"You can't answer the door like that." She points to the outline in my sweatpants that is now throbbing painfully.
"Baby, I was close to finally fucking getting you back after months of dreaming of you. The least of my worries is my dick." I storm out, not bothering with a shirt, and don't have to worry about the bulge very long when I spot Darby through the door with her hands over her eyes. Runner is sitting dutifully beside her, wagging his tail. When he sees me, he barks eagerly.
"Miller? Are you there?" She leans in, her stomach hitting the glass, and calls through the door, keeping her eyes covered.
I blow out another breath, my irritation gone at the sight of the glowing pregnant woman talking to me through the glass.
"Yeah, I'm here." I open the door.
"Are you decent?"
"Yes, Darby."
"Thank goodness." She drops her hand and shoots me a regretful look, not fazed by my state of undress. "I thought maybe… is Ashlyn here?"
"Why would you think that?" I cross my arms and arch an eyebrow.
"Look, we don't have much time. Is she here? If not, no big deal, but if so, we have to act fast."
"Act fast for what?"
"We have less than half an hour before Warren and Jill get here, and they have Cole. Pierce is picking up Maya from a sleepover and thinks I am at home waiting for him to get me before heading over here." She speaks so fast it's hard to follow, but I pick up on the major points.
"Why are all you people descending on my house on a Sunday morning?"
"You know the answer to that! Word is out. If you two would answer your phones, you'd know this was happening."
"That should have been your clue when we didn't answer our phones."
Her light brown eyes fill with excitement, and she grins. "So, she is here."
"Dammit," I grumble, scrubbing my face.
"I'm sorry, but can you let us in?"
I step out of the way, widening the door, and Runner flies inside with Darby following. "This is ridiculous. I'm calling Dad. All of you need to make different plans."
"Pierce and I tried our best to stop this, but it's your fault."
"How the hell is it my fault?"
"You should have known better than to parade Ashlyn around Mrs. Glenn's neighborhood, holding her hand and making out in public. Jill was on the phone half the night with the ladies of the Garden Club. Also, your appearance at Brasher did not go unnoticed."
"That shit is ridiculous. Give me a second."
When I get to my room, Ashlyn didn't listen to my instructions because she isn't laying and waiting for me. Instead, the bed is fully made with my jeans from last night laid on top. She's standing on the side with her arms crossed and her death glare aimed at me. In one of her power outfits, she may look intimidating, but in nothing but my shirt and panties, she's sexy as hell.
"Princess—"
"Don't you princess me! I heard what's happening, and you have twenty- five minutes to get dressed, get me home, and get back to your family."
"I'm not taking you home."
"Yes, you are!" She stomps her foot down hard. "This is no way to meet your parents."
"I know it's not ideal, but they're cool people. They aren't going to make you uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable? That doesn't even describe it. If I was to meet your parents, it wouldn't be like this."
The way she throws that out there sets my nerves on edge. "There is no if, Ashlyn. You'd have met them eventually."
"Not like this."
"Like what exactly?"
"Like some floozy that sleeps around on the first date!" Her high-pitched shriek is laced with panic.
There's a sharp intake of breath in the hallway behind me, but it barely registers as my vision goes red. I make my way across the room and yank her to me, breaking the death clutch she has on herself and gripping her scalp to keep her face forward.
"Never fucking ever say that shit about yourself again. We don't have time to analyze why that's even on your mind, especially considering what didn't happen between us last night."
"They'll assume."
"It's none of their damn business, and I'll set them straight."
"You can't do that either. It would be better if I go home."
"Look at me."
Her eyes stay on my chest, glassing over.
"Baby, I'll call them off."
"You can't," comes out on a whisper. "They'll want to know why and think I'm a bitch."
"No, they won't."
"Meeting the parents is a huge deal. I need time to shop for the perfect outfit, buy a hostess gift, and practice my introduction, stress out and call a girlfriend to talk me off a ledge."
"That is bullshit."
She slowly raises her eyes to mine, and my gut stirs at the desperation in them. "I've never done this before."
"That makes two of us. But, baby, we got somewhere these last two days and we're not going back."
We stay silent, me massaging the back of her neck until her eyes clear and she nods. A new woman takes her place. "Okay, not ideal; however, I work well under pressure."
"You are not alone. You have me."
"And me."
Out of the corner of my eye, Darby appears in the doorway.
"I came bearing gifts."
Our heads swing to her at the same time she sways her oversized bag. "I don't have the hostess gift, but I have the outfit and the 'girlfriend talking you off a ledge' thing ready to go." Her mouth splits into a wide smile, and Ashlyn sinks into me, blowing out a sigh of relief.
I'm once again reminded why my sister-in-law is one of my favorite people.
"We now only have about twenty minutes. Miller, you need to get dressed, preheat the oven to three-fifty, and make a fresh pot of coffee. You also need to call Pierce and tell him I'm already here so he can save the time of going home," she bosses, coming right in and
