Pressing the button, I calmly said, “I’ll be right down.”
Spinning, I narrowed my eyes at my best friend. “I won’t be home too late, but don’t wait up.”
“My baby,” she whimpered dramatically.
“Right, and that’s my cue to leave.”
Grabbing my purse, I headed downstairs in my jeans and cowboy boots. I’d gone with a slightly flirty cream top, deciding simpler was better. I was calm, cool, and collected.
But nothing could prepare me for the handsome man on my doorstep. There was nothing particularly special about his outfit. He wore his typical Wranglers and a black button-down shirt. His cowboy hat was the same one he wore every single day. But damn, did he wear it well.
However, it wasn’t his jeans, his shirt, or even that sexy cowboy hat that did it for me. Nope, Liam had something about him that drew me in. A silent danger mixed with the hero I remembered from the playground. While always brooding, he never hesitated to don a smile for me. Only me. It was one of the reasons I knew from the start that Liam would be mine.
“Hey,” I grinned, letting my eyes roam over him a second time. “You look handsome.”
“Thank you. You’re as beautiful as ever.”
Glancing down at my outfit, I shrugged. “Thank you.”
I was going for nonchalant, but inside, my stomach swarmed with butterflies. It might only be dinner with his family, but I’d been waiting for this moment for so long.
And it was finally happening.
“You didn’t invite me upstairs.”
Cocking my head to the side, I smiled at him. “Did you need to come upstairs?”
“I wanted to pick you up at the door.”
“Well, this door will have to do. Unless you want me to go upstairs and do it all again.”
“We’d better not. Ma will wonder where we are.”
“We can’t disappoint your mother. She’s probably been plotting this with my mother for the past five years. There’s a lot riding on how things turn out tonight.”
“I’m a little surprised they didn’t invite both our families.”
“I wouldn’t put it past them.”
He held out his arm for me, and I slipped my hand inside, immediately relishing in the warmth of his body.
“I really hope you’re up for this. You know your mother won’t go easy on you tonight.”
“Not just my mother. Jeff will be there as well. Along with Krista and Lizzy.”
“The whole family, huh?”
“Intimidated?”
“Not at all,” I scoffed. “I love your sisters.”
“And Jeff?”
“I’m pretty sure Jeff will cause more trouble for you than me.”
We reached his truck and he opened the door, holding his hand out to help me up.
“Thank you.”
