CupidRocks by Francesca Hawley Page B

shoes then he was ready to go, but
she was still in the damn jeans and T-shirt she started in. His father would
have a coronary. Joe growled and started going through her clothes to find
something for her to wear.
    “What are you doing?”
    “Looking for something for you to wear.” He turned to glare
at her.
    “I look just fine.”
    “I’m not debating that, but you cannot wear jeans.”
    “Why?” Her voice rose.
    “Are you freaking kidding me? Didn’t you hear the
conversation I had with my father? Don’t you get it?” He fought to keep an even
tone…losing the fight miserably.
    “I guess I’m just stupid.”
    He bit his lip to keep from rising to her taunt. “ Jeans
are not proper attire . Don’t you have a dress?”
    “A dress?”
    “Yeah. Or a skirt? Something female.”
    “You’re joking, right?”
    “No, I’m not.”
    “I’m not wearing a dress,” she yelled.
    “God damn it, Mandy. This visit was your fucking
idea. I could have gotten out of it,” He was shouting…he knew it but he
couldn’t stop.
    “How?”
    “Somehow.”
    “I look perfectly fine.”
    “Right. Fine. Just fine. Wear whatever the hell you fucking
want, but don’t be surprised when he assumes you’re rock-and-roll trailer
trash.”
    “That’s it.” Eddie threw open the door. “Damn you, my
daughter is not trailer trash.”
    “I never said she was, Eddie.”
    “The hell you didn’t.”
    Joe lifted his eyes to the ceiling, fighting the urge to
howl. This was the capper to a fabulous day. He woke up and his True
Mate’s father tried to beat the shit out of him. Then his own father called
sending waves of disappointment down the phone lines and he got stuck going to
visit and finally, his Mate comes home grinning at another male while her
father wants to jump him for round two. Fuck this.
    “Daddy, you’re not helping,” Mandy said quietly.
    “Listen, dude.” Joe turned on Eddie. “ Your daughter
suggested we go visit my parents for the day. Leopold Schwarzerwulf will look
down his aquiline nose at her if she shows up in jeans and a T-shirt that says Everyone
has a photographic memory but not everyone has film .”
    “Why can’t he accept me as I am?”
    “That’s not my father. He’s exacting. He’ll judge you.”
    “I can get cleaned up but why a dress? What’s wrong with
jeans?”
    Joe shook his head. “Wear whatever the hell you want, but
expect to be judged and found wanting. My father is a demanding, exacting male
so what you’re wearing will not impress him. Jeans won’t impress
him. He’ll be expecting you to be dressed up. I’m trying to help you out here,
but it seems like you don’t want anything from me. Fine. That’s cool.”
He took a deep breath. He pulled his wallet out of the pants lying on the floor
and picked up his guitar case. “Toss me the keys. I’ll go out and start up the
car, we’ve got to get going.”
    “We’re not done with this conversation.”
    “Yes, we are. Look, you already have a strike against you
because you’re my True Mate. Wearing casual clothes will just add insult
to injury, but it’s your call, angel. Be a badass if you want. Keys…”
    “I can drive.”
    “Like hell. I’m not going to pull up and get out of the
passenger side and have my father ask me if I’ve been pussy whipped.”
    “Dude,” Eddie growled.
    “Oh, he won’t say it like that. Something along the lines of
‘has finding your True Mate unmanned you, Joseph?’ Like I need that question.
Keys, damn it.”
    She dug in her pocket and tossed. He caught them then left
the room, shaking his head as he stalked out to start the car.
    “I hate to say it, honey, but I think Joe’s right on this
one.”
    “Why?”
    “I’ve met Leopold once. It was enough.”
    “Is he horrible?”
    “No. He struck me as a good male, but it’s all about rules
and regs with him. Proper behavior. Shit like that. T-shirt and jeans aren’t proper to him—especially for a