Another Shot At Love Read online

  “The one who delivered us pizza last week?” Lexie asked.

  On a sigh, I said, “Yeah. He’s the one.”

  Both girls grimaced.

  “Ew.” Roxanna set her martini glass down. “I heard he’s a window peeper.”

  I cringed. “Where’d you hear that from?”

  “Do you remember Clarissa from school?” she asked, and Lexie and I nodded. “Well, she’s a realtor now. I guess one of her clients caught him peeking in her window.”

  “How do you know it’s the same guy?” I asked, suspicious. Sometimes Roxanna had a tendency to over-dramatize. “This isn’t a small town—there are a ton of delivery guys, and at least five pizzerias.”

  Roxanna lifted her brows in challenge. “Do you know more than one pizza delivery guy with a uni-brow who drives a Toyota 4-Runner?”

  She had a point. I was impressed with her specifics.

  “That’s creepy.” Lexie shuddered, her fingers twining through the blonde curls hanging over her shoulder. “Why isn’t he in jail? If Tony caught wind of that, the perv would be toast.”

  Tony was our older sister’s husband; a no-nonsense, plain clothes detective with aspirations of making captain. He took his job very seriously, especially since there’d been an increase in drug traffic on the highway bordering town. His sole mission in life was to catch the bad guys before they hit state patrol jurisdiction—something about bragging rights in law enforcement. A peeping Tom would be a mid-day snack for my brother-in-law and his partner, Mr. No-Smiles.

  I pictured the delivery guy stuttering in my doorway. “He really didn’t seem the kind that trolls for cougars to me.”

  “Clarissa said he might not be a window-peeper, that it might be the woman’s idea of a sex game. Apparently, she’s having some kind of mid-life crisis after her divorce. Anyway, they were all hot and heavy for awhile, getting their kink on, until another cougar down the street latched on. Apparently, the pizza delivery business is booming in that neighborhood,” Roxanna emphasized with a ridiculous eyebrow waggle, and I laughed.

  “That’s…disturbing.” Lexie turned to me, her gaze serious. “Don’t ever order pizza from there again.”

  “I won’t.” I was officially creeped-out. I couldn’t believe I’d considered inviting the guy in for a drink. Clearly, having just finished The Notebook, I’d been in a vulnerable state of mind. Especially since the uni-brow hadn’t turned me off. Now that I knew he was a maybe-window-peeper, I would definitely find a new pizzeria that delivered. I swirled the toothpick of olives around in my drink. “I should probably start dating again.”

  The hesitation in my voice was evident. I’d been single three months and though I’d been asked out a few times, I always declined. I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t that I was hung up on Brent—God, no—but so far, I had no interest in getting involved again. Not yet. Dating sounded like work. I clearly wasn’t any good at it, not if I’d picked up a jerk like Brent.

  Being single, I had no one to answer to, no more wasted time going back and forth trying to pick a restaurant to eat at. For me it had been simple, but Brent was so picky. He preferred to spend a fortune on entrees fit for starving models and the pretentious. Me, I liked to dine in ethnic restaurants off the beaten path. To live a little. I loved foods battered and deep-fried in oil, baked in gooey cheese, and guaranteed to clog arteries. Now, I could eat as much of it and as often as I wanted.

  No more caviar for this girl!

  Living on my own was peaceful. I was happy now, and Brent was nothing more than a bad memory. Settling into single life had been a piece of cake. The thought of disrupting that calm by jumping into dating again terrified me.

  “Just not sure I’m over my hatred of men yet,” I added.

  “Oh, you’re over it.” Roxanna winked a heavily lined eye. “If you thought about feeling-up the creepy pizza delivery guy, you’ve decided to forgive the male gender for Brent’s indiscretions. And it’s about time. I thought maybe you’d decided to become a born again virgin.”

  I laughed. “I didn’t say I’m going to sleep around, just date. Maybe.”

  Roxanna rolled her eyes skyward and let out an exaggerated sigh. “God, that sounds boring. You are going to shrivel up like a prune.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess you could say I have trust issues.”

  When the tears had finally come, I’d cried solid for a good two weeks. I’d been such a mess. If not for Roxanna forcing me out of my bedroom at my parents’ and away from the double fudge ice cream self-therapy, I would be a three hundred pound recluse by now.

  “The good thing about modern women and dating is you don’t have to talk marriage to have sex with him. Things are a lot more progressive these days in the dating arena,” Roxanna assured me. “There’s even this thing called ‘going Dutch’ where you pay for your own meal and ask them to leave after you’ve had an orgasm.”

  “Oh?” I asked, intrigued. No strings anything sounded pretty good.

  “Yes.” Roxanna grinned and waggled her brows suggestively. I hoped it wouldn’t be her new thing. She said, “It’s really very simple.”

  I tilted my head in consideration. There wouldn’t be any trust necessary by “going Dutch”. I had my doubts, though. Nothing was ever as simple as it sounded.

  “I agree with Rox. You need to get out there again, but I don’t agree with the going Dutch part. A man should pay for his date’s meal no matter what. Otherwise, what’s the point of the date?” Lexie crossed her legs to the side of the table.

  “A free meal is always nice, I suppose,” I said.

  “Right, but if you’re going to hit on perverts,” Lexie waved her toothpick at me, “you should probably take care of all that pent up sexual frustration before you end up in a dumpster across the county line.”

  I grimaced. “Good point.”

  “Dating will be fun.” Lexie flashed me an optimistic smile. “Not all men are pigs.”

  Logically, I knew this to be true. Still, I was in no hurry to prove it either way. “Every guy I’ve met so far gives me a headache.”

  “I think you’re still channeling a little leftover rage over that rat bastard ex of yours,” Roxanna said with a laugh.

  “Only a little?” Lexie grinned.

  Roxanna regarded Lexie over the rim of her glass. “Last weekend this guy came up to buy her a drink. You know what she did? She told him she wasn’t interested in man-whores. She turned her back on him before he could respond.”

  “How was I supposed to know the girl sitting with him was his sister?” I asked. “It wasn’t like they were wearing a signs.”

  “A simple ‘hey, who was that girl you were with?’ would have taken care of that,” Roxanna pointed out and Lexie snickered.

  “You know what would make you feel better? A nice one night stand with a beefy guy, someone completely different than Brent.” Roxanna leaned into the table, her eyes sparkling with the idea. “You know, a guy with a personality…someone that screams SEX.”

  “Yes!” Lexie clapped her hands together, her eyes wide as she gazed at Roxanna. “Do you know anyone?”

  “I know lots of guys who fit that ticket. And I know one who’s dying to meet you, too,” Roxanna told me. She waved her hand to flag down a waitress and called out to the woman, “We’re going to need some tequila shots over here. My friend’s getting laid.”

  The waitress smiled pink-glossed lips. “In that case, I’ll bring you two rounds, one on the house.”

  “God, I love this place,” Roxanna said, ignoring my glare as the waitress hurried away to get our order. The entire bar, consisting of two small open rooms, had heard.

  “I’ll think about it,” I said.

  Roxanna shook her head. “No time for thinking. No friend of mine hits on the pervert pizza delivery guy. It’s time for drastic measures.”

  Drastic measures were Roxanna’s specialty. I still remembered the day I met her, clear back in grade school. One day, Lexie and I were riding our
bikes to the park when a pink scooter zipped out in front of us, and we’d landed in a pile of scrapes and bruises along the edge of the sidewalk. After untangling ourselves, we’d gone head to head with a sassy girl wearing a designer sun dress and sparkly sandals, her black hair tied up into pig tails with frilly ribbons.

  I demanded she apologize because I knew I’d have to hear about the bruise on Lexie’s knee for at least a week. Roxanna had tilted her head with a pout, and reached for her studded hand bag resting in a pink basket on the front of her scooter. She’d asked how much it would cost for our silence, and then proceeded to invite us to her house to swim in her new pool. She’d also tossed in a manicure party if we promised not to hate her forever, pinkie-swear with sugar on top. The whole experience had been bizarre, but we’d followed our new friend and her pink scooter down the street anyway.

  We’d been best friends ever since.

  “The whole dating thing, I’m not giving you a choice in the matter. It’s a necessity now.” Lexie paused for dramatic effect, waving her hand in the air. The light reflected off a ring on her finger—a huge diamond I hadn’t seen until now. Had she slipped it on sometime between Roxanna announcing me getting laid to the bar and me reminiscing about our friendship? There was no way she’d been wearing it all night. I wouldn’t have missed a rock that size.

  “Holy crap,” Roxanna breathed.

  Lexie beamed. “I’m getting married and you, dear sister, need a date for the engagement party.”

  I grabbed her hand, nearly dragging Lexie on top of the table. “That thing is huge!”

  “Ouch. Jeez, Gen,” Lexie said, grasping the table with her free hand.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, but I didn’t let go. It was the biggest rock I’d ever seen. In person, anyway. Jeremy Buchanan could afford it; his family was loaded. His grandfather had just donated a wing to the family alma mater, his great-grandfather had been a Senator, and his great-great-grandfather a decorated war hero who jumped into a career in politics. They were the blue bloods of Nebraska and his parents never missed a chance to point it out at a cocktail party.

  “You’ll get an arm cramp carrying that rock around.” I let her hand go.

  Lexie squealed and raised her hand to admire the diamond under the soft lamp light over the table. “He proposed last night.”

  “You waited to tell me?” I frowned in disappointment and eyed the ring. A year ago my twin and I had discussed the possibility of a double wedding, even a double honeymoon. Brent and Jeremy were best friends, and as twins who’d done everything together since birth, a double wedding sounded fun. Perfect, really.

  And now, Lexie had moved on to that future while I’d moved on alone.

  “I didn’t want to tell you over the phone, silly. You’re my person.” She reached out to squeeze my hand resting on the table. When she let go, she wiggled her fingers to flash the diamond. “I wanted to be able to celebrate with you.”

  When I didn’t say anything, my eyes riveted on the rock, Lexie said, “This is when you jump up and down and be excited for me.”

  I snapped out of my stupor and stood to yank Lexie into my arms, pressing my cheek against her soft hair. It smelled of her favorite cherry blossom body spray. I smiled and squeezed her in my arms. “I’m very happy for you, Lex.”

  Roxanna joined the hug, putting her arms around us both. “I’m your person, too!”

  Lexie laughed and broke out of our embrace. Adjusting her blouse, she said, “I know. That’s why you’re here celebrating with liquor.” The waitress set down the tequila shots and Lexie grimaced. “I’m going to have a headache tomorrow.”

  Roxanna scooted two shot glasses toward Lexie, the liquid inside sloshing around, a little spilling on the scarred wood table. She gestured to Lexie’s ring. “Seriously, Jeremy is such a show off. If I were interested in the whole marriage debacle, I’d be insanely jealous right now.”

  “When you meet the right guy and fall in love, you’ll change your mind about marriage.” Lexie wore a wistful expression. “The wedding will be perfect.”

  “You’ve been imagining your fairytale wedding since we were seven years old, so I’m sure you’re right.” I smiled, then knocked back a shot of tequila. I bit down on a wedge of lime and cringed as the sour juice flooded my mouth. “You were such a wedding Nazi back then and you never let me be the bride. I think we had that wedding march perfected even before Roxanna came around.”

  “She’s just lucky I never wanted to play the bride,” Roxanna winked. “When’s the wedding?”

  “Early next spring. I’m hoping Jeremy will want to have the wedding and reception at the vineyard. Can you imagine? It’ll be gorgeous!” Lexie crossed her legs and leaned into the table, her eyes sobering as she lost her smile. “The engagement party is less than three months from now. At the country club.”

  Reality set in like dead weight on the bottom of my stomach. I knew what country club she meant—the one where both Jeremy’s parents and Brent’s parents were members. The one where Brent was a member. The thought of having to fake nice around him in a room full of his close friends and family made the contents of my stomach curdle.

  I couldn’t catch a break.

  And then another queasy thought occurred.

  “Oh God,” I breathed. “Please tell me I’m not the maid of honor and Brent’s not the best man, Lexie.”

  The answer was just as obvious as the worry wrinkle between Lexie’s eyebrows. I was probably wearing an identical wrinkle between my own brows.

  “Oh crap,” I muttered and clenched my jaw together.

  “You’re over him, remember?” Lexie’s tone lacked conviction. “It’s going to be fine.”

  “Of course I’m over him. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t mind hitting him with a bat. Better yet, never seeing him ever again for the rest of my life has a nice ring to it.” I sounded pouty and I was. The whole purpose of avoiding any place Brent hung out was never to see him again. I’d always known Jeremy and Lexie were headed for a big fancy wedding, but I thought there’d at least be another year to get over wanting to strangle my weasel-of-an-ex-boyfriend.

  Lexie shifted uncomfortably in her chair while I knocked back my second tequila shot. She said, “You’ll be bringing your own date to the wedding, so seeing him again won’t be a big deal.”

  “Um, except there’s a huge problem,” I said and went for one of Lexie’s tequila shots. Roxanna had taken both of hers already, so she didn’t have one for me to steal. “I don’t have a boyfriend, or even a semi-boyfriend, or even a boy who is just a friend that I can take.”

  The thought of getting out the old yearbook and beg guys I hadn’t seen in years to be my pity date made me want to throw up all over Lexie’s pretty shoes.

  “That’s why, as of today, you are officially dating again,” Roxanna said and stole Lexie’s remaining tequila shot. She clinked the shot glass I held in my hand and we both knocked the drinks back. I didn’t even cringe this time—the bite had worn off. I would be the one with a hangover tomorrow, not Lexie.

  “Is he bringing Stripper Barbie?” An image of Brent’s slut girlfriend flashed into my mind. I gagged as I pictured her the way I’d seen her last; all dark roots and silicon boobs bouncing as she rode him reverse cowboy. “Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Yeah, she’ll be there.” Lexie covered my hand with hers. “I’m sorry. I told Jeremy to find a new Best Man, but you know how those two are attached at the hip. And both of their parents would throw a fit if Brent wasn’t in the wedding.”

  I did know. Brent and Jeremy’s friendship was the reason I’d met Brent in the first place. I should have followed my instincts back then and ignored his advances. If I had, he wouldn’t be my ex. He wouldn’t be anything. Just the guy with the cheesy pick-up lines I’d laughed about with Roxanna. And I wouldn’t have been witness to his cheating performance. Lucky me.

  There was nothing left to drink on the table—Roxanna and I had finished eve
rything off. The neighboring table had four full, frothy drinks. The jabbering women, all suits and closed-toe heels, probably wouldn’t even notice if I snuck one and downed it. Something told me I needed it more than they did anyway. They were all laughing. Probably, their ex hadn’t cheated with Stripper Barbie.

  “How the hell are we going to find you Mr. Perfect before the engagement party?” Roxanna asked, and I turned to face her. She whipped out her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts. “You really didn’t give us much time, Lex.”

  “But you said you know lots of guys Gen can date,” Lexie reminded her. She took a twenty dollar bill out of her wallet and set it on the table, giving me an apologetic smile. “I’ll buy your next drink.”

  “My next drink? As in one?” I frowned at my empty glass. “You owe me more than one now that you’re forcing this reunion with Brent on me.”

  She nodded. “The next three. Now, promise me you won’t be mad when I tell you the next part.” Lexie’s eyes pleaded with me, making my chest tighten. Whatever my twin had to say, it wouldn’t be pleasant.

  “I’m not promising anything. Spit it out.” I pinched my lips together and braced myself for whatever it was that would probably ruin the rest of my night.

  As if it could get any worse!

  “Well, I called Cat and she said—”

  “Wait a second,” I interrupted Lexie. “Cat knew about your engagement before me?”

  “She wouldn’t care that I told her over the phone,” Lexie explained. She recrossed her legs and gave me her be-reasonable-look. She looked a lot like our older sister right then. “Just hear me out.”

  “This ought to be interesting,” Roxanna mused, and Lexie narrowed her eyes.

  “You aren’t helping,” Lexie chastised, then turned her attention back to me. “Catherine and Mom are concerned that you are still in love with Brent—”

  “Are you serious?” I shrieked. A few faces turned towards us so I lowered my voice. “What the hell gave them that idea?”