Page 90 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

“And instead of filling Carter Langley’s car with mud and dog shit and grass, you could have just approached him or even gone to the cops and had them talk to him about taking care of his dogs.”

“He wasn’t cleaning their penat all.I was showing him how unpleasant that is,” Tori said hotly.And she’d do all of that again, dammit.

“You went over-the-top.”

“I was trying to make a point.”

“Well,mypoint is that this might be another time when you’re overdoing it.”

Tori felt her heart plummet toward her toes.Was falling for Josh an overreaction to everything?It had only been a day with Josh.Okay, kind of two.And two nights a year ago.But these days had been eventful.Fun.Different.Very different.

Yeah, okay, maybe she was overreacting a little.

Andrew reached out and took her hand.“You know I just want you to be happy, right?”

“I am.”

“And safe.Ineedyou to be safe.Physically.Emotionally.”He squeezed her hand.“I know you’ve known him for a year, but you haven’t been here with him.He hasn’t come to Iowa.Maybe you’ve talked a lot but—”

“How do you know he hasn’t been to Iowa?”He would know if Tori had been in Louisiana.She would have called him and hoped to see him.

He hesitated.“Uh—”

“You asked my dad.”

He nodded.“Yes.”

She wasn’t surprised.She was a bit annoyed however.“Why?”

“Because I’m concerned.And curious.”

“Great.And now my dad is concerned and curious.”

“Of course he is.”

“And he asked you to talk to me about all of this.”

Tori had always known her dad didn’t really understand her.He was a private person, who didn’t make a big deal out of, well, anything really, and whenshegot worked up about things, he couldn’t relate.Worse, when she made a big deal forhim, he got terribly embarrassed.Like the time when she was in kindergarten and he’d come to school to have lunch with her.She’d nearly swooned.She’d sat him in the middle of her group of friends and they’d all given him their cookies and pudding cups, and Tori had told every single kid, person, and janitor her dad’s name, his favorite baseball team, that he hid watermelon candies in the door of his truck, and that he and her mom went to bed early on Thursdays and moved the furniture around.That had been their explanation to her about the noises and bed squeaking she heard through the wall anyway.He’d never come to another school lunch with her.Or like the time when she was ten and made him his favorite brownies and took them into the diner where she knew he was having coffee with his friends and had all of the guys sing “Happy Birthday” to him and made him blow out the candles.Or the time she’d written a poem for the school talent night when she was a sixth grader and it had been all about him.He’d gotten up and left before she was done.It hadn’t been because he’d been upset or didn’t like it.She knew that.He was just painfully uncomfortable being the center of attention.

Over the years, she’d learned to pull back on all of that.Really being emotional toward any humans.She’d channeled it all into the animals she loved.

And that hedidunderstand.They shared a love for animals and he’d been incredibly proud of her going to veterinarian school.So she’d been content with sharing that with him.

But her displays of passion, and love for the animals that involved punching people and cow poop, concerned him.Those he didn’t understand.

And yes, hearing that she was considering moving to Louisiana for a guy she barely knew and that he’d never met, would definitely concern him.He wouldn’t understand that for sure.He’d met her mom at the county fair when she was only twelve and he was fifteen, and he’d never dated anyone else since.

“He actually didn’t ask me to talk to you,” Andrew said.“He knew I’d take care of you.”

That should have made her feel good.And for most of her life, it had.Having her dad and Andrew looking out for her had always given her a sense of comfort and security.

But right now, it was making her stomach knot up and her temper spike.

“You’ve met Josh,” she said calmly.“He’s great.And he really likes me.”

Andrew blew out a breath.“Of course he does, Tori.You’re awesome.”

That took her by surprise.Of course she knew Andrew liked her and thought she was great.If weird.But he didn’t say that often.“Well…thanks.”

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