Page 27 of All I Desire

I slam the door. “He seems awfully decent.”

She twists her mouth. “I get that fear. I really do.”

I nod once. Before she met my brother, she lived with an abusive man.

“What if he’s not as good looking as I remember? Or as nice as I remember?”

She wrinkles her face in response. “Huh?”

“Like what if I was in some weird Twilight Zone, and he’s actually an awful human being?”

“So, you’re worried that he’s either too decent or absolutely awful. Got it.” I can tell Leilani’s fighting a smile.

“Matthew’s also a single dad.”

Her face brightens. “Oh. Oh! Well, so?”

I go around to the driver’s side door. “He’s bringing his daughter here to live with him full time. I guess that’ll be in a couple of weeks? I don’t know. I don’t know jack about kids. He’s been staying at his ex’s house while his ex is away. It’s just so... weird. I’ve never dated a single dad. And what about his ex? Do they get along? Has he ever introduced anyone to his kid before? What if the kid hates me—”

She holds her hands up. “Whoa. Whoa. Take it down a few notches. Deep, cleansing breaths. Breathe with me.” She breathes in, her petite torso puffing up with air. She’s wearing a T-shirt that says SHELL YEAH. “C’mon. One deep breath.”

I roll my eyes and gulp in a breath. “Yeah, that’s better. That alleviates my existential angst about potentially being alone for the rest of my life because I’m so picky.”

“Seriously, just have fun tonight. You’re not marrying the guy, Nat. He’s coming over for lasagna and stuff.”

I get in the car and fire it up. “I am looking forward to the stuff.”

Leilani grins. “While you’re stuffing, don’t ask any questions, okay? Just let it unfold organically.”

“Okay,” I call out, slamming the door and roaring out of my parents’ driveway. I repeat the word “organically” out loud like a mantra.

I have exactly thirty minutes before Matthew’s supposed to arrive, so I shove the lasagna in the oven and jump into the shower. Thank God I’d tidied up my condo before I went to work.

My sleek black cat, Mister Sinister, looks on with alarm.

“Usually I don’t move quite this fast, right, Sin?” I ask out loud as I throw on a robe so I can blow dry my hair and swipe on some mascara. Okay, and a little lip gloss. I’ll put on a black T, maybe some cutoff shorts. Matthew doesn’t strike me as a formal guy, at least not from what I saw when I stalked his social media this week.

Or should I wear something nicer? Usually, I’m not this indecisive. I stare into my closet, my heart pounding. Maybe I should opt for something more feminine than my standard utilitarian wardrobe. Do I have anything like that? Dammit, I should have called Lauren long before tonight.

Sin lets out an alarmed meow.

“What?” I ask, reaching for the blow-dryer.

He meows again.

And that’s when I hear it. The knock.

“Shit, is that him?” I glance at my phone. “He’s fifteen minutes early.”

Usually I have the opposite problem with dates. They show up late —or don’t show up at all.

“Sin!” I whisper in alarm, and he looks at me with a matter-of-fact expression.

I’m in a fuzzy, white bathrobe. Ah, to hell with it. I’ll answer the door and change. He last saw me in a crazed wedding dress and combat boots, so he’s probably expecting something a little offbeat from me.

“Coming,” I call out, running to the door.

I open it, and a smile immediately spreads on my face. Matthew’s standing there, grinning and holding a bouquet of sunflowers. He’s in a light blue button down and jeans. Simple, yet oh-so-hot, because it shows off his gorgeous body and his pale eyes.

---