Tony walked up beside her father. He was six feet tall with shaggy brown hair that fell into his brown eyes. Some might think he was cute. She didn’t.
“Sky. It’s so good to see you again.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and she held her breath too late, getting a big breath of onion.
Yuck.
He pulled back. “I was wondering what happened to you, since you haven’t responded to my texts.”
His texts asking for a second date? She’d responded to the first one, saying “no” as kindly and gently as possible. “I’ve been busy.”
She turned to her parents, sending an “I can’t believe you did this” glare their way. Her mother, at least, had the good sense to look guilty…while her father looked happy. Far too damn happy.
Sky gave everyone a tight smile. “I need to get back to my rounds.”
“Tony can join you,” her father piped in.
Tony stepped forward, but she retreated, the onion smell hitting her nose far too hard—again. And she could still feel his sloppy kiss on her cheek. “No.”
Her father frowned. “Skylar, don’t be rude. He’s here for you.”
Oh, the things she could say to her father right now.
“I don’t mind helping,” Tony added. “I have a background in project management. I’m sure I’d be able to assist.”
“I’m dating someone.” The words shot out of her mouth like a freight train. But once they were out, she couldn’t take them back.
Her father rolled his eyes. He actuallyrolled his eyes. “Skylar—”
“I am,” she pushed.
“You don’t need to lie,” her mother said gently.
“I’m not lying.”
“If you were dating someone,” her father said, frowning, “then wouldn’t he be here tonight?”
“He is.” Man, the lies were just rolling off her tongue now. But she refused to spend one more second with bad-breath, sloppy-kisser Tony, and if anything could stop both himandher parents, it was a fictitious boyfriend.
Her father raised a brow. “Okay, where is he?”
At that exact moment, like the heavens and Earth aligned—or did her the biggest disservice in the universe—Becket walked toward them.
She yanked his arm and jerked him to her side, hard.
He frowned slightly. “Uh, are you going through something, Peaches? An episode maybe?”
She smiled at him, the warmest smile she’d ever sent his way. “Hi, honey.”
He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. And yeah, she’d lost it somewhere between the gross cheek kiss and the grabbing of Becket’s arm.
She turned to her parents and Tony. “Mom, Dad…Tony. This is my boyfriend, Becket.”
The instant silence that descended between the five of them was almost comical.
Becket cleared his throat. “Uh,honey, I think we need to talk.”
“Sure. But I need a big hug first.” She pulled him close and put her mouth next to his ear, then shout-whispered. “Do this for me and I won’t put up a fence.”
“I don’t—”
