Page 28 of His Lovebug

“Well, maybe having a grandchild on the way mellowed this man out?” I smiled at Matt, who seemed positively baffled.

“Topher said all that shit?”

Tyler nodded like his neck was spring-loaded. “Amber was right there and heard it all, too, or I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Matt wrapped his arm around me and dragged me close to his side, nearly causing me to spill my coffee.

“So.” Matt finished his coffee in one long swallow and set the mug on the counter with acrack. “Jackson misses out on a well-deserved ass kicking yet again.”

I dug my elbow into his ribs and brushed my fingertips against his bruised knuckles. “Not really.”

He pressed a kiss to my temple.

“Well, stay for breakfast,” I said, putting on my gracious hostess hat.

Tyler was already shaking his head, and I was so grateful. I wanted this over. “No, I can’t. I have to head to Topher’s office. Thanks, though. He said to stop by this morning so he can straighten everything out. You’ll pass the news along to Jackson? He’s not answering his phone, and this didn’t seem like something to text. He’ll be mad at me, but this is for the best.”

“Yep,” Matt said.

Tyler glanced around as if he’d just woken up from a deep sleep. “I’ll find my own way out. Thanks again for relaying the message to Jackson.”

“Goodbye.” I watched him go, feeling nothing but relieved. Now Matt could focus on repairing whatever was going wrongbetween himself and his brother, and maybe they could work things out.

“Hmm.” Matt snagged my coffee and downed it, and I sighed, then snickered when he set my mug beside his.

“What?”

After a few seconds, he shrugged. “Nothing. What are you doing today, beautiful?”

My heart stuttered like I’d been shocked and I yelped. “Shoot! I need to get going! First, I have class. After that, Morgan found this woman who makes monogrammed cloth napkins for events, and we have to go pick out a pattern today!” I danced around and gave him a hug. “We’re scheduled to see her before noon. I almost forgot with everything going on. Morgan somehow knows every person in this town. The napkins will have our initials and wedding date.” I smiled up at him.

He sighed and bopped his forehead against mine. “I don’t know how to break this to you, Baby Girl, but we are the only ones who would care about something like that.” He was good enough not to roll his eyes, at least.

I laughed and shrugged. “So, we’ll drag them out and have an anniversary party every year until the end of our days and use those napkins. I don’t care.” I stuck my tongue out at him, feeling silly, especially now that there was no more reason for him to be in a terrible mood.

I kissed him, snagged a pepperoni croissant, and started off to go find my purse.

“You change that dress,” he called after me.

“Nope!” I headed up the stairs, smirking. I’d already been planning to toss on something I could at least sit down comfortably in, but teasing him was the best part of my day.

“Wife!” he roared from the kitchen.

I cackled and raced to change, all while eating.

Somehow, I was only ten minutes late to class. As soon as the lecture was over, I scurried out to my golden pink Porsche and zipped over to Morgan’s house. I felt sexy in the yellow sundress and matching jacket I’d strolled out of the house in. Morgan waved as she came down the path from her front door to jump into my car.

“There you are! Step on it!” She pointed ahead, and I laughed.

Morgan and I always had a good time together, and we were meeting the napkin lady at a brunch spot downtown. We ate a great meal, scrutinized seven different shades of pink for the napkins, and eventually, we decided on something called Spring Sunset, locked in more wedding details, and we were on our way to go to a spa date by 11:30 a.m.

We stepped out of the diner together, arm in arm.

Morgan gave me one of her usual wide smiles. “We are rocking this wedding prep stuff. You’re going to have the best wedding ever!”

“Thanks to you.” I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, and she giggled.

Tires squealed nearby, and I frowned and looked up. A black van, the type contractors use, was speeding down the street.

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