Page 80 of Beyond the Hate

“Eli,” Paisley growls.

“What? I’m not going to pretend I enjoyed meeting your mother when she literally stood there and allowed her husband’s grown daughters to be nasty to you.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Do not apologize on my behalf. I’m not sorry.”

Paisley elbows me. “Be nice.”

“I don’t want to be nice to someone who allowed you to be bullied while you were growing up.”

She throws her hands in the air. “You’re incorrigible.”

“You might not like me,” Paisley’s mom says, “but I like you for my girl. She deserves the best.”

“She deserves a mom who fights for her.”

Her nose wrinkles. It reminds me of Paisley. “I’m not a fighter.” A car honks outside. “I better…” She rushes off.

I shut and lock the door behind her.

“You shouldn’t—”

Paisley throws herself at me. “Thank you.” She rains kisses on my face. “Thank you. You’re the best man a special lady friend could ask for.”

I grunt. “Please don’t say special lady friend.”

“But your eye twitches whenever I do. It’s fascinating.”

I shake my head. “I’ve created a monster.”

She beams up at me. She can tease me about being my special lady friend as much as she wants if it makes her this happy. This woman has me wrapped around her finger.

I nearly startle. I was supposed to keep my heart safe from this woman. Not hand it to her in a giftwrapped package.

Crap. She’s going to break my heart when she leaves me.

Chapter 24

“I call your bluff.” ~ Paisley

Paisley

I stop Eli halfway up the driveaway to Sophia’s mom’s house. “I need to preemptively apologize for everything that transpires here tonight.”

He grins. “What exactly do you think is going to transpire to require an apology?”

“My friends do not hold back.”

“Don’t worry.” He kisses my nose. “I went to high school with your friends. I know exactly how rowdy they can get.”

“I didn’t use the word rowdy.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Are you denying they can be rowdy? Because I remember the time they walked out of a home economics class with you and started a protest outside the window. You made such a racket the teacher had to stop the class.”

“Ms. Zimmerman should have met our demands.”

“You demanded the class be removed from the curriculum. She would have been out of a job.”

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