Page 107 of Fierce-Matt

“I guess you played so many pranks on me you can’t remember what and where anymore,” she said.

“Yeah,” he said, putting his head down. “Sorry about that.”

She leaned over to kiss his arm. “You can’t go into the past and change everything you did. That would change who you are and I wouldn’t want that.”

“Thanks,” he said, attacking his food. She’d felt bad that some of his shine had been scuffed during this last-minute meal with his parents.

“Why did you pick Charleston?” she asked, going back to her food. She wanted to lighten the mood up some. Anya needed this break away more than she could explain.

She’d had another closing last week with the first-time homebuyers. There were a lot of nervous jitters, phone calls, and battling back and forth with lawyers to get a time set that almost ruined this mini vacation.

There had been a small setback on her parents’ building when the inspector found several minor items. She thought for sure Sally and Paula would either back out or renegotiate. But since not one item hit the threshold alone, Sally and Paula agreed to let it go.

“I remember you had a good time there before,” he said. “I figured I was a dick and it’s pretty bad that I didn’t remember the watch incident there. I thought I’d give you a better time. No pun intended.”

That was sweet of him.

Anya put her head on his shoulder. “It will be a great time. Don’t worry about it.”

He turned and pressed his lips to her forehead. She caught the look between his parents but went back to eating.

“Can I say it does my heart good to see you two getting along?” Grace said.

“Crazy, isn’t it? If you asked me this years ago, I’d say you were nuts to even consider it,” Anya said.

“Not me,” Matt said. “I always saw this.”

She closed one eye at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Call me cocky.”

“Oh, we know you are,” Tim said. “But come on, Matt. We all know how Anya felt about you back then.”

“I didn’t know,” he argued.

She patted his leg. “I don’t feel it now. Let’s move on from it, okay? I don’t want to always have this hanging over us.”

“Neither do I,” he said.

They finished their meal and left after his mother gave Anya a hug. “You’re good for him,” Grace whispered.

“I think he’s better for me,” she said.

“What did my mother say to you?” he asked when they were in the car.

“Nothing.”

“I don’t believe it,” he said.

She turned to look at his serious face. “Will you smile? It’s nothing major.”

“I’m used to them giving me a hard time,” he said, shrugging. “Normally I don’t mind, but I do with you. We don’t need any setbacks.”

Anya let out a gush of air, her shoulders dropping. “We can put them on ourselves enough. I know. But it’s not that. If you must know, your mother said I’m good for you.”

“Oh.” This time his grin was wider than a whale’s smile.

“There you go again, being cocky. I might as well add to it. I told your mother that I think you’re better for me.”