I had Nathan stop at a flower shop on the way to Carrie’s house to buy a bouquet of colorful flowers and a box of chocolates for Carrie’s and Tree’s mom. The tiny shop smelled of fresh flowers and had a cozy atmosphere. I was admiring the cute little china sets on the shelf beside the counter while I waited for the heavyset lady with too much blue eyeshadow, to prepare the flowers.
“Look at these. Aren’t they cute?” I picked a little tea cup up to show Nathan.
He glanced at it, uninterested. “Yes,” he muttered, still brooding.
I turned my back on him and drifted to the used cookbooks on the far wall. He followed with his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the floor. I sighed, feeling his temper getting to me, so when we were back in his pickup, and the flowers were placed safely in the backseat, I faced him.
“You need to snap out of this crappy mood, or I’m going to Carrie’s without you,” I told him.
“You know it’s too dangerous for you to be by yourself,” he said.
I raised my eyebrows. “Are you going snap out of it?”
He stared out the windshield, his lips pressed together.
“Fine!” I reached for the handle on the pickup, but he quickly snatched my hand. “Let. Go. Of. My. Hand,” I said.
“I’m sorry, Paige.” His eyes looked sad. I wanted to comfort him, but I was still angry. “I don’t want you mad at me, and I want this to be a fun night with your friends.”
“They’re your friends too, ya know.” I yanked my hand back and glared.
He frowned. “I know, and I don’t mean to be an ass, but this whole Brayden thing bothers me.”
“I understand,” I said, “but let’s try to forget about it tonight. Okay?” I gazed at him from beneath my lashes, hoping it would lure him into a better mood. “Please . . . for me.”
That slow, sexy smile of his appeared, and a swarm of butterflies filled my chest. “Anything for you,” he said.
I returned his smile and sat back, satisfied. “Good. Now let’s go have some fun with our friends.”