Another Shot At Love Read online

  My reply was to eat more garlic bread. Unlike both my sisters, I wasn’t athletic and never had been. I’d tried sports, but my footwork was atrocious and I spent a lot of time in junior high tripping over my feet and pissing off my teammates. I was too clumsy even for cross country, a sport without a ball. And, unlike my sisters, I didn’t enjoy working out. What I liked to do was eat dessert. I had to make up for it with an hour of cardio three times a week—four times, if I was feeling particularly ambitious. I preferred doing aerobics in my living room where my falling wouldn’t endanger anyone else’s life.

  Lexie turned to look at Catherine. “I’m worried about you, Cat. What if that dress you picked out for the party doesn’t fit anymore? You look bigger than you were last week.”

  “You are such a brat,” Catherine spat, probably three seconds from completely losing it. “I’m having a baby. Jesus.”

  “Girls!” Mom threw up her hands.

  “Lexie,” I said with a frown. “She might be a bossy jerk but you didn’t have to bring up her dress size.”

  “Oh, and like you’re any better than she is,” Catherine said. “You’re both ungrateful brats. And I was only trying to help you get a date since you’re clearly incapable of finding a date on your own.”

  I gasped. “Mom! Tell her to knock it off!” But Mom’s answer was to stare up at the ceiling, as if asking for divine intervention. I told Catherine, “And I don’t need any help. I found Matt, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, Matt,” Catherine said and crossed her arms above her pregnant belly. “Convenient how you suddenly have a boyfriend.”

  My voice dropped an octave. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Catherine shrugged and said sweetly, “Oh, nothing.”

  “I like Matt. At least if you take him you won’t be taking Brent home from the engagement party.” Lexie added a few small drops of ranch dressing to her salad.

  “Cat, seriously, I don’t need your help in the dating arena any more, okay? I get you’re trying to help, but the dates you set me up on were bad.” I set my fork down. “This is just like in high school with Tyler Decker.”

  Catherine jutted out her chin. “I was trying to get you a date to the prom!”

  “He didn’t even know who I was!”

  “How was I supposed to know he had no idea who you were?”

  “You didn’t because you expected everyone to know me since everyone knew you. I wasn’t Ms. Popular, you know!” Every guy had crushed on Catherine in high school, but she’d been head over heels for Tony. The year she’d tried to set me up with Tyler, she’d been a senior and I, a sophomore. He hadn’t even known my name.

  Catherine blinked. “Well—”

  “And he had a crush on you, Cat. He thought you were asking him to the prom.” It had been the most mortifying experience of my life—up until recently, anyway.

  Lexie grimaced. “That was pretty lousy of you, Cat. You know how embarrassed Gen was? She cried for a week.”

  “Now you’re just being a baby,” Catherine said, but there was no heat behind her words. She picked up her fork and speared a cucumber, chewing it aggressively.

  “A baby? Really?” I said. “Not to mention that his girlfriend—”

  “Ex-girlfriend,” Catherine interrupted.

  “—made the rest of my sophomore year a living hell,” I accused. “You kind of suck at matchmaking, Cat!”

  Like a replay from a few days ago, Catherine broke into wounded tears, her small frame shaking with the effort, and we all sighed. A beer and a baseball game with the guys, minus all female drama, sounded like heaven, and I didn’t even like baseball.

  “We all just need to calm down and enjoy the rest of our dinner.” Mom looked as if throttling us three girls sounded like a better idea, though. Her hand shook as she picked up her wine glass. There was only a small sip remaining. She sucked it up then scooted the chair back from the table. “I better grab another bottle of wine.”

  Catherine’s sniffles hit their mark and my shoulders deflated. “Cat, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll get the dessert.” She stood and walked to the kitchen.

  I went back to eating and for the first time in my life Mom’s lasagna was tasteless. I didn’t even notice Lexie had sat down in Matt’s empty chair.

  “So Matt, huh?”

  “Yeah…Matt.”

  “Why do you think he showed up?” Lexie asked.

  “I don’t know. Do you…think it’s weird?”

  “I don’t know. He seems nice.” Lexie’s lips turned up into a smile. She whispered, “Are you going to tell me what really happened with him?”

  The memory of the kiss was like a hot flash and I sucked in a breath of air. I licked my lips before pursing them together, and shrugged.

  “Oh, cut the crap,” Lexie whispered into my ear and I jumped in my seat. She laughed. “Jeez, guilty much?”

  “It was just a kiss.”

  “You’re my twin,” Lexie said, her eyes dancing with laughter. “You can’t lie to me.”

  “Okay…” I sighed, savoring the memory and fully conscious of the thrill that shot down my spine. “It wasn’t just a kiss. It was an amazing kiss.”

  “He must think so too, otherwise he wouldn’t be here.” Lexie pulled her salad plate in front of her. “He’s cute.”

  “He is.” There was no denying it. It was hard to think of anything else. “I didn’t think I’d see him again.”

  Lexie speared a cucumber. “You told us all you were dating him and it was serious; did you really think Mom and Cat would let it go?”

  If I’d been thinking clearly when I made up the story, I would’ve known Mom and Cat wouldn’t have ignored the “serious boyfriend” bombshell, especially when they’d all spent the last four months worrying about my single status. I frowned. “I’m such a moron sometimes.”

  “I won’t argue with that.” Lexie laughed and nudged my shoulder with hers. “But look at it this way, you met a really, really good-looking guy, and he must like you or he wouldn’t be here.” Her eyes grew serious and she lowered her voice. “Just go slow; you don’t know him. And I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

  Again.

  I didn’t plan on it. From now on, I’d guard my heart but it wouldn’t stop me from feeling attracted to Matt. I wasn’t sure how to deal with him, with the entire situation, and a whimper escaped my throat. No amount of stabbing my food made me feel any better, either. I pushed the pasta around before taking another bite. The food coma probably wasn’t going to happen, so I’d have to deal with the crapshoot I’d created, after all.

  I stood, my appetite long gone. “I better go get Matt. I’m sure he’s got a million embarrassing questions to ask me that I don’t want to answer.”

  “Good luck.” Lexie snagged my hand before I turned from the table. “You still coming out with me and Roxi tonight? Karaoke, remember?”

  “Yeah, I’ll catch up with you guys later.” I took my plate to the kitchen where Mom and Catherine stood at the counter, assembling the strawberry shortcake. I set my plate down on the counter. “Hey, Mom. Matt and I need to get going.”

  Startled, she glanced at the clock on the wall. “So soon?”

  “We have plans, I’m sorry,” I said and felt bad about bailing when she was so excited about the “special guest”.

  “Oh, okay. But we haven’t had dessert yet,” she said, frowning down at the cake platter.

  “I know, but I ate too much.” It was a poor excuse, especially since my plate was still full.

  Mom pulled out a kitchen drawer and took out a Tupperware container. “Here, take your food home. You’ll want it for lunch tomorrow. I’ll put some leftovers together for Matt, too.” She clucked and shook her head. “That poor boy. It would be so hard to lose a mother so young.”

  “I can’t imagine,” I breathed. Mom took out three Tupperware containers and I knew she planned to heal Matt starting with his stomach. It was her
answer for everything; any time something was wrong, Mom cooked.

  When she disappeared into the dining room, I turned to Catherine.

  “Truce?” I asked.

  Catherine set another strawberry in the whipped frosting on the cake then gave me a small smile. I hated how tired her eyes were, and how I might be the cause of it. “Truce. Sorry about all that. I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately. I’m just…keyed up all the time.”

  “Yeah, well, I shouldn’t beat up on a pregnant lady,” I joked and gave her a hug. “I’ll see you later, Cat.”

  Mom walked in with the stuffed Tupperware containers. “I’ll get a bag. If Matt comes next Saturday for supper, I’ll make hamburger steak and gravy.”

  It was my favorite—Mom knew what she was doing. I smiled and hugged her. “I’ll tell him.”

  When I went to get Matt, it was clear he didn’t need saving. The men were all engrossed in the ball game, groaning over a two-run homer. I stepped behind the couch and rested my hand on Matt’s shoulder. He turned his head to look up at me and smiled.

  “Hey, you,” he said. The fact that he wasn’t treating me like a parasite was a good sign. He had every right to judge me, and I’d even let him do it out loud, if he wanted—I deserved it.

  “Remember that thing we have? Downtown?” I asked him, and Dad looked up at the sound of my voice.

  Matt didn’t miss a step. He stood and said, “Oh, yes. I didn’t forget.”

  I could tell Dad was surprised I wasn’t staying for the game. Even though I didn’t like baseball, I usually stayed for the game. “Leaving so soon?” Dad asked.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’ll come by tomorrow, maybe.”

  Dad and Tony both stood and shook Matt’s hand.

  “It was a pleasure meeting you, sir,” Matt said to Dad. “You too, Tony. I really enjoyed this.”

  “You come back any time, Matt,” Dad boomed, giving Matt his seal of approval. Just another reason to feel like crud.

  “We’ll have to get together soon,” Tony said, sounding like he meant it; no more cop-voice for Matt. He must have passed some sort of brother-in-law interrogation test while I’d been busy arguing with my sisters.

  “I’d like that,” Matt said as he followed me to the door.

  “I’ll get your number from Gen so we can plan a day to go fishing,” Dad said and I picked up the pace.

  “We better hurry,” I told Matt, taking him by the arm and steering him away from the impending fishing plans. I already had a big enough hole to dig me out of.

  Dad followed us to the door and I turned to hug him, standing on my tiptoes.

  “Love you, Dad,” I said. He squeezed me tight in a bear hug, lifting me a couple of inches off the ground before setting me down.

  “Love you too, Gennie. You make sure to get me Matt’s number, okay?”

  I nodded, but he kept his eyes on me until I answered. “Yes. Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll call you tomorrow. See you later, Dad.”

  I took Matt’s hand and pulled him out of the front door. He closed it behind us and I didn’t let go of us hand until we were on the sidewalk in front of the house, standing beside a black Audi. It must have been his.

  And then I remembered I didn’t have a car, I’d come with Lexie.

  Chapter Ten

  The evening breeze ruffled my hair; the warmth tonight caressed my skin instead of sticking to it as it had the past few days. I watched him through strands of blonde and pink in the twilight. He didn’t bolt, though. Instead, he brushed my hair from my eyes. His smile made me nervous—I didn’t trust myself with him. If it weren’t for us standing in front of my parents’ house, I probably would have thrown myself at him like I had the last time I’d seen him.

  The blue nail polish I’d put on that afternoon was green under the street lamp. Could he tell how nervous I was? I couldn’t for the life of me think of anything to say in this awkward moment. So I went with something safe—I held out the sack of left overs.

  “Mom insisted you take this home.”

  He took it from me. “That was kind of her.”

  “Mom likes to feed people,” I said.

  He took his car keys from his pocket and pressed the unlock button. The car beeped and he opened the door to the backseat, setting the bag on the floor behind the passenger seat.

  “So,” he said, and I couldn’t avoid his gaze any longer. I shoved my hands in my back pockets. “Do you make up boyfriends often?”

  “No!” I gawked up at him, horrified. Then he cracked a smile and I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s not funny.”

  “Yes,” he teased and leaned against his car, “it really is.” He tilted his head. “Don’t look now, but we’re being watched.”

  It was hard not to look over my shoulder, but I didn’t. I pictured my family with their noses pressed against the living room window. “Shoot me now. Seriously,” I said.

  “It was less awkward than I thought it would be,” he said.

  “You’re just being nice.” Actually, what he’d done for me, showing up here so as not to blow my cover, was more than nice. It was heroic. Knight in shining armor stuff. I didn’t know any guy who would have stuck his neck out like this for me, a complete stranger.

  He laughed. “Okay, I guess it was a little awkward, but your family is great.” His attention was on the window behind me again so I knew someone was still there watching us. “Were you going to call me?”

  “Yes, of course,” I said and blushed because it was a lie and lying had already gotten me into the most embarrassing situation of my life thus far. His lips twitched.

  “No, you weren’t,” he mused.

  I wanted to crawl home and cower under my bed for at least a day. “Well, I had thought I would call you until I blurted out to my entire family you were my boyfriend. And then I knew I should throw your card away and never speak to you again for the rest of my life so you wouldn’t know what I did and so my family wouldn’t know I’d made you up.”

  I was talking too fast, but he took it in stride and said, “It really was the most interesting conversation I’ve had in…ever.”

  I pictured my mom’s enthusiasm and groaned. “I really don’t want to know.”

  “Good. I’m going to tell you anyway,” he said, his eyes still laughing at me. I really had no dignity left—it had vanished the moment I’d turned and put my face in his crotch. “Your mom called. She mentioned how excited she was you had a boyfriend and how your whole family thought you’d take your slimeball ex-boyfriend back. ‘Slimeball’ was her term, not mine. Not only did she force me into a conversation about your hair—” he tugged on a lock of my hair, “—but she mentioned how worried she’s been about your unhealthy obsession with aliens and how you won’t get along with any of the nice young men your sister has set you up with.”

  “Oh, my God,” I breathed, “you’re kidding. Right?”

  He shook his head. Numb, I stared at him as I imagined the conversation.

  “So naturally when she found out about me, she was over the moon with relief that your alien obsession isn’t ruining your judgment in men.”

  “Ooohhh,” I moaned and hung my head, fighting back tears. When had my life gotten so humiliating? It was like I blinked or something and, bam, daily embarrassment was my punishment. For what, I didn’t know. I really wanted to know.

  “Hey, it’s not so bad.” He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. The scent of him drifted up to my nose and instinctively I molded myself to him and inhaled. Standing there in his embrace, I realized how much I’d been hoping to see him again. I’d just discounted it ever happening after what I’d done. He rested his chin on the top of my head. He said, “I got to see you again, so I’d say tonight turned out pretty good.”

  I smiled, my cheek against his chest. “Are you sure you aren’t mad?” I tilted my head just a little to peer up at him. It should have been awkward in his arms, especial
ly under the circumstances, but it wasn’t. It was nice.

  “Of course not. I wanted to come, to see what kind of trouble you’d gotten yourself into.”

  “A lot of trouble.” I leaned my cheek against his chest again and told myself I was doing it for the benefit of those spying on us inside my parents’ house, not for me.

  “We’re still being watched. Your sisters,” he said. “Should I kiss you?”

  Yes, yes, yes!!!

  I swallowed and looked up at him. “Um, maybe you should. Because they think you’re my boyfriend.”

  And because I wanted him to. His lips were all I’d been thinking about for the last two days. Of course I wanted him to.

  “Well, I’d hate to disappoint anyone,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss me.

  His lips were soft, fitting against mine perfectly. I kissed him back, but this kiss wasn’t about ripping his clothes off. It was sweet and sensual and too short. I wanted more, but not with my sisters spying. When he broke away, I was so disappointed, I had to force myself not to pout.

  “I think this night deserves a drink,” Matt said. “If you don’t have any other plans?”

  As if I’d say “no” after that kiss!

  I stepped out of his arms. “A drink sounds great.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Matt opened the door to Decadence and I stepped inside. He followed me in, looking around at the brick interior, the knotted hard wood floors and the old black and white photographs peppered between colorful abstract art. The ceilings were high, but the room was small, the little bar with its tall stools tucked into the corner. Soft Reggae played throughout the two-room bar and I waved at Ted, the bartender, when he looked up from a jar of olives.

  “Whoa, what happened to your goatee?” I asked, and Ted reached up to touch his now-bare chin.

  “Little sister is getting married next week. She threatened my life if I didn’t shave it off.”

  “I sympathize. I’ll probably be all blonde when you see me next. Lexie threatened to shoot me if I went to her engagement party with pink in my hair.” I set my purse on an empty bar stool.