Perfectly You (The Perfect Series Book 2)

by Robin Daniels

  “She got you to a game, too?” Jake asked, skipping the hellos.

  “Yes. She had some nonsensical idea about good advertising.” Andy pouted, and Jake laughed.

  We took our seats, Lilly and I next to each other in the middle, with Jake and Andy flanking us. I leaned and whispered into Lilly’s ear. “Sitting by Jake, huh? Did you have to threaten him, or did you get him to sit willingly?”

  Lilly was chewing bubblegum, as usual. She blew a big bubble and shrugged her shoulders. Once it popped, she answered me. “Actually, he sat by me. I was waiting for you, and he just plopped down. Didn’t even ask if it was ok.” She was pretending to be annoyed, but I knew better. She was hiding a smile.

  “If it’s good advertising you want, you’ve come to the right place,” Jake stated confidently, then tapped on the shoulder of a girl in front of him. She turned around, and when she saw Jake, she smiled. “Hey, Vanessa, how are you tonight?” he asked.

  “Good,” she answered. I wouldn’t say I was friends with Vanessa—we were more like acquaintances—running on opposite ends of the same social circle. Vanessa, however, was good friends with Sophia, though she wasn’t nearly as horrible. Her cousin Caleb played on the basketball team, and they were close, so she never missed a game.

  Vanessa looked at Andy, then at me, then glanced at Lilly with a questioning look. “Hi, Ivy, hey, Andy,” she said politely, but didn’t ask the identity of our third group member.

  “Ahem…” Lilly cleared her throat before nudging Jake in the side.

  “Oh,” he said quickly, and put his arm around Lilly’s shoulder. She seemed briefly surprised at the openly public physical contact, but played it cool. “Vanessa, this little squirt here is Lilly,” Jake introduced her playfully.

  Vanessa gave Lilly the once-over, taking in her Star Wars T-shirt, jean skirt, and sandals that laced up her calves. I thought she looked cute, but apparently Vanessa didn’t approve. She gave a quick hi before redirecting her attention back to Andy. She hadn’t been as rude as Sophia had the night before, but she wasn’t exactly friendly, either. Lilly’s cheeks turned pink. Nothing could get her blood boiling faster than a snobby girl with a stick up her butt.

  “So, Andy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a basketball game. What gives? You suddenly become a fan?” Vanessa teased. “Like the hair, by the way. Doesn’t it look good, Tiff?” Vanessa asked the girl next to her, who turned to gawk along with two others. They all nodded in agreement.

  Andy didn’t get a chance to answer before Jake interjected. “We’re forcing him to be here. Figured he should show his face a few times before the auction to remind everyone that he’s still alive.”

  Andy clenched his teeth but smiled through it. Vanessa looked surprised. “You’re going to be in the auction?” she asked. Two of her friends started whispering. “Does Sophia know?”

  “Why does that matter?” Jake asked.

  “You mean, you don’t know?” Vanessa looked excited. She must have gossip.

  “Know what?” Jake asked again, growing impatient.

  “Sophia and Rob broke up last night.”

  “Why should I know that?” Jake asked. “It’s not like she asks for my permission where her love life is concerned.” Jake pretended not to care, but I think it bothered him to find out from someone else.

  “Yeah, I guess they had a fight after dinner and she dumped him.”

  “What does that have to do with Andy?”

  “Nothing, I guess,” Vanessa answered. “Except it’s no secret that she never really got over him. Now that she’s a free woman, I’ll bet she spends the big bucks trying to rekindle the romance.”

  I felt Andy tense up next to me before speaking. “I doubt that,” he said curtly.

  “Hmm…we’ll see.” Vanessa’s grin was knowing. “I personally won’t be wasting my money at the auction. All the hottest boys are still juniors.” Her eyes drifted back toward the basketball court. “Lucky for Bianca, I’m graduating this year. I’d pay good money to make Cameron Bates my date for a night, even if he had a girlfriend.” Vanessa’s friends giggled in agreement, and then she turned around and didn’t say another word to us. I shouldn’t care about this new information, but it was stressing me out. Would Andy still be interested in me now that Sophia was available…and apparently not over him?

  “Sorry, bro.” Jake leaned over Lilly and me to speak with Andy. “I didn’t know, I swear. Also, I didn’t expect Vanessa to be such a wench,” he added to Lilly, squeezing her shoulder.

  “Whatever.” Lilly shrugged as she blew another bubble.

  “It’s fine.” Andy dismissed him. “No big deal. It’s not like Sophia being single affects me.” Jake’s look said he didn’t believe that was true, but he didn’t bring it up again, either.

  This wasn’t how the evening was supposed to go. I wanted to convince Andy that basketball games could be fun, but now everyone was in a grumpy mood. The three of us sat there, chatting and cheering halfheartedly, but Andy didn’t really talk much at all. He sat close enough to me, but there was absolutely no fun or flirting. It was a total one eighty from last night. This sucked, so we might as well bail. It was only halftime, but I couldn’t do this for another half an hour.

  “You want to get out of here?” I whispered to Andy.

  “I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned. He looked excited for the first time since we arrived at the school. Andy leaned over me and spoke to Jake. “We’re going to leave. You two want to come?”

  Jake opened his mouth, about to say yes, but Lilly cut him off. She pinched Jake on the knee, and luckily, I don’t think Andy noticed. “Honestly, I really want to stay. This game sure is a nail-biter.” She looked at Jake conspiratorially. “You’ll stay and keep me company, won’t you, Jake?”

  It took a moment for understanding to hit, but when it did, it was painfully obvious. “Oh! Oh, yeah. Sure thing, runt. I really want to catch the end of the game, too.” He winked at Lilly, then looked at me and Andy. “You guys go ahead. I’ll make sure the little lady gets home safely.” Smooth guys, really smooth.

  Andy laughed. I guess they weren’t subtle enough to fool him, either. “If you insist,” he said as he stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me up with him. Once I was up, he let go of my hand, then placed his on the small of my back. I know he was only being a gentleman and it didn’t mean anything, but the second his hand touched me, I got goose bumps. What was wrong with me? I was usually cooler about this kind of stuff. I felt like a little girl with my first crush.

  “See you guys later,” I called, Andy practically pushing me down the bleachers.

  “Is it just me, or are they ganging up on us?” he whispered into my ear.

  I chuckled. “I think they think we need some alone time. Are you ready to call it a night?” I asked once we were out the door and into the parking lot.

  “Are you?” Andy asked in return.

  “Not really,” I admitted.

  He smiled. “Good. Let’s go have some fun.”

  “And how would you suggest we do that?”

  “You’ll see.” He grinned, then grabbed my hand and led me to the car.

  “Are you hungry?” Andy asked after we got in the car.

  “A little,” I answered.

  “A little, meaning I’m actually starving, but won’t eat more than a salad? Or a little as in you honestly aren’t that hungry?” He smirked.

  “The second.” I glared at him, and he laughed.

  “Have you ever had a mint Oreo milkshake?”

  “Can’t say that I have.”

  “Are you interested in trying one? Not that it matters, because you have a really great body, but it’s totally worth the calories.”

  “Are you trying to make me blush?”

  Andy squinted at me. “Is it working? It’s too dark to tell.”

  I chuckled. “Yes, it’s working, and a mint Oreo milkshake sounds good. I don’t eat salads all the time.” I smacked him gentl
y on the arm.

  We hit a drive-thru and drove to a park nearby. “Why are we stopping here?” I asked.

  “Mint Oreo shakes are one of my favorite treats. I thought we could enjoy them in one of my favorite places. Well, it used to be my favorite place. I haven’t been here in a while,” he confessed.

  “Sounds good,” I said, hopping out of the car. “Lead the way.”

  It was dark outside, and the park was deserted, but it was pretty well lit. We were close to his house, on the wealthier side of town. I’d never been here, but it looked like a regular old park to me. “What’s so special about this park?” I asked.

  “This is,” he answered as we approached a tire swing.

  “Oh my gosh. I haven’t been on a tire swing in forever. I used to love these things. My grandma had one hanging from a giant tree in her backyard.”

  “It’s the only tire swing in town. That’s why this was my favorite park as a kid. Hop on.” Andy held the swing still so I could climb on without dropping my milkshake, then got on across from me. We sat for a minute, drinking our shakes, swing swaying gently, until my curiosity got the better of me.

  “Are you ever going to tell me what the story is with you and Sophia? Or you and Rob?”

  “Do you really want to know that bad? I promise it isn’t as exciting as it seems.”

  I nodded. “You don’t have to share if you really don’t want to, but…”

  “Which story do you want first?” He sighed.

  “Start with Rob. I still can’t believe you two were friends.”

  “Rob and Jake and I were best friends growing up. Our dads all worked at the same law firm. It’s a long story, so I’ll give you the short version. Rob’s dad had a huge client, a multi-million-dollar deal. He was doing some shady things in order to win the case. Not outright illegal, but totally unethical. My dad found out about it, and Rob’s dad asked him to keep quiet. When it looked like my dad was going to report him to the senior partners, Rob’s dad threatened to implicate him in everything he was doing.”

  I gasped. “He tried to blackmail your dad?”

  Andy nodded yes, then continued. “My dad had to stay quiet or put his job and license in jeopardy. It ended up working out ok because they won the case and nobody called Mr. Emerson’s ethics into question. After that, dad decided that he didn’t feel comfortable working at the firm with all those secrets hanging between them. He quit and took a job with a nonprofit, which was something he’d always wanted to do anyway. By that point their friendship was basically over. Mr. Emerson took my dad’s resignation personally, and I guess it was. Jake’s dad either didn’t know what happened between them, or he didn’t care because he didn’t seem bothered when my dad left the company.”

  Andy paused before continuing. “That’s it. I’m sure Rob got some watered-down half-truth about the situation. One that made my dad look like the bad guy. He didn’t bother asking me what really happened. He told me his parents didn’t want us hanging out and stopped talking to me. Our friendship must not have been that important to him. If it’d been the other way around, I wouldn’t have stopped being his friend just because my parents told me to. I’d have at least listened to his side of the story first.”

  “What a crappy friend. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised because he was kind of a crappy boyfriend, too, but he should have at least talked to you about everything. Have you ever thought about trying to patch things up between you guys, setting the story straight?”

  Andy’s face contorted, and his eyes reflected hurt and anger. His face soured as if there was a bad taste in his mouth. “I wanted to at first, but it’s been too long now, and he’s proven himself unworthy one too many times to be forgiven.”

  “But you said yourself, Rob may not have gotten the whole truth about what happened. Maybe Mr. Emerson fabricated a story. Rob could be operating under the assumption your dad was at fault, and not the other way around.” I don’t know why I had the urge to defend Rob or fix Andy’s friendship with him. I don’t think it was for Rob’s sake as much as it was my pain that Andy had lost someone close, ultimately changing the way he lived his life. My heart was breaking a little for him.

  “Maybe,” Andy conceded, his tone still bitter. “But Rob’s different now. I’m not interested in his friendship anymore. Image is too important to the Emersons. My dad went to work for a nonprofit firm. He went from a few hundred grand a year to fifty. Rather than rubbing elbows with business tycoons, he chose to help people who’re less fortunate. In the Emerson’s social circle, it’s not as important to have honor as it is to have money or status. Rob’s exactly like his father, and I don’t want that kind of person poisoning my life.”

  I snorted in disbelief. I didn’t mean to, it just slipped out. “You can’t possibly believe that Rob stopped hanging out with you because you suddenly became middle class? I’ve been to your house. I’m no economics expert, but I’m pretty sure you can’t live in a setup like that on fifty thousand dollars a year.”

  “We don’t,” Andy admitted, the corner of his mouth twitching up for the first time since the conversation started. “My mother’s basically an heiress. Dad could never work again, and it wouldn’t leave a dent in the bank account. It’s the perception that’s the problem. My father’s chosen to do something beneath the Emersons’ social status. Associating with us now would hurt their reputation.”

  “Jake’s family’s reputation seems to be just fine, and you’re still friends with them,” I countered.

  “Exactly,” Andy said firmly. “Which solidifies how pompous the Emersons really are.”

  I sat there, stunned. I knew Rob was conceited, but in this case, any rude word I could think of would have been an understatement. “I’m so sorry, Andy. That sucks. I can’t even begin to imagine how I’d feel if something like that happened between Lilly and me.”

  I dropped my empty shake container to the ground, then pulled my feet up and put them on the tire swing, right under where Andy was sitting. Then I grabbed his empty cup and dropped it on the ground next to mine. Reaching for his legs, I pulled them up so they were resting on either side of mine, then grasped his hands and gave them a squeeze. I wanted to comfort him, pull him close to me, but being on the swing made it hard. Without our legs moving back and forth, the swing slowed to a stop.

  “It’s ok. It was a long time ago. I’ve moved on.”

  I didn’t believe that for a second. The bitterness Andy held was obvious, but even I knew pointing that out would only cause contention. I wanted to ask about Sophia, too, but felt like maybe I should wait.

  “Ivy,” Andy said after a few moments of silence, “I have a confession.”

  My heart sped up. Was he going to tell me that he still had feelings for Sophia, now that he knew she was single, and probably interested?

  “Yes?” I whispered, looking down, waiting for his admission.

  “I was hoping I’d lose last night, when we were playing golf. I even tanked more than a few shots on purpose.”

  Huh? That wasn’t the admission I was expecting. What was he trying to tell me? I looked up and searched his eyes for an answer. I was still holding his hands, and he started rubbing his thumbs back and forth across mine.

  “You were?” My voice hitched.

  “I was.” He nodded his head once, then dropped my hands and placed his gently on either side of my face. Angry Andy had been replaced by smoldering Andy, and my skin heated under his touch. “I really wanted to kiss you last night on your front porch…almost as bad as I want to kiss you now.”

  “You do?” I croaked, thrilled by his admission. My heart leapt from my chest.

  “I do.” Andy leaned in, and my eyes drifted closed. His lips were barely touching mine when he spoke again. “But only if you want me to,” he said, so softly I could barely hear it. I felt his mouth smile hesitantly as his minty breath tickled my lips. I wanted to reach out and pull him to me, but I also wanted him to make the first move. “Do you w
ant me to kiss you, Ivy?” he asked. He was already practically kissing me as he spoke.

  “Mm-hm.” I nodded almost imperceptibly, and he pressed his mouth to mine. His lips were soft and warm. They explored mine, slowly at first, then with more urgency. In one swift motion, he dropped his legs from the swing and pulled mine down too so that we were standing in the center of the tire swing. All without breaking contact. I giggled, and he wrapped his arms around me, deepening the kiss. His tongue swept across mine, and any reasonable thought left my brain.

  I don’t know how long we stood there, kissing in a tire, but eventually we came up for air. He grinned at me, and I’m sure the grin that was plastered across my face looked pretty goofy.

  Andy tucked my hair behind my ear on one side, and his hand lingered on my cheek. “I’ve been wanting to do that since Wednesday, when you challenged me to prove that I wasn’t afraid of girls. I was seconds from showing you just how unafraid I was. Good thing Jake has horrible timing.”

  “Good thing?” I asked, sticking out my bottom lip and pretending to pout. “I’d say it was a bad thing. We could have been doing this for days already.” A breeze blew across the playground, and I shivered. For the first time tonight, I realized how cold I was. The daytime temperature had been nice, but after dark, it dropped pretty fast. We might have been in Florida, but it was January, after all.

  “Are you cold?” Andy asked, rubbing my arms briskly. “I should probably get you home.”

  “No. Not yet,” I protested. “I’m not really cold.”

  Andy laughed. “Liar. Your arms are like ice cubes.”

  “Fine.” I sighed. Now that we’d kissed, I didn’t want to stop. It was addicting.

  Andy lifted the tire over me so I wouldn’t have to climb to get out. Then he held my hand and walked me to his car. Once the engine was running, he blasted the heat to counteract the fact that the top was off.