Page 43 of Mom-Com
A silver strappy stiletto emerged first, then the gorgeous curvaceous leg it was attached to, the one that had been wrapped around my waist not long ago. Then a flash of turquoise and finally, Lily-Marie’s beaming face.
“Jameson.” She looked stunned. Her expression was entirely different than the stunned look she’d had running away from me when I told her I loved her. I wasn’t sure why this time was different, but I’d spend all night convincing her how good we could be together so she never ran away again. My words would not fail me this time.
I held out my hand and she accepted, standing up out of the limo, her lush breasts brushing against my chest. Somehow, I’d forgotten how perfect that dress was for her, highlighting her many assets. I just hoped I was the lucky man who got to spend eternity with her.
“Are you hungry?” I took in her features, the smoky eyes, the lush lips with some kind of unnecessary gloss on them. Her hair was piled on top of her head still, this time with pins and curls artfully arranging her long locks. She was stunning.
“Starved,” she whispered back, her gaze darting to my lips.
Well, fuck. I briefly considered scrapping the rest of the date and going straight to my bedroom to try my luck a second time, but barely restrained myself when I heard the horse whinny.
Oh, that’s right. Forgot to mention I’d booked a horse and carriage to take us to dinner. But not just any horse and carriage. The one sitting in front of my house was theCinderellacarriage, made of white bars and swirls in the shape of a pumpkin.
“Then let’s get to dinner, huh?” I stepped back, still holding tight to her hand, to give her a better view of the carriage, and her reaction did not disappoint.
She gasped and her free hand went to her chest. Then a smile so radiant I’d be living off of it for days, lit up her face. She turned to me and that’s when I knew that no matter how dinner went or how badly I bumbled the conversation, I had a chance. All the love I felt for her shined back at me through her eyes. We had things to discuss, for sure, but the feelings were there. Mutual. Unfiltered. No longer masked by fear.
I led the way, careful to keep my pace slow so she could navigate the curb and patch of grass in her stilettos and long dress. She giggled halfway there, a sound I’d never get tired of hearing. It was the grown-up version to Milly’s giggle.
“Now I understand the suit.” I spun my head, a question in the way my eyebrows climbed my forehead. “You know, you always dress formal with your slacks and sweaters, but even for you, the suit was a bit much for a casual Saturday.”
“Ah, yes. You know it’s a big deal when I don’t wear my favorite sweaters. But I knew you’d be stunning in that dress, and a new suit seemed like the right thing. You’re not mad I kept your afternoon activities a secret?”
We reached the carriage and I opened the door for her. She paused before stepping up.
“Mad? That you planned a whole day of activities to make me feel special? No, Jameson. I’m the opposite of mad.”
I helped lift her up into the carriage and waited until she got her skirt situated before climbing up next to her. “You know I’m a science professor, right? I don’t know the antonyms for mad.”
She tossed back her head and laughed. “I’ll just have to show you then.” The sexy smirk on her face made the wind roar in my ears and my pants decidedly tighter.
“Oh, wait!” Lily-Marie nearly jumped off the bench seat. “I forgot something! Can you run into my house and grab the stapled papers off the breakfast table?”
I frowned, wondering what she could have that was so important. “Sure. Let me grab them. Here’s a blanket if you’re cold.” I placed it on her lap and over her bare arms. Yes, it was Southern California, but it was also still February. Temperatures could get down into the fifties at night.
I ran into her house and found the papers easily, rushing out to climb back in the carriage. With a flick of the wrist, the horses were off, clopping down the street. I’d booked the entire Italian restaurant near our houses. A candlelit dinner for two and no one to bother us.
We were going slow enough that we barely passed a runner on the sidewalk. I did a double take and realized it was Runner Boy from the other day, off on another run without his shirt on. A deep smugness puffed up my chest, knowing she’d turned him down and here she was on a date with me instead.
Lily-Marie didn’t even look at the passing scenery, just handed me her papers and then twisted the blanket in her lap.
“What’s this?”
She twisted so she was looking right at me, worry etched across her face. “I’m sorry, Jameson. I’ve been meaning to say that for a while now. I’m sorry for walking away from you when you told me you loved me. You see, I realized I carry some baggage from my ex. And I let that taint what we have. Or had. I-I’m hoping this date tonight means you still want me.”
I gave my head a shake. “Still want you? Lily-Marie, I want you always. Forever. I wasn’t lying or confused or mistaken when I said I love you. I know I just blurted it out there and I should have done a better job of it, but as you know, words aren’t my forte.”
Lily-Marie rushed to interrupt. “No! It was perfect. Really. I just wasn’t ready to hear it. That’s all. Can you forgive me?”
I grabbed her hands, gently prying them off the blanket. “I already have. But I have something to confess before we go any further.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”
I squeezed her hands and laid it all out. “My father called when we first moved here. Turns out he’d found some articles my grandmother had written a long time ago. She was an advice columnist for Prevention. He shared one with me that was called Fifty Ways to Find a Wife. I’d just had a conversation with Stein about love and I’d explained to him how I didn’t think romantic love was a real thing. Biological love for offspring is documented, but I just didn’t agree with love between non-related humans. I hadn’t experienced it or really even seen it in my life, so I told him I’d prove it didn’t exist. I took the article and tried out her list on you. We’d just met and I liked you, so you seemed like the perfect woman to try things out on.”
“Oh my God.” Lily-Marie had gone pale under her makeup. I rushed to keep going, to get out the whole story before she demanded to be taken home.
“No, but wait. Turns out, my hypothesis was incorrect. Massively. Romantic love definitely exists and when I realized that, I was so excited, I blurted out that I loved you at the wrong time. All those things I was trying from the article didn’t make you fall in love with me, it helped me fall in love withyou. But you’re not an experiment. And I should have explained everything before I told you how I felt. You deserve more than an ill-timed confession of love blurted out while I had you pressed against the wall.”
