by Holly Kerr
And they say she’s next in line for the party leadership.
I throw a nervous glance over my shoulder to where Dean is waiting in his SUV, parked behind Trev’s pickup as if he’s blocking him in.
Does Dean think Trev will make a run for it?
I wonder that myself as I hear footsteps inside, but then I remember how Trev kissed me.
And that’s what I’m thinking about as the door opens.
“Ruthie?” Trev shows all the symptoms of pure and utter shock—wide, staring eyes with eyebrows raised high enough to disappear into that gorgeous hair, mouth dropped open to display a very pink tongue.
“Hi.” I stare at his mouth until a yellow Lab waddles up to the door with a tired wag of his tail and pulls away my attention. “Hello,” I say to the dog.
“Who is it, Trev?” A woman’s voice from behind him sends Trev stuttering into motion.
“It’s okay, Mom. It’s for me.” Trev turns back to me. “I think?”
“I hope so.” For the first time I hear the nervousness in my voice.
“Who is at the door, Trevor?” I peer over Trev’s shoulder to see his mother wheel up with a frown on her face. “There’s a sign that says no junk mail or solicitation so please respect that. It’s not easy for me to get to the door, as you can see.”
I take a step back. Maybe I should have waited to go to Trev’s place instead.
“Mom, it’s fine,” Trev says firmly, drawing me inside. “I want you to meet someone.” He steps out of the way so she can come closer, her sharp gaze studying me like there’s going to be a test.
“Who, exactly, am I meeting?” she asks in a voice that can only be referred to as icy.
“Mom, this is Ruthie, my—” Trev stops, and the hesitant posture he wore since his mother wheeled up drops and he straightens his back. “We haven’t exactly figured out what we are, have we?”
I take a deep breath, feeling his gaze studying me. “That’s sort of why I’m here.”
“What’s going on?” Mrs. Cain tut-tuts, wheeling backwards. “Close the door first. Don’t let all the cold air in or that will definitely be the death of me.”
I step forward and shut the door, holding out my hand to the dog for an ally. “My name is Ruthie Shaughnessy,” I say to her. “And I really like your son.”
“You came all the way here to tell me that?” Trev asks, his smile widening.
“I did. I got Dean to bring me. He’s waiting outside in case this doesn’t go well. I don’t want you to go out with this other woman, or anyone else your mother wants you to meet. I’m sorry if that offends you.” I turn to Mrs. Cain. “I’m very good at offending people, even though that’s not always my intention. I know that I’ve driven your son crazy over the last week or so. Like last night.” I take another deep breath, and the dog pushes his head into my hand like he knows I need it. “I didn’t mean anything I said. The last thing I want is to walk into another bar and find you sitting across from a perfectly unsuitable woman.”
“There is nothing unsuitable about the women Trev meets,” his mother blusters.
“There is, because none of them are me.”
Trev finally smiles then and my heart stops the fearful freefall it’s been on since Dean drove up. “No, they’re not.”
“I don’t want to live like I’m on a reality show any more. I haven’t felt like this before, but I like it. You’re fun and funny, and you make me think about things I’ve never felt the need to think about before. You…challenge me,” I say, stumbling over the word. “I like that.”
“Do you hear that, Dad?” Trev calls loudly. “I challenge her. You challenge me,” he adds just as loudly.
“Well, this I have to see.”
I hear a creaking groan from the other room and another face appears, this time an older man with Trev’s hair in a silvery shade. He looks me up and down with a hint of a smile.
“Certainly colourful, isn’t she? I guess she’ll do.” Then he disappears. “Emily, leave the two of them alone,” he calls.
“We don’t even know this woman.” I feel the weight of Mrs. Cain’s disapproval as her gaze rakes my appearance, from my chartreuse ankle pants to the dark purple tunic hanging out from beneath my white woolly coat. Her gaze stalls at my dusty pink combat boots.
“I know her, Mom, and I like her. Could you give us a minute?”
“This is still my house, last time I checked,” she says coolly.
“I’m going to kiss her now, so unless you want to watch that, I’d suggest you give us a minute.”
The squeak of the wheels gives away her exit. “I’m sorry,” I whisper as Trev steps closer. “This didn’t go as I planned.”
“I think it went perfectly,” he says in a low voice, sliding his arms around my waist. “Or at least pleasantly.”
He kisses me then, and I’m glad because I didn’t think I could wait another moment. Soft lips press against mine, and Trev draws me close enough so I can smell his special scent—the hint of cologne, soap cleanliness, and the coconut from his hair product.
I wish the kiss would go on longer, but we are in his parents’ house, with his mother waiting in the next room. Trev finally pulls away.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Trev whispers, his lips against my forehead, arms still holding me. “I was just about to go find you.”
“I thought about going to another movie, but I came here instead,” I tease, tightening my arms around his neck.
“Next time we go for action. Did you mean everything you said?” he asks urgently. “The liking stuff?”
“I always say what I mean,” I tell him. “Sometimes it’s a problem.”
“Nothing I can’t deal with.” Trev chuckles. “And Mom will just have to get used to having another tough-as-nails woman around.”
“She doesn’t like me.”
“She will.” The confidence in his voice makes me smile.
I put a hand on his chest, fisting his navy, long sleeve T-shirt. Maybe it’s good if he wears the neutral colours so I can stand out.
He’ll let me pop.
“Do you know what else that I want to say, that I really mean?” I lean forward to press my lips against his.
“What’s that?” He drops soft kisses along my lips, moving to my cheek, my jaw and everything inside me begins to turn to a gooey mush.
“I can’t wait to share my popcorn with you.”
The End
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Holly xo
OTHER BOOKS BY HOLLY KERR
Love & Alliteration
Perfectly Played
Beautifully Baked
Pleasantly Popped
Charlotte Dodd series
The Secret Life of Charlotte Dodd
The Missing Files of Charlotte Dodd
The Best Worst First Date Ever
The Hidden Past of Pippa McGovern
The Last Stand of Charlotte Dodd
Sisters in a Small Town
Coming Home
Hanging On
Stepping Up (Spring 2020)
Unexpecting
Unexpectingly Happily Ever After
Absinthe Doesn’t Make the Heart Grow Fonder
I Saw Him Standing There (Oceanic Dreams series)
Kid Lit
The Dragon Under the Mountain
The Dragon Under the Dome
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Holly Kerr loves watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, old episodes of Alias and calls herself the mother of dragons because of her son’s pet bearded dragon. Deep down, she’d like to be a superhero or even a secret agent like Charlotte Dodd.
Visit her at www.hollykerr.ca or Facebook
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Holly Kerr, Pleasantly Popped: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (Love & Alliteration Book 3)