“Hey there,” I answer.

“Where are you?” God, he’s so grouchy.

“I’m at home. Just got here.”

“Why?”

“Because I just left your sister’s office and I needed to come home for a while. I see you’re still as charming as you were this morning.”

He sighs. “Sorry. I slept too long.”

“Jules told me about the dress, Will.”

He swears under his breath. “Great, so now I guess you’ll bitch at me about spending too much money on that too?”

“Actually, I was going…”

“Because I’m sick of trying to give you nice things and you keep telling me I shouldn’t,” he interrupts. “Do you have any idea how much money I make?”

“No, I don’t care…”

“I just signed a one hundred million dollar contract, Megan.”

Holy fuck.

“I can afford to buy you dresses and earrings and take you on trips.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. I was going to thank you for the dress because I really love it and I love that you picked it out. But clearly you’re still in jack-ass mode, so I’m going to let you go get over this fucking hangover that has you growling at me like a wounded bear and get some things done around my own house. I’ll see you later.”

I hang up before he can respond and toss my phone on the counter top in the kitchen.

I throw in a load of laundry, tidy my bathroom and clean out the fridge, swearing at grumpy football players who don’t know how to hold their liquor.

Jackass.

And then it occurs to me: I don’t think he’s eaten today. Unless he ate while I was out, but Will requires a hell of a lot of food, and with that hangover, which he’s not used to, I’m quite sure he hasn’t eaten.

So I take a quick stock of my freezer and pantry and send him a text.

Be at my place in an hour.

* * *

The lasagna is resting on the tabletop and I’m just pulling the garlic bread out of the oven when Will rings the doorbell.

I open the door to find him standing there, freshly showered, with a dozen pink roses, and I melt just a little.

“I’m sorry I’m a jackass.”

“Come inside, jackass.” I let him in and push the buttons on the alarm like I’m supposed to when I open the door, earning a wide smile from Mr. Overprotective.

“You set the alarm.”

“I did.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “You seem to like it when I do that.”

“I do.” He holds the flowers out to me. “These are for you.”

“Thank you.” I bury my nose in them and take a deep breath. “They smell wonderful.”

“Like you,” he whispers.

“Don’t think being cheeky will redeem you from your jackassery.”

“Jackassery?” He asks with a laugh. “Where do you come up with these words?” He follows me into the kitchen where I put the flowers in the water.

“Where did you get that lasagna?” he asks, his eyes wide and pinned to the pan of bubbly goodness on the table.

“I made it.”

“What?” His eyes dart to mine and he pins me with a glare. “You made that?”

“Yeah.” I toss the bread in a basket and set it on the table, along with plates and silverware.

“You can cook?”

“Of course.”

“You’ve been holding out on me?” He crosses his arms over his chest and looks down-right pissed off, which makes me laugh.

“Will, you never asked me if I could cook. You just assumed I couldn’t.” I smile softly at him. “Are you hungry, babe?”

“God, I’m fucking starving.” He sits at the table, but instead of letting me sit in my chair, he pulls me into his lap and kisses me hard. “I’m so damn sorry for today and for last night. Did I really flirt with another woman with you standing right there, or was that a nightmare?”

“You did.” I cup his cheek in my hand. “I’m okay.”

“I’m never drinking again. I swear.”

“I’m okay, Will. I trust you.” I smile up at him as I pull my fingers down his sexy face. “I thought you were hungry.”

“God, yes.” He pushes me out of his lap and digs into the lasagna. “And after I eat this, I’m hungry for you.” His blue eyes follow me as I sit in my chair and take a bite of garlic bread.

“Sounds like a plan.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was, perhaps, the most beautiful wedding I’d ever been to in my life. We’ve just left Jules and Nate’s wedding and  are riding in limos to the reception site, a beautiful country club in Bellevue. Jules chose to play it safe, with it being fall, and is keeping the whole event indoors.

I lean on Will’s arm, link our fingers, and sigh happily.

“That was beautiful.”

“Jules looked really happy,” Stacy agrees. We are riding with Stacy and Isaac and their kids and Caleb and Matt.

“The twins were adorable flower girls,” I remark. Josie and Maddie had fluffy, soft pink dresses on and their hair twisted up in sweet little up-do’s.

“I think it was sweet of Jules to have Livie and Soph wear similar dresses too,” Stacy says with a soft smile.

“Are we going to talk about dresses all day?” Caleb asks with a frown.