Page 22 of Daring to Love You (Priestly Family #3)

Chapter Sixteen

“ D orian, I’m glad I took your mother up on the invitation. She’s been telling me what an incredible cook you are, and now I see why she brags on you. These smothered pork chops are incredible.”

“Thanks, Andre. I’m glad you’re enjoying the meal.”

Dorian moved back to the oven to pull out a tray of cookies but not without glaring at her mother first. This time, the woman had gone too far.

“I told you,” Virginia said in that chipper tone she used when she knew she was in the wrong.

She was leaning on the back of the chair across from where Andre was sitting.

“My baby knows her way around the kitchen. I can’t tell you how much our guests rave about the meals she prepares.

She really should consider opening a restaurant or at least a bakery. ”

This wasn’t the first time her mother had said that.

From grade school age, Dorian had loved hanging in the kitchen with her sister, Essence, and their mother.

Both women were amazing cooks, but neither were interested in cooking as a profession.

They enjoyed feeding people, but they each claimed working in a restaurant would take away from the joy of preparing delicious meals.

Dorian felt the same way. Cooking at the B&B was as close as she’d ever want to get to working in a restaurant.

There had been a time when she considered owning a bakery, though.

Unfortunately, she had no interest in running a business and all that went with it, mainly the financial part.

She hated anything that had to do with accounting.

Movement to her left caught Dorian’s attention, and it was Virginia entering the oversize pantry. Good. Dorian slipped in behind her and closed the door. The room was in the back corner of the kitchen and out of sight from where the kitchen table was positioned. Meaning, Andre couldn’t see them.

“Mom, I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work,” Dorian said in a harsh whisper. “I told you, no more matchmaking.”

Virginia had the nerve to look affronted, an innocent expression on her face. Her hand went to her chest. “Baby, what do you mean?”

“Mom! You know what I mean,” Dorian whispered shouted. “You only invited him here to introduce us. How many times do I have to tell you I’m not interested? I’m not going out with anyone else you try to set me up with. Those days are over!”

“Oh, Dorian. Stop being so dramatic. I invited Andre here this evening because he hasn’t had a home cooked meal since March, when his mother moved to Florida.

And I knew we’d have plenty of leftovers after the guests ate.

” She shrugged. “I can’t help it if he’s showing an interest in you.

But you have to admit, the young man is very handsome. ”

Dorian could admit that, but she didn’t say it out loud. Andre was very nice looking. He had the prettiest greenish-brown eyes she’d ever seen and a kind smile. He was also tall, which she liked in a man, had a runner’s build, and a deep voice that was as smooth as butter.

Still, she wasn’t interested. Not just because she had a fake boyfriend, but mainly because she was done letting her mother run over her with her matchmaking schemes.

“I’m never going out with him. So if that’s what you were thinking, think again. I’m done with your—”

“I know. I know. You say that now, but you’ll change your mind when you get to know him. Now come on. It’s rude to leave him out there alone.” Her mother exited the room too quickly for Dorian to respond.

Ugh! I can’t with her!

That’s it! She’d been trying to hold off telling her about Lynix, mainly because she didn’t want to lie.

It didn’t matter if Lynix insisted they weren’t exactly lying about dating.

Dorian disagreed. They were being deceptive no matter how it was worded.

However, right now, she didn’t care, especially if the plan worked.

She slipped off her apron and hung it on the hook inside the pantry. She only had a few more things to take care of, and then she’d be able to head home.

When she stepped back into the kitchen, she heard, “Niecy-poo, you have a delivery.” And her Aunt GiGi strolled into the kitchen with the most beautiful flower arrangement Dorian had ever seen. “These are for you, sweetie.”

“ Me? ” Dorian croaked as she stared openmouthed at the huge bouquet.

It was colorful and spectacular with red, yellow, and white roses, along with orange Lillies, purple chrysanthemums, and a sprinkle of greenery throughout.

Dorian didn’t move. She cast a quick glance at Andre, praying he had nothing to do with the flowers. He glanced at the bouquet, studied them, then turned his gaze to her and smiled.

Oh crap! If he was behind this special delivery, she was going to scream.

Aunt GiGi plucked the card from the bouquet and handed it to her. “Hurry up. I want to know who they’re from.”

“Flower deliveries this time of night?” Virginia said as she moved closer. “Those are too beautiful to come from a grocery store. They had to have come from a florist, but this time of night? On a Sunday? No way.”

Those were Dorian’s thoughts exactly, but maybe Andre had purchased them earlier and had a friend drop them off. She pulled the small card from the envelope and sighed before reading the note.

Dee, thanks for making my day yesterday. Can’t wait to see you soon. Love, Lynix .

Dorian’s mouth dropped open, and then she squealed before catching herself. She covered her mouth but burst out laughing.

Oh my goodness! This was almost as good as him showing up in person.

She had only texted him because she needed to vent.

She had no idea that he was going to actually do something about the problem with her mother.

And as she looked at the high-end flower arrangement again, she knew he had to have spent a pretty penny for it.

God, she was going to owe him big for this, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

“Give me that.” Aunt GiGi snatched the card from Dorian’s hand before she could protest and read the note. “Lynix?” her aunt whispered, and a frown marred her pretty face as if trying to figure out who it could be.

Dorian could tell the moment that realization dawned because her eyes grew big, and her mouth formed a perfect O.

“No. Way!” her aunt shrieked, then cracked up.

“Will one of you tell me what’s going on? Who are the flowers from?” Virginia asked, trying to take the card from her sister, but Aunt GiGi kept it out of reach.

“They’re from Lynix,” Dorian said, trying to keep the giddiness out of her tone. No sense in acting like a man hadn’t ever sent her anything before, even if it was true.

“Lynix who? Wait,” Virginia’s eyes narrowed, “Zion’s friend, Lynix?”

Aunt GiGi was still laughing. “Soooo, Niecy-poo, how’d you make his day yesterday? Inquiring minds want to know.”

“Why is he sending you flowers?” Virginia asked with her hands on her rounded hips as she looked at Dorian pointedly.

“Because we’re dating.”

Her mother gasped, and Aunt GiGi cackled loud enough to be heard on all three floors of the building.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about! Got you a real man,” her Aunt GiGi high-fived her, and Dorian laughed with her.

Giddiness was full-blown inside of her, and she couldn’t wait to thank Lynix for coming through for her.

She had told him no kissing during this little farce, but she might have to break her own rule the next time she saw him.

He deserved a big wet one for putting the shocked expression on her mother’s face.

“What? How?” Virginia stuttered. “When did this happen? How long has this been going on, and why him? Isn’t he too old for you?”

It wasn’t that Virginia didn’t like Lynix.

She did, but she still saw Dorian as her little girl, and Lynix was all man.

It didn’t matter if they were only a couple of years apart.

When her mother saw him, she saw an alpha male who was comfortable in his skin with the ability to corrupt any female in his wake.

Or at least that’s how Dorian assumed her mother felt.

“We recently started dating exclusively,” Dorian said, no longer caring if it was a lie. If it got her mother to back off, it would be well worth it.

“But what about Andre?” Virginia said innocently, and Andre started coughing and hitting his chest with the side of his fist as if food had gone down wrong.

“Excuse me?” he croaked between his coughing fits. “I umm, we aren’t—”

“Don’t mind my mother,” Dorian said and approached him, gently patting him on the back as he continued coughing. She was so embarrassed. “Virginia doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Here, drink some water.”

Dorian handed him his glass, then scowled at her mother. The woman thought nothing of humiliating her, and Dorian couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see what she was doing. How could she not comprehend these little stunts were getting old, and they were embarrassing?

Going along with Lynix’s plan had been a good decision. It was the only way to get free of her mom.

Dorian grabbed the bouquet from the counter and excused herself from the room. She needed to find a quiet place to call Lynix, and as she strolled down the hallway to the front of the house, she decided the living room would be perfect.

A short while later, she entered the brightly decorated space with its tall ceiling, butter-yellow walls, and elegant white crown molding. Thankfully, no one was in there. Setting the bouquet on the coffee table in front of the sofa, Dorian pulled her cell phone from her back pocket.

She called Lynix, then paced the length of the large space, her feet silent on the oriental rug that covered the hardwood floor. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest, and Dorian wasn’t sure if it was from being angry at her mother or anxious to talk to Lynix. Maybe a little of both.

When the call picked up, she stopped moving. There was loud talking and laughing coming through the phone line before Lynix said, “Hey, sweetheart. Everything okay?”

With those few simple words, Dorian’s heart rate eased, and she melted a little inside. She loved his deep, calming voice, and the concern she heard seemed genuine.

“Everything is perfect thanks to you,” she said, deciding not to vent to him about how her mother was trying to push her onto another unsuspecting man. “The flowers are stunning, Lynix. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.”

“Anything for you,” he said, his voice dropping an octave, and she no longer heard talking in the background. But then she remembered—poker night with his brothers.

“Shoot. I forgot you were playing poker tonight. I’m not going to hold you long.”

“It’s not a problem. We were taking a break to replenish our snacks,” he said with a chuckle. “Anyway, I’m glad you received the bouquet. Hopefully, they did the trick.”

Dorian dropped down on the sofa and leaned forward to sniff the flowers, then touched a delicate petal on one of the white roses.

“Yes, they are perfect in every way.” She would go into detail, about how the delivery played out, the next time she saw him.

“I love flowers, and no one has ever sent me any before now.” She hadn’t planned to admit to that and cringed when the words left her mouth.

It was bad enough he knew about how things ended with Rodney. If she kept telling Lynix everything, he was going to think she was beyond pitiful.

“Seriously?” he said, shock dripping from that one word.

“I guess I’m going to have to make up for the assholes who didn’t send you flowers.

Actually, I’m going to make sure I give you experiences that will make you forget about the losers.

You’re special, Dee, and it’s about damn time someone treated you as such. ”

Dorian was too surprised to respond. It was sad to admit, but with the few men she’d dated, she couldn’t say she’d ever really felt special.

Yep, that was just sad. Now, here Lynix comes, her fake boyfriend, promising to change that.

She had no doubt that hanging out with him was going to be very different from what she was used to with other men.

And he called her Dee. She secretly loved when he used her nickname. A nickname only used by her family.

Instead of telling him that he didn’t have to prove anything to her or go to any trouble for her, she said, “I’m looking forward to our time together. Are you free one day this week?” she asked. “I’d like to cook dinner for you.”

There was a slight pause before he said, “I would never say no to that. I’m on second shift for the next three days, but how about Thursday night?”

“Works for me. I’ll see you then.”

“Oh, sweetie, you’re going to see me before then. There’s no way I can go that many days without spending time with my woman .” He chuckled, and she smiled at the joke. “Text me when you make it home tonight.”

“Okay.”

By the time the call ended, Dorian was grinning like an idiot. Pretending to have a boyfriend for a few months was going to be fun. She just had to make sure she didn’t fall for said boyfriend.