Page 94 of An Engagement for Erica

“We’ll only be sitting around your grandfather’s house,” she said. “So it’s not like we are following a schedule.”

“I’m happy you’re staying the night,” he said.

It would be the first time they were staying together.

There was part of him that felt as if he was a kid waiting on Christmas, only Christmas Eve was more exciting to him.

Stupid when he’d had women over for the night plenty in his life.

But those women weren’t Erica.

“It will be nice,” she said. “I just have to get it out of my head that your mother is on the property.”

He laughed. “She’s in another building,” he said. “Further away than if I lived in my apartment.”

“I know,” she said. “It’s a mind thing.”

“She won’t bother us. Trust me. She doesn’t want to walk in any more than I want her to.”

Erica laughed. “Thank God for that. Take a right up there and it’s the white house with the blue door on the left.”

“I could have figured it out with all the cars,” he said. “Are we late?”

“No,” she said. “It starts at two. It’s not even two, but some people would have come early to help out. Harmony is here, Heather is probably here. That is Daisy’s best friend. Most of the party is going to be coworkers. Those are who Daisy has as friends that are almost like family at this point in her life.”

“That’s nice,” he said, parking his car on the side of the road. “I’m not sure I’ve ever had a close relationship with a coworker before.”

“Oh!” she said loudly. “I’m offended. What do you call this?”

Her hand was waving back and forth between them in the car.

“I call this more than friendship.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m your fake fiancée. I’d hope I’d be in another category.”

She leaned over to meet him in the middle for a kiss and he gave it to her, just adoring when her personality came out like this.

They turned to get out of the car and heard someone say, “No making out like teens. Even though that’s something Reese and I did as kids. Lots of it in a car.”

Tucker knew Reese McGill. It was hard not to know the McGills in this area. So that meant the woman who made that statement was Poppy.

“I’ve heard all about you two, Poppy,” Erica said. “I might as well introduce you here. Reese and Poppy Bloom-McGill, this is Tucker Nelay.”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he said, putting his hand out.

“Oh,” Poppy said. “Much nicer to meet you and put a face with a name. Daisy didn’t tell us how hot he was. Erica, you lucky girl.”

“Ignore my wife,” Reese said, shaking his hand. “This is how she is with everyone.”

“It’s all in good fun,” Poppy said. “And I’d like to say thank you for everything working out with shipments. Lily didn’t mean to be a hard ass, but she is the drillmaster of the three of us.”

“I want to know if clients have problems,” he said. “I’m glad she called me personally and you can also.”

“I won’t,” Poppy said, laughing. “Rose might, but I won’t. I let Lily do it. Now it’s time to party.”

He followed Erica and the McGills to the front door, then Erica just walked in.

“Tucker is here,” Harmony yelled.

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