“So I like to sleep in on the weekends.” I shrug. “Sue me.”
He motions behind him. “Hey, what happened to your frames?”
I glance around the room and realize how weird it must seem for me to have empty frames hung and set up.
I blush sheepishly. “I, uh…I took their pictures out.”
He laughs some. “No kidding.” I watch as he stands up and looks around. “Why’d you take them out?”
“Zach.” I sigh. “There’s probably something that you should know…”
He whirls around with widened eyes. “What’s wrong? Do Dad and Mom know? Is it school? Are you—”
“It’s nothing serious.” I wave him off. “It’s just that…I’m not dating Blake anymore.”
Well, it’s serious to me.
But to Zach it’s probably only a minor detail.
His serious, concerned look fades into a relieved grin.
“Really? That’s great! You know there was always—” He stops and looks at me in confusion. “Wait, why do you look like you want to cry?”
“I don’t want to cry,” I lie in a light tone. “I’m just, glad…that—we’re…over.”
I feel sick.
I’m lying straight to his face.
“I know the feeling.” He sighs. “You know Christine? The girl I was dating?”
I offer a weak nod, vaguely remembering a blonde with a bad attitude.
“Well, we broke up,” he proudly announces. “Best day of my life.”
I motion to myself. “Sitting right here.”
He waves me off. “The day you were born was the day I lost my freedom.”
I roll my eyes. “You were two.”
He clutches his heart. “And traumatized.”
“More like dramatized,” I mutter as I stand up. “Now get out.”
“Bossy.”
“Annoying.”
“Rude.”
“Meanie.”
“Meanie?” He laughs some. “Really?”
“Yes...really.” I open the door and motion for him to get out. “Leave.”
“All right, all right.” He puts his hands up. “I’ll go.”
I tilt my head up in triumph. “Thought so.”
He sticks his tongue out at me and I do the same to him, then he leaves.
I close and lock the door, then quickly change into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt; after that, I use the restroom and brush my hair before jogging downstairs.
“Morning,” I greet Mom, Dad, and Zach as I walk into the kitchen.
Dad looks up from his newspaper. “Don’t you mean afternoon?”
“Ha-ha,” I match his sarcastic tone before kissing him on the cheek. “It’s not afternoon yet.”
“Morning, Mom,” I say, kissing her cheek too. “What’s for breakfast?”
She sets her coffee mug down. “Banana—”
“Nut muffins,” I finish. “I thought so.”
“So, Britt-Brat,” Zach says as he sits at the nook table. “How ‘bout I beat you in a video game or something today?”
Obviously his competitiveness comes from our mother.
I sit across from him. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Huh?” His eyebrows crease. “Why not?”
I trace the rim of my mug. “I have plans…today.”
Mom and Dad agreed last night at dinner that I could meet Derek’s sisters (well, his parents too).
Of course, I figured Zach would be here later, not early.
“The girls, right?” He grins some. “How are they doing by the way?”
I nod. “They’re fine.”
“But, uh…” I trail off, “no—I have plans with another friend.”
Mom shoots me a glance and I sigh. “A guy friend.” She raises an eyebrow, causing me to clear my throat some. “My boyfriend.”
The last part comes out more like a mumble, and I wonder if Zach even heard me.
“Boyfriend?” he echoes with his eyebrows raised. “When did this happen?”
He did.
“Um.” I swallow. “Not too long ago…”
Zach is used to moving from relationship to relationship, so this really shouldn’t be that shocking for him.
I take a bite out of my muffin.
“When do I meet him?”
Note that he didn’t ask: “When can I meet him?”
I lick my lips. “Uh, I really don’t know.”
“Today?”
“Yeah,” I agree, forcing a smile, “sure…today.”
Why not?
Derek will come pick me up—he can meet Zach and Dad.
Zach will make some “lighthearted” comments about killing Derek if he breaks my heart and Dad will ask him what his next move is after college.
Because college is a necessary step that cannot and will not be overlooked.
So yeah, why not?
It’s a peachy idea.
“So, Zach,” Mom says, turning to him. “How’s Christine?”
Oh boy.
He takes a bite out of his muffin. “Dunno.”
Her eyebrows crease. “You mean you—”
“Yep,” Zach replies with a nod, “we’re over.”
Mom’s shoulders drop.
Even though Zach still has a couple years left of college, she’s been hoping he’ll find the “right girl” and stick with her.
Then after college—they’ll get engaged, married and obtain perfect children.
With a plan like that, what can possibly go wrong?
“And how’s school, Zach?” Dad asks as he folds his newspaper in half. “Going well, I presume?”
Zach shrugs. “As well as can be expected.”
My dad nods, but doesn’t say anything else.
“What happened between you and Christine?” Mom asks, her tone gentle. “Did you guys have a fight?”
“Oh, we fought all right.” He laughs some. “We fought about her.”
“Her?” Mom echoes with creased eyebrows. “What about her?”
Apparently Mom and Dad couldn’t (and still can’t, I guess) see through Christine’s “Beverly Hills” personality and realize that she’s annoying, spoiled and rude as he—
“Her over-clinginess,” Zach drawls, “her trying to make me jealous, her whining.”
I almost chime in, but decide just to take another bite of my muffin and listen.
“I couldn’t take it anymore.” Zach drinks some of his coffee and then sets his mug down. “So I ended it.”
“Is there anyone else you might be interested in?” Mom watches him with a hopeful expression.
Zach swallows his food. “Nope.”
Down goes Mom’s shoulders again and she quietly sips her tea.
“So, Britt…” Zach grabs another muffin. “When’s your boyfriend coming?”
I clear my throat some. “Actually, I, uh…I really don’t know.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “How do you not know?”
“He didn’t give me a specific time.” I shrug. “So…”
And why didn’t he give me a specific time?
Oh, right, he hung up on me.
No—I’m not bitter.
“Well, honey…why don’t you call and ask him?” Mom suggests as she sets her cup down. “That way you know.”
“Like right now?” I ask, hoping that’s not what she means.
She nods. “I don’t see why not.”
“Yeah, okay.” I reluctantly stand up. “I’ll uh…I’ll go call him.”
So I leave the kitchen then go upstairs to my room and grab my cell phone off my nightstand.
I “select” Derek’s number and hold the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” a groggy voice answers after a few rings.
“Uh...” My eyebrows crease. “Is this Derek?”
It doesn’t sound like Derek…
“Yeah,” he drawls, his voice starting to sound more normal, “it’s me, Britt.”
“Oh good.” I let out a
sigh of relief. “I was worried that someone else answered your phone or something.”
“Nope, it’s me.”
“Right…”
“Uh,” he says, sounding more awake, “Britt?”
“Yeah?”
He laughs a little. “Why are you calling me?”
“Oh. Oh!” I run a hand through my hair. “I, uh—you didn’t tell me what time you’re going to pick me up.”
“When do you want me to pick you up?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “How about some time before lunch?”
“Yeah, I guess that’ll work…” he trails off. “I’ll be there in an hour, all right?”
I nod. “All right, and—”
The line goes dead and I scowl. “Annoying…”
I have an hour.
An hour until he comes.
An hour until Dad and Zach meet him.
It’s going to be a long hour.
Chapter 14: What If They Think I’m Blond?!
——————————————————
The doorbell rings and I run to the door. “I got it!”
There’s no way I want Zach or Dad talking to Derek before I can.
I open the door with a breathless, “Hey.”
Derek grins. “Hey, ready to go?”
I immediately shake my head. “No.”
“No?” His eyebrows crease in obvious confusion. “Okay, well—”
“Zach’s here,” I start to explain. “He wants to meet you.”
“Oh,” he replies, now looking serious.
“Oh?” I echo. “Is that a problem?”
It can’t be a problem.
He has to meet Zach.
“No,” he doesn’t hesitate in assuring me. “No problem, that’s fine.”
I nod. “Good.” I step aside, letting him in and then close the door. “Mom, Dad, Zach! Derek’s here!”
They all come into the entryway and I take a deep breath before motioning to Derek. “This is Derek.”
Derek throws up a hand. “Hey.”
He did a better job introducing himself to Mom…
“I’m Zach.” Zach’s hazel eyes lock on to Derek. “Britt’s brother.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Derek nods. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Wish I could say the same.” Zach doesn’t even bother to mask his dry reply.
Ouch.
Point for Zach.
Derek awkwardly looks at me then back at Zach. “Well, um…sorry ‘bout that.”
Zach just nods, still studying him.
“You’ve met Mom already,” I say, trying to keep the ball rolling, and motion to Dad. “This is my dad.”
Derek shakes my dad’s extended hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
Dad offers a curt nod. “Likewise.”
“Well, we probably should get going.” I nudge Derek some. “Right, Derek?”
He looks at me and I nod in encouragement. “Yeah, we have—”
“Bye, guys!” I exclaim as I practically drag Derek out of the house.
“Someone’s an eager beaver,” Derek teases as we walk to his car.
“I’m not being an eager beaver.” I quickly let go of his hand. “If you must know, I was saving your butt!”
The second that the last word comes out, my hands fly to my mouth.
Derek, however, seems amused. “Saving my butt, huh?”
Oh my—why did I just say that?
My face is on fire as I let my hands drop. “No, I—I just meant—ugh!”
I bury my face in my hands instead. “You’re so frustrating!”
Why the heck would I bring up his butt?
“I’m frustrating?” he echoes in disbelief. He tugs my hands away from my face. “Trust me, there are tons of people who are the definition of frustrating.”
“You’re one of them,” I grumble, crossing my arms.
He starts to pout. “Come on, Witty-Britty.”
I let my arms drop to my sides. “I still don’t know how I feel about your nickname for me.”
“Aw,” he coos with a playful grin. “I think it’s cute.”
I wrinkle my nose some. “Come on, let’s go.”
I walk past him and pull on the passenger door handle, but it doesn’t open.
“Britt, it’s locked.”
“No kidding,” I mutter under my breath as he goes around the front of his truck.
“All right, go ahead!”
I sigh as I pull open the door then climb in and close the door before buckling my seatbelt; after that, I watch Derek do the same.
“So,” he drawls as he pulls out of the driveway, “I guess I didn’t hit it off with your dad and Zach as well as I did with your mom, huh?”
“Oh…” I trail off, “I wouldn’t say that. They—”
“Don’t like me,” he finishes, in a rather blunt way. “I’ll work on that.”
I almost tell him not to worry about it, because all of this is fake anyway…but I don’t, it just seems kind of harsh.
I wonder what Blake’s doing right now.
Is he with Sarah?
Or Samantha?
Whatever her name is…
Or is he sleeping in?
Nah, he usually wakes up early.
Maybe he’s jogging, or—
“My family can’t wait to meet you.”
I turn my attention to Derek. “Really?”
He nods. “Yep.”
I smile inwardly, ’cause yay!
They want to meet me!
How sweet.
Wait, what if I’m not what they expect?
What if they think I’m blond?!
Not that being blond is a bad thing, but I just happen to be fond of my chocolate locks. And if they—
“They’re going to love you.”
My eyes widen at his words. Oh crap.
Please tell me I didn’t just say all of that out loud.
I force myself to look at him. “What—what makes you say that?”
“Anxious and worried is written all over your face.”
“Oh!” I laugh some in relief. “Yeah, um, I guess I am a little anxious…and worried.”
And obsessed with overthinking…
“Don’t be, like I said…” He glances at me. “They’re going to love you.”
I lean my head back against the seat’s headrest. “I hope you’re right.”
“I’m always right,” he replies in a way too smug tone.
I roll my eyes at that. “I never realized how cocky you are.”
He shrugs. “Maybe you just weren’t paying attention.”
“Yeah, maybe…”
It’s a possibility. As terrible as it sounds, I never really paid too much mind toward Derek.
Even though, he is my boyfriend’s best friend.
Was.
Is?
Well, Blake’s technically my ex, so Derek’s technically not my boyfriend’s best friend…technically.
But, my mind isn’t “technical,” so…Blake is still my boyfriend.
And Derek is my boyfriend’s best friend.
As well as my—fake…boyfriend.
I mentally groan. What have I done?
How did my life fall apart and get this confusing so fast?
It’s ridiculous!
“So…about my family, uh—” He chuckles a little. “They’re kind of blunt.”
I laugh some. “Most families are.”
“Yeah, well…” he trails off, “they’re at the top of the list.”
My smile fades at that.
Oh no.
How blunt are they?
What if they—
“We’re here.”
My eyes widen as we pull into the driveway of a white two-story house.
We’re here?
We’re here.
We can’t be here!
Why am I so flippin’ nervous?
“You getting out or what?”
> I look at Derek, who’s unbuckling his seatbelt and I do the same. “Yeah, of course.”
I open the car door, then step down and shut the door.
“Relax, Britt,” I mutter, wrapping my arms around myself. “It’s no big deal.”
“You okay?”
I look up to see Derek studying me with concern. “Yeah…I’m fine.”
He smiles and drapes his arm over my shoulders, then leads me up the house’s walkway.
I can’t stop myself from fidgeting with my fingers as he reaches to turn the doorknob.
Breathe, Britt…breathe.
“Don’t worry.” Blake kissed the top of my head. “You’ll be fine.”
I shut my eyes at the memory.
Now’s not the—
“Derek!” a light voice exclaims.
My eyes shoot open and I see the voice’s owner standing in the doorway; with shoulder-length curly brown hair, blue-green eyes, and she’s probably around…thirteen?
Don’t hate on me.
“Hey, Mads.” Derek grins. “This is Brittany.”
This is Madison.
Okay, right.
Madison, the younger sister…
Madison’s eyes light up. “Wow, you’re even prettier than—”
Derek clamps a hand over her mouth. “Maddles, why don’t you go tell everyone that we’re here?”
Madison looks at me then at Derek and nods.
“Good.” He moves his hand away. “Go on.”
She rolls her eyes at him and then goes back inside.
Derek leads me inside and I look around…taking in the light blue drapes, the piano, a—the next thing I know, I’m on the floor.
I’m on the floor and I’m being licked unmercifully by a huge gold-colored dog…also known as a golden retriever.
“Whoa—easy, Duke,” Derek says as he pulls “Duke” away, well…tries to anyway. “Come on, boy.”
Someone get him off, please?
I don’t mind dogs, but his paws are digging into my stomach and his tongue is—
“Maddles!” Derek hollers, still trying to pull him off. “Madison!”
“All right!” I hear her snap. “Come here, Duke!”
And just like that, he’s off me—Madison is now considered a dog whisperer in my eyes.
I take Derek’s extended hands, letting him pull me up and then I dust myself off to realize that I’m covered in dog slobber.
So much for a good first impression…
Gross.
Derek winces. “Sorry, Britt.”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s, uh—it’s fine.”
I mean, it’s not Duke’s fault…he’s a dog, that’s what they do.
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