by Mary Strand
“Faking it?” I slugged him. “Why else would I go out with you?”
Laughing, he shook his head. “You didn’t at first. But, man, I can’t believe I asked you out that way.”
I shrugged, remembering. “It was almost like in The Book—” I clapped a hand over my mouth. Shut up, Liz! “I mean, it was almost like you didn’t really want to.”
“I didn’t want you to say no. I mean, it sounds stupid. Who hasn’t been turned down for a date before?”
“Let me guess. You?”
He snorted. “Once. At a drunken frat party in college, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Sounds like a perfect topic.”
“You remember what I said to you that last morning in Fargo?” When I’d frozen my butt half off? How could I forget? “I was wrong about Charlie and Jane.”
He hadn’t even been all that wrong, not technically, except for the fact that Charlie apparently had a fondness for a cute stalker. “Let’s forget it ever happened.”
“We don’t have to forget the kiss, do we?” His eyes twinkled as I felt a flush zoom across my face. “I didn’t know how to react, believe it or not, but I don’t want to forget anything about that morning. You told me off the way my dad might. I was stuck-up. I thought you’d be thrilled to go out with me.”
“Stephanie would.”
“No kidding.” He groaned. “I’ve spent months getting my head together, trying to figure out how to be the kind of guy you’d want to be with.”
Was he joking? “When I saw you in Connecticut, you must’ve thought I was stalking you.”
“I was just surprised.” He glanced at me. “Okay, stunned. But the only person guilty of stalking me is Stephanie.”
“With no success?” I held my breath, wondering.
“Do I look crazy?”
We both laughed, and a giddy sense of relief surged through me, even without my usual morning dose of caffeine.
He gave one last rueful chuckle. “I’m glad you came out there, for whatever reason. I’d been thinking about you, but seeing you up close again made me realize I couldn’t wait any longer to come back here.”
“So, instead, you went to Milwaukee?”
“I hated seeing you so upset that morning in Connecticut. I mean, you never get upset.” He shrugged. “After what Justin did to you, I didn’t want him to blab something even worse about your sister. I made sure Phil Donnelly got the restraining order against him.”
“Now we just need something to restrain Lydia.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Like her new school?”
I laughed, wishing I could jump all over him, like I’d wanted to do most of the last fifteen minutes, even though I knew Mom’s Gestapo would catch me in the act. So, instead, I slugged him in the arm—but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a tight hug. God, he felt wonderful. Tall and strong and, yum, practically edible.
So I hadn’t had breakfast yet, okay? Just as I realized it, my stomach grumbled loudly against Alex.
He pulled away, laughing, and grabbed my hand again. “I take it you’re ready for breakfast.”
I smiled impishly. “Breakfast in bed?”
He winked. “Not until the second date.”
“Liz! Where on earth were you?”
Jane cornered me the minute I stepped back into the house, without Alex, who’d headed back to Charlie’s condo.
I mumbled something about wanting exercise, which luckily anyone would believe. Since I wasn’t sporting any grass stains or stray leaves, Jane let me get away with it.
I spent the rest of the day studying. Okay, by “studying” I mean staring out the window, imagining what Alex would be like. You know. Kissing me. For real.
I slapped myself. We hadn’t even been out on a date yet!
Just before dinner, when Jane came upstairs to change clothes, I finally spilled.
She laughed. “No way.”
“He’ll be showing up with Charlie to pick us both up, if you don’t believe me. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I—”
Jane’s face turned crimson, proving my suspicion that she’d planned something other than dinner and a movie. Jane and I adore each other, but I didn’t think either of us was eager for a double makeout session. Ew.
I bit my lip. “We don’t have to go out together. I know you want to hang with Charlie.”
Jane stared hard at me. “You don’t have to go out with Alex just because I’m dating his best friend.”
“No, but it’s convenient, isn’t it?” I grinned.
Jane just shook her head and laughed. “Wouldn’t it be cool if it worked out in the long run for both of us?”
I shrugged. “I see just one problem.”
Jane frowned. “Oh?”
“We’re going to have a bitch of a time living at home while we’re dating a couple of sex gods.”
Jane shrieked and fell on the floor, laughing.
“Alex Darcy? Isn’t Charlie bad enough?” Mom, standing to one side of the front window and peeking out, sighed. “Liz, don’t even think about it.”
I rolled my eyes. Telling Mom wouldn’t be a picnic, but I didn’t have to do it right this minute. Maybe I could tell her over the phone.
Jane grabbed her purse and tossed mine to me. “Actually, Liz and I are both going out. Charlie said Alex was in town, so I suggested it.”
Mom frowned. “I don’t like this, Jane.”
And I didn’t like keeping secrets. Dad gave me a sharp look as I headed outside, even though I’d decided not to wear anything too wild. I’d barely survived that scene the last time, and I didn’t want to tempt fate. But I’d dug in the back of my closet for the crumpled-up bag and pulled out a slinky, non-push-up number from Victoria’s Secret.
An hour later, as Alex and I hung out in Charlie’s TV room with a bowl of popcorn and an Indiana Jones movie, Alex seemed to like it. The bra, I mean. Wow. Curled up in a dark room with a semi-sweet, semi-wicked guy who made me feel a little bit crazy inside.
Thank God that works for me.
I was still floating early Monday morning as I walked past Dad, who was engaged in weird contortions on his yoga mat in the living room.
“Lizzie? Have a moment?”
After he untwisted himself, I floated into my running shoes and out the door, Dad a couple of steps behind.
He caught up quickly.
“You’re not dating Alex Darcy, are you?”
Startled, I stopped walking—not to mention floating—as my mind scrambled for a decent answer. “What?
“I thought we had a deal. You were supposed to keep Jane out of trouble with all these young men she finds—”
I opened my mouth to protest. I mean, let’s face it. Keeping Jane out of trouble is a full-time job, and I’m supposed to actually go to class once in a while.
Dad held up a hand. “I know, I know. It wasn’t fair to ask it of you, and I admit that she’s asked for a new cell-phone number only once in the last year. I told her no.”
“So I don’t have to keep her safe anymore?”
He shrugged. “After what happened with Lydia, I realized it’s my job to keep you girls safe. Well, as best I can. You’re growing up.” Smiling, he shook a finger at me. “But I see what’s going on. Your mother is fixated on thwarting that book, and you girls always seem to do the opposite of whatever your mother wants. I even read the book this summer after hearing your mother moaning and groaning about it.”
I looked at Dad, stunned. He’d read The Book?
“It’s ridiculous. According to Pride and Prejudice, Lydia ought to be married by now, and I believe Jane would be engaged. But Alex Darcy! Oh, I know Darcy fell in love with Elizabeth Bennet in that book, but it always has to turn out happily in a novel of that sort.” He rolled his eyes. “This is the twenty-first century, and Alex Darcy is not the Darcy I read about in that book.”
I wondered if Dad thought I was the Elizabeth he’d read about in The Book, bu
t I didn’t want to know. Not that I wanted to be Elizabeth; she’d been confined by so many ridiculous rules. But I wouldn’t mind a tiny bit of Elizabeth rubbing off on me. The Keira Knightley version, at least.
Dad gave me a long look. “Let’s face it, Lizzie. Alex isn’t your type, and you’re not his.”
I couldn’t help objecting. “How do you know my type?”
Dad shrugged. “A dad imagines he always knows his daughter’s type. Charlie is Jane’s type. I can only hope that Justin isn’t Lydia’s.”
“Ew.”
Dad patted my hand, making me feel three years old. “I admit it’s more difficult to discern the type of man you’ll eventually want. But I think I’m safe in saying that Alex isn’t your type. You’re not dating him, are you?”
“Um, yes. But only as of last night. That was our first date.”
He looked skeptical.
I made a quick crossing motion over my heart. “Honest.” I couldn’t even remember that delicious floaty feeling anymore. I felt like an idiot. A ten-year-old idiot. “I like him.” More than a little, but I didn’t have to share that with my dad.
“What you mean is that he’s rich and good looking and drives a hot car.”
I grinned. “You can’t blame me for liking his cars. You’d drool over the GTO he’s restoring.”
“He’s restoring a GTO?” Dad’s eyes lit up a moment before he remembered what we were talking about and belatedly shook his head. “Seriously, Lizzie. I don’t want to see you in a relationship where you’ll get hurt.”
“You can’t prevent that, Dad, and neither can I. But I really do like him. For more than his cars.” Like, say, his lips, for starters.
Dad stared out into the distance. “You’re a smart girl. A smart young woman. You have the rest of your education, and your career and your life, ahead of you.”
If I kept mooning over Alex and bombed my classes this semester, it wouldn’t be much of an education, and definitely no hot career. But this wasn’t the moment to mention that to Dad. Never would be the right moment.
“I’m on top of it, Dad.” I started to blush, remembering how much time I’d spent on Alex’s lap last night, and turned away from Dad, not wanting to spill my guts. But now or never. “Actually, there is one thing.”
“Yes?”
“Jane and I were wondering...” I paused, summoning the nerve to say it, and then the words spewed out in a rush. “We really would like to get an apartment. Together. If you could help us out.”
“You with Jane? Or you two with Alex and Charlie?”
“Dad! As if!”
Not that it wasn’t a brilliant idea. Heh heh.
Telling Dad was a snap compared to telling Mom. I waited until Monday night, when she stood at the kitchen sink, figuring all those soapsuds on her hands would keep her from slapping me. “Liz! You are not getting married!”
“Of course not. Duh. I’ve barely had one date with him. Forget I even mentioned it.”
“Forget? Ha!” Mom jabbed a soapy hand in the air. “I’ve told you and Jane how this all works out, and you’re too young, and I won’t stand for it.”
“You do realize this has nothing to do with The Book, right?”
“The Book?” Mom started shrieking, almost hysterically, and couldn’t answer for the tears running down her cheeks.
I rolled my eyes. “It could be worse, Mom. Jane and I could be dating a couple of guys from a Stephen King novel.”
For our second official date, that Saturday night, Alex and I drove to a park in Hudson, where we could make out in relative obscurity behind the tinted windows of his Lamborghini. And without Jane and Charlie, not to mention anyone in my family, watching.
So we snuggled and kissed and engaged in a little mild groping, slinking down in the seats for more privacy and just because it felt wicked. Next thing I knew, Alex touched the lacy little undies I’d worn under my short skirt.
Have I mentioned, by the way, that Alex in a Lamborghini is so much hotter than Justin in a closet? I haven’t?
Anyway. I sucked in a breath just as Alex laughed. Not exactly a boost to my ego.
“I remember the first time I met you.”
I rolled my eyes. “So do I. I think you called me charity work.” I slugged him, even though I kinda wanted to grope him. In fact, I slid my hand across his thigh.
He stopped my hand. “Okay, I remember the second time I met you. At that Halloween party.”
“Hiding inside a tube of Crest toothpaste.”
“In a cute way.”
“Could we focus on now? I’m cute, I’m not inside a tube of Crest toothpaste, and in case you hadn’t noticed, I’d like to play with you.”
“You don’t want to wait a while?”
Even though we hadn’t done the wild thing or come anywhere close, the question felt weird coming from a guy. “Not forever?”
“Good.” But he kept holding my hand and didn’t make another move. “But I don’t mind taking our time.”
“Even though you touched my undies a minute ago?”
He gave me a sheepish grin. “What can I say? I’m a guy. But tell me what you want besides making out with me.”
“Okay.” Even though, right this moment, making out seemed like an excellent idea. “I want to drive your cars. I haven’t even seen your GTO yet.”
He laughed. “Done. Anything else?”
I paused, thinking. Were we getting serious? Already? “That’s all for now. In the meantime, I’d like to get an apartment with Jane. We found this cool place on Lake Calhoun. But you live in Connecticut.”
“And you’re in college in Minnesota.” Alex shrugged. “Charlie and I can both live just about anywhere. Not that we need to be a matched set.”
“Whew.”
“Why are you so relieved?”
“Well, for one thing, buying a bed big enough for the four of us would be hell on wheels.”
He groaned, then let his hands start moving again. In the best way. Toward my heart.
About the Author
Mary Strand practiced corporate law in a large Minneapolis law firm for sixteen years until the day she set aside her pointy-toed shoes (or most of them) and escaped the land of mergers and acquisitions to write novels. The first novel she wrote, Cooper’s Folly, won Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award and was her debut novel.
Mary lives on a lake in Minneapolis with her husband, two cute kidlets, and a stuffed monkey named Philip. When not writing, she lives for sports, travel, guitar, dancing (badly), Cosmos, Hugh Jackman, and ill-advised adventures that offer a high probability of injury to herself and others. She writes YA, romantic comedy, and women’s fiction novels. Pride, Prejudice, and Push-Up Bras is the first in her four-book YA series, The Bennet Sisters. Sign up for her newsletter to find out when the next books are coming out!
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You can find Mary at www.marystrand.com, follow her on Twitter or Instagram (@Mary_Strand), or “like” her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marystrandauthor).
Also by Mary Strand
The Bennet Sisters Series
Book 1: Pride, Prejudice, & Push-Up Bras
Book 2: Being Mary Bennet Blows
Book 3: Cat Bennet, Queen of Nothing
Book 4: Livin' La Vida Bennet
The Bennet Sisters Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4)
Cooper’s Folly, Bell Bridge Books