Her brows shoot up. “Why?”
“Because when I do, I want you to know in your soul that what I just said was the truth.”
She presses her lips together, and I know she doesn’t believe me. I give her a sad smile then kiss her cheek. “Be ready tomorrow at noon for our day date.”
And then I leave.
Without tasting her.
But knowing I will.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Ambrosia
The Rowe Report: Episode 1003: In the Crease with the Monroes.
Wren Monroe: I was pregnant and needed a baby daddy.
Jensen Monroe: You make it sound so soap-opera-like.
Laughter.
Wren Monroe: It’s the truth!
Jensen Monroe: Yes, but you left out the part where I was totally, wholeheartedly, and maddeningly in love with you. That I didn’t care you were my best friend’s sister. All I cared about was getting you to notice me. I played like my life depended on it whenever I knew you were watching. When I was a kid, a teenager, and then as an adult, I was playing for you and only you.
I really don’t like the smug look that Ella Mae gave me when she handed over Dawson’s and my Caramel Apple Celly Lattes.
It was too intrusive.
Too knowing.
Almost excited, which seems silly.
Why would anyone be excited for this? By going out with Dawson, I am taking the most sought-after guy on campus off the market. I am publicly making a claim on him. Won’t women hate me? Ella didn’t. She just grinned, her brows waggling when I took my latte from Dawson, who had grabbed them first. Almost like he was testing the cups to make sure they weren’t too hot before handing mine to me. Then, like there was no one else in the room, he took my hand in his other one and hasn’t let go.
Not one damn person looked at us.
And it felt…real.
So real that every few seconds, I found myself looking over at him in his dark blue Camaro to make sure he is really driving me to a pumpkin patch. He is, his dimples shining as he sips on his coffee and drives us onto the interstate. The trip is quicker than I remember, but the conversation is flowing easily. He asks what I did this morning—breakfast, a light workout, and editing the episode of Vaughn and Brie Johansson that I usually would have done before recording my next, but I was working with Jayden and Baylor’s schedule.
“What was your favorite part of their show?”
I smile dreamily. “Did you know that Vaughn sponsored a whole housing development just for special-needs adults?”
Dawson smiles proudly, and I feel it deep in my gut. “Yeah. I volunteer there a lot.”
Of course he does.
Because the universe loves to make me swoon for this man.
Damn it.
“Have you been out there?” When I shake my head, he nods. “We’ll actually pass it on the way to the pumpkin patch. I’ll point it out.”
