I laughed. "I'm fine."
"Good. You're coming to lunch on Sunday. Be there at twelve-thirty so Mom can grillyoubefore she grills the lamb chops for lunch at one."
My eyes widened. "What?"
"You're going to be involved in this family when you have my niece or nephew, whether J.J. likes it or not, so it's better to start early. This way, Mom and Dad will be on your side and disown him if he screws up. I've always wanted a sister."
J.J. shook his head. "You have to marry me, if nothing else to save me from her and my mother."
I patted his shoulder, intentionally aiming for patronizing. "You're a big boy. You'll survive."
His eyes locked on mine and suddenly I was hot all over. He wasn't looking at me with that tender concern of earlier. No, he was staring at me like he was thinking about kissing me until I did whatever he wanted.
Not that it would be difficult to do.
I knew that all it would take was one kiss and I'd be toast.
"J.J., unhand my assistant manager. She's on the clock."
The moment was effectively destroyed, which was probably for the best.
Otherwise, I would have ended up engaged and married before Sunday lunch with the McClanes.
7
My resolve took another hit that night when I got home from work.
It was nearly nine and when the headlights hit the front porch, I saw J.J. sitting on the swing, a brown paper bag from the local grocery store next to him.
By the time I'd pulled under the carport and gotten out of my car, he was standing by my rear bumper.
"Hey," he greeted, as if this was an everyday occurrence.
"Hey. Um, what are you doing here?" I asked.
He lifted the bag by the handles. "I brought food. I'm going to make you dinner."
"At nine at night?"
"It'll take twenty minutes, tops. Then, I'll clean up and you can get some rest."
That was incredibly sweet, but I didn't want him to do things like this because he felt obligated now that he knew I was pregnant.
"J.J., you don't have to do this."
"Do what?"
"Feel obligated to take care of me," I answered, shutting my car door.
The headlights went off before he spoke, leaving us in the dark and me unable to see his face clearly.
"Why do you think I feel obligated?"
"Because I'm pregnant!"
Crud, I hadn't meant to yell.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you," I said.
