by Laura Ann
Wren was right. Dr. Jason Carter was as handsome as they came and über successful. Lane and he had unexpectedly become friends when they had both assisted in a trauma together and Lane had been instrumental in saving the young man’s life.
There had been a few times when Lane thought a bit more might be developing between them, but the thought had scared her enough to help Lane keep just enough distance between them that he wouldn’t read anything into their friendship. Lane’s heart had belonged to someone else ever since she was a young girl, and although she found Dr. Carter handsome and charismatic, she wasn’t capable of anything more.
However, tonight she felt betrayed. Jason had agreed over a month ago to take her to the ball and being ditched for another woman felt harsh, even if Lane didn’t have romantic feelings for him, their friendship should have been enough to have him keeping his word.
“I’ve got it!” Wren shouted, jerking Lane from her wandering thoughts.
“Got what?”
“I know who you can take to the ball,” Wren said with a wide smile.
Lane frowned. “Really? Who is it?”
Wren just kept grinning, not answering Lane’s question.
After putting her scarf on the hook, Lane folded her arms and stared her friend down. “‘Fess up, Little Bird.” She grinned when Wren scowled at the nickname. That was the great thing about being friends since they were eight, Lane could get away with stuff others couldn’t. “I’m not going with someone I don’t know, so you better just tell me now.”
Wren waved her hand in a dismissive movement. “Oh, you know him.” She waggled her eyebrows. “In fact you know him all too well. We’ll make sure this dance is a night you’ll never forget.”
A lead balloon dropped in Lane stomach. “Who, Wren?” Lane asked in a shaky voice. “Please just tell me. You know I don’t do well with surprises.”
Wren grinned and turned back to the dinner she was cooking. “You’ll like this one!” she sang.
“Who the heck do we both know that you could get for me to go with?”
Wren laughed and did a little shimmy, but didn’t answer.
“Wreeeeennnn....” Lane drew her friend’s name out. “Please just tell me your idea.”
“Not happening,” Wren said. After tapping her spoon on the side of the pot, she set it down and turned around. “Lane, we’ve been friends for forever, so you’re just going to have to trust that I’m not setting you up with someone you would hate. I know you and I know what you like, so just leave it at that. And besides, I don’t even know if the guy is available, so why don’t you chill and I’ll go make a phone call.”
“You have his number?” Lane frowned. “Did he go to our school?”
“Maybe,” Wren chirped, shutting off the stove and pulling her phone out of her back pocket.
“I can’t think of a single guy we graduated with that I would want to go with,” Lane mumbled, watching Wren head for the front door.
“You’re looking for a fake-boyfriend, Lane. I don’t think we get to be picky at this point.”
Too bad that guy I really want to go with isn’t available, Lane whined internally. At least not for me. The prick in her heart that always accompanied thoughts of the man she adored, hit Lane in the chest. She had given away her heart many years ago, never to find it again. However, the man she had given it to had no idea what he held, and no interest in figuring it out.
Frustrated at her lack of ability to move on and find happiness with someone else, Lane suddenly threw up her hands. “Fine! Call this mystery man. We both know I’m desperate and as you like to say, desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ll go with whoever you can find.”
Wren grinned and opened the door. “Just hold that thought, Girlie and it’ll all work out.”
PIERCE’S PHONE BUZZED where it was strapped to his arm, but he ignored it. Sweat slicked down his temples, and he was huffing as he came to the last mile of his run. Four down, one to go. He prepared to pick up his pace when the phone went off again.
“Geez,” he muttered, slowing to a stop then grabbing the device. He huffed when he saw it was Wren, his little sister. “What does the drama queen want now?”
Pierce punched the button to call her back.
“Hey, Big Bro!” Wren shouted and Pierce had to pull the phone away from his ear.
“Hey, yourself,” he panted. “What did you need?”
“Straight to the point, I see,” Wren stated with sarcasm dripping from her tone.
“I was in the middle of a run, Wren. I only stopped because it was you, so what is it?” He wiped his forehead on the sleeve of his shirt and grimaced at the now soggy sleeve.
“I need a favor.”
Pierce frowned. “What kind of favor? Are you in trouble?”
A scoff came across the line. “Why would I be in trouble?”
Pierce smirked. “I don’t know. Maybe something happened with one of your precious plays? Does Prince Charming need lessons in being charming?” He could practically hear her eye roll and Pierce had to keep from snickering over the line.
Wren was a middle school drama teacher, which was perfect for her over-the-top personality, but it also made her easy to tease.
“I’m thinking it might be you who needs the lessons, you Bozo,” Wren shot back. “Especially for what I’ve called you for.”
“Alright, lay it on me, Sis. What do you need?” Pierce walked to the side of the trail and pulled his foot back and up with his free hand, creating a pull in his quad. If he wasn’t going to keep running, he might as well stretch while his muscles were warm.
“I need you to go come home and go to the Christmas Ball.”
Pierce’s heart nearly stopped before he began sputtering. “Are you kidding me? We’re brother and sister. Don’t you think that’ll look weird?”
“Not with me!” she screeched.
Pierce shook his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears before putting the phone back on his ear. “Well, you could have started with that. Who did you want me to go with?”
There was silence on the other end of the line and it made Pierce nervous.
“Wren? Tell me now or I won’t even think about coming.”
She huffed. “I need you to take Lane.”
Pierce felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs. Lane... Her dark brown hair and bright green eyes flashed through his mind. She and Wren had been joined at the hip since they were tiny, but Pierce had never been able to figure out why. Wren was loud and dramatic, where Lane was practical and introverted.
She’s also sweet, kind, beautiful and completely off limits, he reminded himself.
“Pierce? Did you hear me?”
“Yeah,” he choked out, then cleared his throat. “I don’t know Wren, I’m not sure this is-”
“Listen. I know you’ve had a crush on her for forever, so don’t even try to deny it,” Wren said softly, her voice uncharacteristically serious.
Pierce’s eyes bugged out, and he nearly choked again.
“But, this is the perfect set up don’t you think? She needs a date, and you’re saving her by being available! What more could you ask for?” Wren chuckled. “Oh, and you should know that I totally give you my permission.”
“For what?” he rasped, still trying to process everything Wren was throwing at him. He had been staying away from Lane for years, why would Wren suddenly shove them together?
Pierce had been three years ahead of the girls, which is why he had never given his sister’s tagalong a second thought. He was a senior when they came into their freshmen year and he was too cool and grown up to pay attention to the little girls.
However, that all changed only two years later. Pierce came home for Christmas during the middle of his sophomore year at college and suddenly they weren’t little girls anymore. Lane had developed in all the right places and Pierce had felt as if he’d been knocked in the head with a hammer.
Since Lane was an on
ly child and both of her parents worked, Wren and she had spent most of their time at the Maxwell household, where there was always something going on.
That Christmas, Pierce had seen far too much of the beauty Lane was becoming and it had done funny stuff to his equilibrium. She was way too young for him to want to kiss and hold, and he hadn’t known what to do with those feelings, so like any logical male with any sense of self-preservation, he had run.
Instead of playing games and teasing them about boys like he usually did, Pierce had stayed away, claiming he was too grown up to deal with their young antics any longer. He could tell the girls had been hurt by his disinterest, but there was no getting around it.
It was either stay away, or end up doing something he would regret. He had gone back to school and thrown himself into getting through his classes, dating like crazy in his spare time to try and get the lovely brunette out of his mind. Unfortunately, it hadn’t worked. Much to his dismay, Lane had already taken up root and there were far too many memories with her to wipe them out completely.
“To date her. Isn’t that why you’ve stopped coming home? Because she was your little sister’s best friend? I mean, I have to admit, in high school I probably wouldn’t have gone for it, it would have been too weird... and gross. Thinking of you with anyone was gro-”
“Wren!” Pierce interrupted her long-winded speech. “It doesn’t matter if you give me permission, I can’t do it.”
“Well, why not?”
Pierce sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Knowing you don’t mind is all well and good, but Lane is... she’s... she’s way too good for me. She’s sweet and kind and I’m the class clown. Not to mention, I know full well you talked about me being a player in college. Who knows what kind of junk she believes? Lane probably thinks I’m a total jerk. There’s no way she’d ever consider me as anything other than just your brother.”
“Oh, Pierce.” Wren started laughing hysterically.
“What’s so funny?” Pierce growled, his free hand clenching into a fist that wanted to wring his sister’s neck. Here he had just laid his heart out and she was laughing at him.
“My dear, dear brother. I don’t know how you missed it, but you should know that Lane has been in love with you since we were both in braces in seventh grade.”
Pierce froze. There’s no way. Is there? “You can’t be serious?”
“As a heart attack,” Wren shot back.
“H-how? I mean, why would she...?” His voice trailed off. Pierce couldn’t even begin to fathom the fact that Lane would think of him as anything other than a dorky, older brother.
“I don’t know if you remember that far back...”
Pierce snorted at Wren’s teasing.
“But you actually used to treat us like equals. Every time you played a game with us or told us ghost stories, Lane’s eyes would get all dreamy and glazed over. It was so obvious that she liked you.”
“Maybe so, but that was years ago. How can you be sure that she still feels that way now?” He pushed a frustrated hand through his sweaty hair. “Especially after I pushed you both away?”
Wren sighed. “I’m assuming that was because you suddenly didn’t see her as a little sister anymore, huh?”
Pierce didn’t answer, which he knew was answer enough.
“That’s what I thought. Ha!” Wren barked. “And you people think I’m oblivious.”
“Wren,” Pierce growled. “Can you just get on with it?”
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, Lane was so depressed after you stopped spending time with us, like for months, she barely spoke. I was totally ready to wring your neck, but you never came home long enough for me to do anything.”
Pierce winced as he thought of hurting Lane. But she was so young, what was I supposed to do?
“I get why you did it, but still, she was heartbroken, a dead giveaway. But even now, she’s never had a serious boyfriend in all the years since we graduated.”
Pierce’s jaw flopped open. “Never? It’s been what... nine or ten years.”
“I know. But that’s just one more clear sign that she’s still in love with you, ya Doofus. If she was over you, she could have probably been married by now. Only an idiot would let her sit this long. Girls like Lane are way too sweet not to be snatched up quickly.”
“Yeah, unlike their dramatic counterparts,” Pierce shot back.
Wren ignored his dig. “So... you up for the challenge?”
Pierce’s mind was in turmoil. He’d been pushing the idea of Lane back for so long he wasn’t sure what to think. Do I go for it? What if Wren’s wrong? He took a deep breath. Maybe this is for the best, anyway. If Lane rejects me, then I can at least move on. And if she doesn’t... A slow grin crept across his face as he thought of stealing the kiss he had been dreaming about for so long.
“Just tell me when and where, Little Bird.”
CHAPTER 2
“I don’t understand why you won’t just tell me!” Lane moaned in frustration. She looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. Her lips were pinched so tightly they formed a thin white line and wrinkles were spread across her forehead from the scowl she was sporting.
“Because it’s more fun this way!” Wren shouted back. Lane’s roommate poked her head in the bathroom door, her own hair up in hot curlers. “Just think of it as a Christmas surprise!” Wren said with a smirk.
“You seem awfully confident that I’m going to like this surprise,” Lane grumbled, wrapping her curling iron around another section of hair.
“That’s because I know you,” Wren stated easily. She stepped into the bathroom. “Now, scoot over, Girlie. I need the mirror too.”
“Would serve you right if I locked the door,” Lane mumbled.
“You’re so cute when you’re frustrated,” Wren chortled.
Lane rolled her eyes and tried not to smile. Truth was, their banter was helping calm her nerves. Tonight was the big dance, but Wren had refused to tell her who was going to be her date.
“It’ll be epic,” is all her roommate would say.
Epic my foot, Lane thought. I don’t do well with surprises. What if he’s a total jerk? Or hates the way I look? How in the world is he supposed to be my fake boyfriend if I don’t even know him?
“I can see your brain working over there,” Wren garbled through a mouthful of pins. “You might as well chill. I told you it’ll all work out.”
“Yeah, but your version of things working out isn’t always my version of things working out.”
Wren huffed. “You’re going to love this. Just trust me.”
“Whatever,” Lane muttered. She knew if she didn’t get a hold of herself, she would probably have an anxiety attack before ever arriving at the ball. Forcing her thoughts in another direction, Lane asked, “you never told me who your date was either.” She frowned. “Is that supposed to be a surprise as well?”
Wren grimaced. “Nooo... not exactly.”
Lane waited, but her friend didn’t continue. “What does that mean?”
Wren growled. “It means I’m embarrassed about my date and didn’t want you to say anything.”
“Ouch,” Lane said softly. “Am I really that bad?”
Wren deflated. “No. Sorry. That came out all wrong. I just... I’m not happy with who I got, and I didn’t want to tell anyone. I know you won’t care who I go with.”
“Now you’ve got me worried. Who is it?”
Wren mumbled something under her breath.
What? Lane put down the curling iron. “I can’t understand you.”
Wren rolled her eyes and huffed. “Silas! Okay? I’m going with Silas!”
Lane’s eyes widened, and she had to hold in a snort. “Are you serious?” she sputtered.
“See?” Wren threw up an arm. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you!”
Lane put both hands in the air. “Okay, okay. Calm down. I’m just surprised, is all. You’ve always hated Silas, so excuse me for being shocked that
you would take him as your fake boyfriend to our reunion.”
Wren’s face crumbled, and she sat on the top of the toilet seat. “I know. Sorry.”
“Hey...” Lane crouched in front of her roomie. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I couldn’t find anyone else,” Wren whispered, wiping a single tear from her cheek. “All the guys at work are either married or way too old. I refuse to take a grandpa to the dance.”
Lane’s lip curled into a smile. “Okay. What about what’s his name...” she snapped her fingers, “Troy! You know, from the community theatre?”
Wren made a face. “He’s dating someone.”
“Oh. When did that happen?”
“Like, last month.”
Lane stood. “Huh. What’s with everyone suddenly getting significant others just when we need a fake one?”
“I know, right?” Wren bounced back up, her normally peppy personality back. “So, I was desperate and Silas was the last person on the list of ideas.”
Lane started putting on her mascara. “I get it. No worries. Besides, it’s only one night, right? I’m sure he’s gotten over the crush he had on you in high school, anyway.” Lane bit her lip, but couldn’t stop the next words from coming out. “And his penchant for speaking in Klingon. And his need to be literal in everything he says. And his desire to see how long he can go without showers-”
“I get it! I get it!” Wren put her hand up, then glared at her friend. “If I didn’t like you so much, I’d hate you right now.”
Lane snickered. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” She grinned. “On the plus side, he was kinda cute. I think. And he worshipped the ground you walked on.”
“Hopefully that’s all changed by now,” Wren grumbled, but her face quickly shifted to a mischievous smile. “But as least I know who my date is.”
Lane pointed a finger at Wren. “That is not fair. It’s your fault I don’t know who my date it.”
