Rule #1 Don't Fall for Mr. Wrong: Sweet Romantic Comedy (Rules of Dating: Christian RomComs)

by Taylor Hart

  Sara started up the stairs to her room. "Nope."

  “I brought my new gaming system up so we could play basketball together.” His voice held some scorn in it.

  “Been a little busy."

  He paused the game. “Hey, Sara."

  Sara didn't stop.

  "Hey, Coach told us to get good and rested before next week. I’m going to be going pretty hard for a while. Plus, you’ve just been running around here like crazy. I thought you just wanted me to stay out of your way. And practicing basketball via virtual reality is just like visualizing.”

  She hovered at the top of the stairway. "It's fine."

  The basketball game blared back to life.

  Sara went to her dad's doorway. Everything felt so different with him gone. Even though James and Mark still lived here, with Rosie coming in occasionally to cook, clean, and leave some freezer meals, it didn’t feel the same. She noticed the family picture of all of them from last summer next to his bed. Her heart ached. She walked in the room. She needed him so badly. Why couldn’t he still be with them? Tears streamed down her face.

  Without warning, Tim, James, and Mark burst through the front door. Their voices were loud and laughter ricocheted through the house.

  "Sara?" James called.

  The sound of the video game stopped. "She's upstairs."

  "Sara?" James called out, again.

  “Hold on.” James called after her, his voice stern.

  Sara knew her brother wouldn't stop. She hustled out of the room. "Hey."

  James frowned. "We need you in the kitchen to talk."

  "I'm about to get in the shower."

  Marc took the steps two at a time. A fierce, mischievous look in his eyes.

  The pit of her stomach turned into a knot. She recognized that look. “Do not pick me up!"

  Marc dipped his shoulder and threw her back like a sack of potatoes.

  "Put me down!”

  He rushed down the stairs. "Nope, the boss says we need to talk to you."

  Tim poked at her.

  Marc took her into the kitchen and dropped her into the chair James held out.

  "You drive me crazy!" Sara shouted, half playing.

  Marc stopped when he saw her face. "What's wrong?"

  Sara sucked in a breath and knew they could read her. "Nothing."

  James squinted down at her. “You’re not moving until you tell us what’s wrong with you.”

  Sara glared up at him. She hated to be strong-armed. She’d always hated it, ever since she was little. “Nothing.”

  Marc and Tim both planted themselves behind James. She knew it was pointless to try to get around him.

  Tim pointed at her. “You've been crying."

  Sara looked behind them to the living room. She didn't want Jonathon to come in here. "Shh."

  They all crossed their arms in unison. They used to do this to her. They would always gang up on her when she didn't agree with them. But instead of being angry, her heart deflated. She had to tell them the truth. “I just miss him.” It was the safest thing she could say right now. They all understood how their father’s death would hit randomly sometimes.

  Marc frowned. “I know, sis.”

  Tim pulled a chair out next to her and sat. “It’s strange, you think you’re done grieving and it hits you.”

  James went to the kitchen and pulled glasses, milk, and a package of cookies out of the cupboard. He put them on the table and sat.

  Marc immediately grabbed one and stuffed the entire thing in his mouth. He sat on the other side of Tim.

  James carefully poured milk for all of them. “I knew I bought these cookies for a reason." He looked at each of them. “I’m calling a family council.”

  Sara hated the way his formality made her smile. Since she'd been back for Christmas, she kind of liked his concern for all of them.

  James dunked a cookie and didn't look at her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  She took a cookie. "No."

  James exhaled loudly. “Okay. We need to talk about our budget for Sara’s wedding.”

  Sara almost choked on her cookie. “What? You guys aren’t going to worry about it.” She had it worked out to just do something informal at the house.

  James put his hand up. “Hold on, sweet little sister.” James told her he liked to put the sweet in there because one day he hoped it would come true. “We’ve been talking and we want to do this. It won’t be really fancy or anything, but we have a couple thousand dollars for you to work with.”

  Tears formed in her eyes. She’d seen the latest spreadsheet of expenses and knew there was no money. “James . . .”

  Tim touched her forearm. “We want to do this. It’s what Dad wanted. It's what we want."

  Marc playfully pushed her shoulder. "You can't stop us."

  Sara hated the tears. “But the money’s not there.”

  James put his milk glass down with finality. “I’m selling Sherman.” His face was determined.

  “No. Absolutely not.” The horse her father had bought for James. James had wanted to train him to be a race horse.

  “No, that's been your dream.”

  James shook his head. "I already have a buyer."

  Sara wiped her tears. "No."

  “Sara.” Marc put his hand over hers. “It’s what he’s decided. Let him. It’s what he wants.”

  James wiped at his own eyes. “It's what we want. We love you, sis.”

  She reached out to all of them. Their hands mingled together in the center of the table. “I love you all, too. I don't deserve you." She cried harder.

  Marc and Tim stood to hug her.

  Sara was overwhelmed with love for them. Before, all she could think about was that her father was gone. Now she could only think how grateful she was to be part of a family that was always there for her.

  Marc gently pushed her back down into the chair. “We've given you the money for the wedding and we want to know why you're marrying him?"

  Chapter 41

  “What?” Sara felt like she’d been sucker punched.

  Marc turned his chair around and straddled it. "You're seriously gonna tell me that you’re okay if your life is like this.” He hooked his thumb toward the living room.

  “What?” Sara felt her defenses go up. Jonathon had been visiting for four days and she’d felt her brothers silent disapproval. “Just because he’s not a ranch guy doesn’t mean that he’s unfit to be my husband.” She tried to keep her voice even, not wanting Jonathon to hear.

  Tim put his hand up. “It’s all right, Sara.” Tim hated confrontation, and he especially hated it when things got heated.

  James nodded. “Calm down, Sara.” He frowned and looked at Marc with displeasure. “What he meant was . . . are you sure he’s the right one for you?”

  “What?” Marc smirked back at James with a challenge in his eyes. “Since no one can say it—I'll say it. Frankly, we don’t like him. We think he’s lazy and full of himself and the only thing he cares about is basketball. Oh, and the new games he got for his system, he cares about that too.”

  Sara glared at her brothers. The feelings of love she’d had toward them were now replaced with anger. "You’re not paying for my wedding.”

  “No.” James pounded his fist on the table. “Sara, don't take this to the next level."

  "Maybe it's at the next level," she shot back.

  James sucked in a breath. "We are all just concerned."

  Sara struggled for control of her anger. She didn't want to be mad at them. She shoved a cookie into her mouth. “I’m happy,” she said through the cookie.

  Marc roared back, "I can tell. I mean, you look happy right. And it's not like you’ve been walking around here like a zombie for the last two weeks."

  She pounded her fist. "Have not!"

  James put his hand back out. "Stop it."

  Sara swallowed and glared at Marc. “Jonathon and I have not just been sitting around. We’ve been doin
g things."

  Marc laughed. “Yeah. And you seem so happy playing MBA all-star video games and going to the gym to watch him play basketball.”

  Sara hated that he struck a chord. She simmered and shoved another cookie into her mouth. He had a point and it really, really, really annoyed her.

  Tim leaned forward. “Sara, what happened with Beau?”

  That was not the question she wanted to be asked. She shoved in another cookie and drenched it with a sip of milk. “Nothing.”

  Marc gave her a look of disgust. “Yeah right. You sounded so happy on the phone Thanksgiving Day. Then you called us that next Monday and told us you were engaged to Jonathon. What happened?”

  Sara stared at the milk. “He got back together with his old girlfriend.”

  James sighed. “Aha."

  Tim drummed his fingers on the table. “Do we need to go kick his butt?”

  The heaviness inside her chest lightened. "No." She sighed and took a breath. "I thought I was falling in love with him. I really did.” She took another cookie. “And then I saw him out with this beautiful woman. I mean . . . she was okay. Well, it was his dead wife's sister.” Sara slouched miserably at the table. “And, he has a past with her.”

  “Okay." Marc nudged her.

  Sara fidgeted with the cookie. “And then he told me they were back together.” Sara took a long drink of milk.

  James clicked his tongue. "I'm not liking this."

  Tim's face looked puzzled. “And, when did you get engaged to Jonathon?”

  Sara met his gaze. “That same night.”

  Marc whistled a low whistle.

  Sara hated telling them. She hated how it made it all sound. “But I waited for Jonathon for a year. I waited and now we’re getting married. And even if you don’t agree with my decision, I would ask that you support me in this.” Looking at each one of them, she tried to show that she was not backing down from this.

  At that moment, Jonathon strolled into the kitchen and abruptly paused. "Is this a private thing?"

  James cleared his throat and picked up the package of cookies. "Have a cookie."

  Jonathon searched her face. "Is everything okay?"

  Sara stood and went to rinse her glass. "Yep."

  Jonathon took a cookie. "Hey, I’ve just started another all-star game, I could add players?”

  Her brothers didn't respond for a few seconds.

  Tim stood. “Yeah. I’ll play a game, but I get to be Jordan!”

  James stood. "You're going to have to teach me. I don't know how to shoot baskets with a controller."

  Marc looked at Sara pensively.

  The others moved out of the kitchen.

  Finally, he stood. “I'm coming!"

  After watching them all take turns playing the game, Sara finally went upstairs with a smile on her face. She went for her father’s room.

  Sara smelled the familiar scent of her father. She sat on his bed. Her heart ached for him. Was he happy that she was marrying Jonathon? The thought of her father and her mother watching over her made her feel happy. But was it the right decision to marry Jonathon? Would they approve?

  She flopped back onto the bed and stared at the crocheted saying on the wall. “When you can’t stand . . . kneel.”

  She sat up and slowly kneeled by the bed. "Dear Lord . . ."

  Chapter 42

  Sara leaned back against the plush sitting couch in Genova’s bedroom.

  Genova turned in a circle, and she did a little curtsy for Sara.

  "You look so amazing!"

  Genova did a shy smile. "Is it silly that I feel so pretty?”

  “No."

  She wore a messy bun at the back of her head and soft ringlets flowed around her veil. She looked like a pixy.

  “You have to say that, you’re my maid of honor.” Genova waved a hand at her and looked in the mirror. “I’m so glad my aunt is coming to do my hair. These curls drive me crazy.” She reached to fluff them with her hand.

  Sara sipped on her water. “That’s funny. I’ve always wanted curls. I have to spend an hour with my curling iron if I want to attempt to have my curls stay in for more than five minutes.”

  Genova pulled away. “Isn’t that how it is, you always want what you can’t have?”

  Sara moved beside her friend and they both looked into the mirror. “I’m so happy for you, Gen.” And she was. Genova and Kevin were great together. And this is what she wanted—she was crazy about Kevin. Sara could picture them next semester hand in hand at the basketball games or walking around campus with their backpacks on.

  “Thanks.” Genova took her veil off. “But six hours. Six hours until it’s all done.”

  Sara pulled Genova into her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

  Genova blinked back tears. “Oh, this is so stupid.”

  “Gen?” This display of emotion did not fit.

  Genova hid her face in Sara's shoulder. “Just nerves, right?” Her hands shook a little. “Tell me it's just nerves. And that I'm making the right decision."

  "You're making the right decision."

  Her head snapped up and she took a step back. “I don’t know if I can do this, Sara. I mean, people act like getting married is so easy—but . . . people get divorced all the time. What if we don’t like each other? I mean, we’ve known each other for about a year—but that’s nothing in the long term.”

  Sara’s heart went out to her friend. “Gen, you’re okay. Kevin loves you so much. And you love him.”

  “But what if we fall out of love? What if I can’t stand the smell of his tennis shoes, and he hates the fact it takes me forty-five minutes to get ready every morning? People have divorced for a lot less—”

  “Gen—”

  “What if—.” She broke off and went into a full cry.

  Sara enfolded her in her arms. "Shh." She rubbed circles in her back. “Everything will be fine, Genova. It will. I know it. I've seen how much you guys love each other. It's . . . it's . . . kind of disgusting to tell you the truth."

  Genova laughed. "What?"

  "Yeah, I mean, you should see yourselves, all 'oh, honey, can I help you.' And 'oh, you're so funny, Kevin."

  Genova laughed, again. “Thanks.”

  Sara sighed. “That’s what maid of honors are here for."

  Genova moved to her bed and sat. “I have to tell you something and I don't think you're going to like it.”

  The pit of her stomach tightened. “Okay.”

  “I saw Beau at the institute before I left town.”

  "Okay."

  Genova winced. “You still love him, don’t you?”

  Sara put her hands on her hips. “Genova, what did Beau say?”

  Her eyes were guilty. “I’m not supposed to tell you this.”

  With that introduction there was no way Sara would allow Genova not to tell her. She leveled her with a stare. “What?”

  Genova put her hand to her mouth. She bit her thumbnail. “I told him not to tell me anything he didn’t want you to know.”

  “Genova.”

  “It was all a lie.”

  Everything froze inside of her. “What?”

  “Well, that night in the parking lot, the thing with Marsal . . . he lied to you. He never got back together with Marsal.”

  Sara flinched. “Who?”

  “Valerie’s sister, the Italian girl. He only said they were together so you would choose Jonathon."

  Sara stumbled and put her hand on the dresser for support. “Come again?”

  Genova frowned. “He wants you to be with someone that isn't so messed up. Someone that doesn’t have a past.”

  Anger surged through her. “Really?”

  “Sara, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you. I didn’t want to. It’s just . . . well, you should know. You should know everything before you go making decisions about who you’re going to marry. Shouldn’t you?”

  Sara took in a breath and tried to clear her mind.

  G
enova stood. “What are you going to do?”

  Sara touched the ring on her finger. "Gen, I should have told you the truth, too."

  Chapter 43

  “I ended it with Jonathon.”

  Genova gasped in horror. “Oh my gosh.”

  Sara pressed the palm of her hand to her eyes. She couldn’t believe this. Beau had lied to her?

  Genova moved in front of her. “Have you talked to Beau?”

  “No.” She slid the ring off her finger and stuck in inside her purse. "Guess I don’t need to keep up the pretenses.”

  Genova whirled on her. “Seriously, when were you going to tell me?"

  Sara threw her hands into the air. “I didn’t want to ruin your big day. I thought I’d save the news until after you got home from swimming with the dolphins at Mazatlan.”

  Genova shook her head and let out a long sigh. “Fine. Now tell me what happened with Jonathon.”

  Sara didn’t know how to explain it all to Genova. “Well, I finally asked the Lord if it was right to marry Jonathon.”

  Genova didn’t move, waiting for the rest of the story. “And he said no . . .”

  “No, he didn’t say no.” Sara shook out her hands. “I think my life would have been all right if I would have married him.”

  Genova hung her head dramatically. “O-kay.”

  “But I realized we didn’t have that zing, ya know. I wasn’t excited to see how the rest of my life would work out with him. I wasn’t wondering what extraordinary thing would happen the next minute, hour, day. And . . .” She whispered it. “I couldn’t do it.”

  Genova’s face lit up. “Kevin and I have that. We have that zing.”

  Sara smiled. “Yes you do.”

  Genova hugged her. “I love you.”

  Sara hugged her back. A sense of urgency came over her. “Is Beau coming for the luncheon?”

  “No.”

  Previously, she'd planned on ignoring Beau at the wedding, but now she knew she had to talk to him. “When?”

  "He's not coming."