Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)(49)

“Sorry. I should have known you wouldn’t forget. I . . . it’s just going to take me some time to trust this isn’t too good to be true, that you aren’t too good to be true.”

“I’m not perfect, baby, not by a long shot. And I don’t want you to think I am. Perfect is an impossible standard to live by.”

“You’re not like any man I’ve known.” I cover his lips with my finger when he starts to open his mouth to say something. “And I know you aren’t perfect, but in the short time we’ve known each other, you’ve taken more care with me than anyone I have ever known, and I appreciate that.”

“Fuck, I’m gonna be late.”

“What?” I ask.

And he suddenly takes the cup of coffee from me and places it on the side table before he uses his weight to push me back on the bed, which means I’m laughing when he kisses me.



I step out of the bakery and lock the door. After grabbing my cell out of my bag, I look at the screen and see a text from Edie asking if I can pick her up, along with giving me her location. I text her back, letting her know I’m on my way, and then head for my car, parked in the lot down the block. When I pull up in front of the painting place, I see Edie, Pearl, and Dixie outside on the sidewalk, laughing as they look at their paintings, which look like they’re mostly of naked men. I roll down the passenger window and shout, “Edie!” I get her attention, and she waves wildly.

“Anna, my beautiful, sweet girl,” Edie says loudly when she opens the door to my car and falls in with her canvas as Dixie and Pearl open the back door and attempt to get in at the same time.

I look among the three of them and shake my head. “Are you guys drunk?”

“A little,” Edie says as she fumbles with her seat belt and the two in the back seat finally get in and seated.

“I thought you were at a painting class?”

“We were,” Dixie replies, shoving her painting between the front seats so I can see it and narrowly missing hitting me in the face with it. “We had a live model today. Isn’t he handsome?”

I study the painting and press my lips together. The model might have been handsome, but his offset eyes, awkward smile, and overly square jaw make him look like something you’d see in a nightmare.

“It smells like you ladies drank a case of wine.”

“We had three bottles of wine, not a case,” Pearl corrects me. Then she adds, “That’s just one bottle each.”

“Thank you for setting me straight,” I murmur as I pull out into traffic. “So where is everyone going?”

“To Edie’s. We heard you’re having dinner with your parents tonight, so we’re going to help you two get ready,” Pearl says.

I inwardly groan. “I’m going to Calvin’s to get ready.”

“Call him and tell him that he can pick you up at Edie’s. He won’t mind,” Pearl says.

She’s right; he won’t, but still. “I really don’t need help getting ready.”

“We know you don’t, but it will be fun!” Dixie sings.

“Fine,” I say, giving in.

“Can you make one quick stop first?” Pearl asks.

“Sure, where?” I meet her gaze in the rearview mirror.

“The liquor store.”

“I think the three of you have had enough alcohol today.”

“It’s not for us. It’s for you.”

“Okay then, I don’t need a drink.”

“Sure you do,” Pearl insists.

“I don’t,” I deny with a shake of my head.

“You do.”

“I don’t. I might need a glass of wine when it’s over, but not before. Trust me: I need to have my wits about me when dealing with my parents.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” she agrees, and I sigh. “But I still want to stop. I need to buy a lotto ticket. I’m feeling lucky.”

“You say that every week, and every week, you waste your money,” Dixie tells her.

“One day, I’m going to hit it big, and when it happens, you’ll be singing a different tune.”

“If you hit the lotto, I’ll eat my words and run through the streets naked.”

“Now I really need to stop,” Pearl says with a laugh, and I can’t help but smile.

“I wouldn’t mind a slushy. The gas station on the corner near the house has them,” Edie tells me, and I wonder if this is how a mom feels when dealing with small children. I bet it is.

“Fine, but you guys have to be fast,” I say as I pull into the gas station.

“I’ll make sure they’re quick,” Dixie tells me as she pats my arm before getting out with them. I watch them go into the store, and ten minutes later, I watch them come out with their hands full of junk food and drinks, looking like teens who had free rein in a convenience store.

“Now, are you ladies ready to go home, or would you like me to make a stop at Chuck E. Cheese’s so you can see how many tickets you can collect?” I ask as I back out of my parking space.

“We’re too old for Chuck E. Cheese, but feel free to stop at Dave and Buster’s,” Pearl quips, and both Edie and Dixie laugh.