Playing Stacy

by Jenn Hype

  “Dammit, why didn’t I think of that?” Chad glared at me, but I could see the smile he was hiding. It was going to hurt like a mother fucker when I had to tell him no. I contemplated just interrupting him and saving him the effort, but I was still a little too stunned to think.

  “I love you, Stacy. I know I haven’t said it yet, but it’s not because I didn’t feel it or because it’s hard to say. The words just don’t do justice to the way I feel about you and every time I started to say them, I knew it just wasn’t enough. It will never be enough, Stacy, but I’ll say them anyway. I’ll tell you I love you a hundred times a day, so many times that you’ll hate the words, and then I’ll say them anyway. Even when you’re pissing me off and making me so angry I could strangle you, I’ll still shout from the rooftop how much I fucking love you.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say to that. He still hadn’t asked the question, and I couldn’t quit staring at the box, still unopened. I didn’t want to hurt him. I was terrified that saying no after he put himself on the line like that, in front of all our friends, would cause irreparable damage, but it was too soon. I didn’t have any doubts that I wanted to be with Chad for the rest of my life, but adding that kind of commitment so soon was going to put a lot of strain on our relationship. I wished he had done this in private so the let down would have been easier to handle. I felt trapped and I hated myself for not feeling as sure as he did that we were ready for this next step.

  I was doing my damndest to hide my doubts, but I was so overwhelmed that I knew my resolve was slipping. I looked around at all the faces staring at us. Carrie and Adalyn’s jaws were wide open, while Ian and Joe were smirking. I was going to punch them in their nuts later for finding this humorous.

  I turned back to Chad expecting him to get irritated with how long it was taking me to say something. Finally, I managed to find my voice and squeak out a response.

  “Chad, I... I don’t know what to say. I mean...I love you, too, you know that. More than anything, and I’m so happy with you, even when you’re being a grade A asshole. But I just…”

  “Stacy,” Chad interrupted me. “Before you say anything else, just let me get this out okay. I have a really important question to ask you, and I can’t think of a better time or place to do it than now, in front of all our friends who are staring at us like any of this shit is actually their business.” Everyone snickered and his lips quirked up into a grin. I reached my hand out to stop him, really not wanting him to finish his thought, but he just ignored me and kept going.

  “Stacy, would you please make me the happiest man in the world and please…” he paused, slowly opening the box and I held my breath, fighting the urge to close my eyes and losing. I squeezed them shut and told myself that if I didn’t see the ring, then the question wasn’t real and we could go back to pretending this whole scene never happened.

  “Stacy,” Chad said gently. “Open your eyes, Stacy.”

  “Huh uh,” I whined like a toddler, knowing I was acting like an immature asshole, but still too afraid to see the disappointment in his face when I said no.

  “Stacy...” Chad growled, sounding less patient but still with a hint of teasing in his voice. “You can’t sit here with your eyes squeezed shut forever. Just open your damn eyes and stop acting like a five-year-old, or I’ll take you over my knee right here in front of everyone.”

  I snapped my eyes open at his threat, and my eyes drifted to the box of their own volition.

  “You fucking asshole!” I yelled, slapping Chad over and over and trying to kick him as he dodged my hits and fell back on his ass, laughing hysterically. “You made me think you were proposing!”

  Inside that damn jewelry box was a key, and I assumed it was to his house.

  “You’re such a dick!” I pounced on him and straddled his waist. He was laughing so hard he was wheezing and I took advantage of his weakened state and pinned his arms above his head.

  “Stacy, get up, you’re making a scene,” Adalyn chided from behind me.

  “I don’t give a shit! That was so messed up, Chad!” I could hear the guys chuckling beside me, but I tuned them out and focused on the jackass underneath me. Chad finally started to calm down and I pushed off of him, tempted to kick him in his nuts.

  He climbed to his feet and took my hands in his. I tried to jerk them away so I could pout, but he held on tight and looked me in the eye. I tried to look away, but he barked my name so loud it made me yelp and my attention immediately snapped back to him.

  “I know you aren’t ready for a proposal, Stace. We’re still figuring things out and we’re both so messed up that taking things to that level so soon would just scare one or both of us off. I want you to move in with me, but you should know that I do plan to propose one day. You’re it for me, Stace, so you better start preparing yourself now because one day there really will be a ring in this box and I’d prefer for you to marry me willingly. Though I’m not above cuffing you and dragging you to a JOP if that’s what it takes.”

  I yanked the box out of his hand and opened it back up and looked at the key.

  “What, you couldn’t even spring for a pretty key chain or something?” Chad just laughed and pulled me in for a deep, delicious kiss that took my breath away and had the guys cat-calling and strangers that walked past us whistling. When he finally pulled away, my vision was hazy with lust and all my anger shifted to the spectators who were preventing me from being able to strip the man in front of me naked so I could do naughty, naughty things to him.

  “Well, Officer Juicy Jizz, let’s go make sure my key works for our house. I can think of a few places that still need some christening.” I stifled a giggle when everyone collectively groaned behind us.

  “One thing’s for certain. Life will never be dull with you in it, Stacy.”

  Acknowledgements

  There are so many people that I need to thank, and I’ll get to them, but I think for this book in particular I should probably start with Stacy.

  I’d love to take all the credit for everything in this book, and while the situations and exact events were a hundred percent fictional, they most likely would never have existed, even in my imagination, if it weren’t for my best friend, Stacy Adams.

  Let me first give you a little background on Stacy and her involvement in my life. If you were to meet us in real life, you would automatically assume we’d been friends since the beginning of time. You would also be wrong. As I write this, Stacy and I have known each other for all of five months. Stacy and I are basically the same person, only she is a lot mouthier and a much bigger fan of hugging than I am.

  RL Stacy (or Real Life Stacy, as we now refer to her) didn’t just inspire the persona for book Stacy. They are essentially the same person. Throughout the entire process of writing this series, Stacy would constantly joke that it was like I crawled up inside of her brain and stole her thoughts. I have no doubt that if any of these scenarios were to actually happen, then RL Stacy would react the exact same way.

  Stacy has been my biggest supporter since I made the decision to try my hand at writing. I didn’t set out to write a book about her, but once she requested I name a character after her, the story took on a life of it’s own. I also didn’t expect Stacy to become such a beloved character. I guess spending so much time with her day in and day out makes it harder to see that she’s actually pretty funny and not just incredibly annoying. (Although in my defense, you try spending as much time with her as I do, and then tell me you still love her as much as you did when you were just reading about her.)

  In all seriousness though, I could have done this without her, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. She has spent countless hours listening to me bounce ideas off of her, yelling at her when she made suggestions I didn’t like, and then reading and rereading my books a hundred times before I was happy with the finished product. On top of all that, she’s also spent countless hours listening to me complain and drone on about my relentless obsession with
author NA Alcorn, not to mention all the insecurities that come along with stepping out of your comfort zone to try something you have no idea if you are even good at.

  Along those same lines, I’d also like to thank her husband Chad. (Yes, I also chose that name per her request. RL Stacy is a demanding and bossy little hussy.) RL Chad used to be a cop and has been somewhat of a consultant for the book, and his input was priceless and much appreciated.

  Next I’d like to thank again all the other authors out there who continue to inspire me and bring me hours of joy through their words and characters. The author I should thank the most would be NA Alcorn, who not only put up with my stalker-like tendencies, but actually encouraged them, earning her my undying love and devotion. My level of affection for her is beyond what’s considered socially acceptable between two friends who have yet to meet in person, but that doesn’t stop me from going all fangirl at the mention of anything that has to do with her.

  Massive thanks for my talented and patient husband, who has done so much behind the scenes to make these books happen for me. Everything from formatting, to editing, to cover design, website development and publishing… there isn’t a doubt in my mind that without his help, my books would not exist.

  Thank you, thank you, thank you to my supportive family! Missy Coyner - my beautiful and sharp witted mother who made me who I am today. Susie McCarter - my aunt who never fails to deliver a laugh every time I see her! Monica Buettner - my pain in the ass future sister-in-law who I’ve come to love like she’s always been a part of the family. Thank you to all of you for helping with the proof-reading and editing part of this series. You’ve been a huge help and your support and encouragement mean the world to me. I love you all.

  Finally, thank you to my readers! Those of you who took a chance on Adalyn and made it to Stacy, you rock. My ARC readers who took the time to read my books and give me your honest feedback, I couldn’t do this without you! Especially Jenny Thompson-Rowlands - you finding my book was by chance, and through GoodReads you have become a dear and valuable friend. As soon as you finish teaching me how to speak all your cool Brit slang, don’t be surprised if I show up at your door to test it out!