Page 27 of A Date with Fate

Taylor shrugged. “As soon as she finds out that I’m with you, she’s going to love me a lot less. It’s easy to love someone who will end up being someone else’s problem.”

Frustration kicked in my chest, but I stifled it. She didn't know. She didn’t understand. But she would. “I accept your bet.”

“What?”

“If my mother is anything less than over the moon to see you, then you have to get on your knees tonight, whenever I say, wherever I say.”

I didn’t miss the immediate darkening of her eyes. Taylor may have loved the soft, kind version of me, but when I took command, it sent her straight over the edge. She leaned over, her breasts pressing at the top of her tank top.

“You’re on.”

I grinned, opening the door and stepping down. As soon as my boots hit the cement, it was like a dam breaking. There were people streaming out of everywhere. My father was the tallest, easy to see as he mowed a path through curious lookers. My brothers were scattered behind, smiles on their faces as our tiny bit of a mother was pushed to the front.

“Scotty!” She pressed hands to her cheeks, turning this way and that to see the camper. Bright eyes took me in before turning to her husband. “You weren’t supposed to do anything.”

“I didn’t. The boys did it all.”

Liar, I thought but didn't say.

“Come here and give your momma a hug. You didn’t drive that whole way alone, did you? You know what your father and I say about that.”

I let the warmth of her swallow my midsection as I answered her, “No, Ma, I drove down to Chicago first, picked up my copilot.”

Her chin jabbed me in the belly as her jaw dropped. “Logan’s here?”

“Better,” I whispered, knowing that Taylor was coming around the front of the truck now.

My mother blinked slowly at her, taking in every beautiful inch of the woman I adored. Then, with a high-pitched squawk, my mother shoved me aside, bridging the gap between her and Taylor in a single bound.

“Taylor Haley, oh my goodness, look at you!” Mom’s hands were on Taylor’s cheeks, dragging the taller woman down a little so that she could stare right into her eyes. “You are simply stunning. I always knew you would be, didn’t I darling? I always told him that. I hoped that maybe you would end up…” Mom’s words died off suddenly, releasing Taylor to cast a sideways look at me.

“You two drove all this way together?” Something a lot like suspicion laced her every word.

Taylor spoke up, which was good because my throat basically closed off with a mixture of laughter and shame at my mother’s open appraisal. “Scott did most of the driving. I just read the crosswords and made sure he didn’t fall asleep in Minnesota.”

“Well, thank God for you.” Mom looped her arm through Taylor’s and dragged her forward into the fray. Over and over, I could hear her introducing her, or more than likely reintroducing her, to a little lunch gathering that slowly began to disperse back into the diner or wherever they had come from.

“You did good, son,” my father’s voice boomed just before a heavy hand landed on my shoulders.

I shrugged. “She didn't even look at it.”

Dad laughed. “I wasn’t talking about the camper, Scott.”

My brothers slowly approached, all of them dressed in what that individual considered our Sunday best. We always dressed up on Mom’s birthday. Oliver was in a clean flannel, his blond beard trimmed and neat. Jesse was in a perfectly tailored suit, the tie looking a little like it might be strangling him. And Dad was in his best dark jeans and a button-down that was starched to kingdom come.

And as much as I was glad to be home, surrounded by the family that usually drove me so crazy, I couldn’t stop myself from looking over to where Taylor stood with Mom, their arms still knitted together. Taylor wore a soft, mid-thigh skirt, that bloodred tank top making the red in her hair stand out, even in the gray weather.

“Uh-oh,” Jesse said. “I know that look.”

Oliver nodded. “Our baby brother has lost his heart again.”

“Again?” I glared.

Jesse smiled. “You were always so protective of her. And no wonder. Look how pretty she turned out.”

“She’s more than pretty.”

My brothers exchanged a look. “You’re only reinforcing our idea here, bro.”

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