that one word from him could cause that reaction in me. Clearly, I had those issues the world accused me of having.

Clearly, I shouldn’t smile.

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