On a chuckle, I said, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted me to go out with Ali.”

The color rose in her cheeks again. “No, I can’t say that I do.”

I tilted her face so I could look her square in the eye. “I’m not seeing anyone else, and I don’t want to. Do you?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Good.”

When she smiled, it was with genuine relief. But the expression shifted to uncertainty.

“Don’t worry,” I started, heading off whatever she was about to say. “Nothing’s changed. I know just where we stand, what we are. It’s just that I’m having too much fun distracting you to be interested in distracting anyone else.”

I was rewarded with a laugh, a laugh that I kissed away until she was pliant in my arms.

The click of the light was succeeded by a noise from my mother that landed somewhere between a gasp and a squeal. Lila and I shot apart like polar magnets.

“Aha! I knew it! I knew you had a girlfriend, Kassius Bennet, and I cannot believe you didn’t tell me!” she scolded with a smile. “But Lila Parker? Of all the wonderful surprises.”

Lila and I exchanged a mortified look, hers notably more mortified than mine.

“Mom, hang on—”

She waved me off, beelining for Lila with her hands outstretched. “My dear, I am just so thrilled. Kassius is such a good boy. Even if he doesn’t tell his mother important things like who he’s given his heart to—”

“Mom—”

“Which seems to be a popular Bennet trait that’s cropped up of late. My darling girl, do you have any idea how long I’ve been trying to find a suitable match for Kassius? Years,” she answered herself. “Years and years but to no avail. And to think, I thought he was seeing Verdant.” Another wave of her hand in my direction, this time coupled with a roll of her eyes.

“Mom!”

Studiously, she ignored me, taking Lila’s hands. “But Lila? This is just so wonderful. I always have liked her, haven’t I, Kassius?” Again, she didn’t require an answer, likely guessing—correctly, I might add—that I’d rat her out. My mother most certainly had not been a fan of Lila’s when she was making a habit of marching in here to tell me off. “Come, come. You’ll have dinner with us tonight.”

I stepped in, knowing the only way to stop her was to physically intercede. “Maybe Lila has plans tonight.”

Mom’s bottom lip slipped out. “Do you?”

“I, um—”

Mom clapped. “Good then. You will come to dinner, and we’ll all get to know each other better.”