Boobs: Yes.
Ivy: Steak. On the grill.
Boobs: I’ll be there! What time?
Ivy: 12:30
Boobs: Sounds like a plan.
Ivy: Bring your manners and your charm.
Boobs: I wouldn’t come with anything less. See you soon.
Ivy: Bye
Boobs: (Kissy face emoji)
I looked at the kiss he’d blown me over the phone screen and laid back down on my bed. I probably wouldn’t be getting any more kisses today. Not with the whole family around. Maybe we could sneak away for a bit. Hopefully my brother didn’t scare Andy off. Mom and Dad would be cool, but Nate would give him the third degree. Nathan was hard to impress, but if Andy could earn Nate’s approval, that meant he was a keeper. And I hoped he passed the test, because I planned on keeping him anyway.
The doorbell rang at exactly twelve thirty. “I’ll get it!” I yelled from my bedroom as I jumped from my bed and ran downstairs. My request was ignored. I entered the foyer to find Mom, Dad, Nathan, and Candice hovering by the open front door.
“Ok, you vultures, back off,” I warned, pushing my way through the crowd. Andy didn’t seem too bothered by the overzealous welcome committee. He was in a pair of jeans, and, surprisingly, a Franklin High School Golf T-shirt. He was holding a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers.
“Are those for me?” I asked, surprised.
“Actually, they’re for your mother.” He smiled and reached past me to hand them to Mom. “Thanks for having me over today, Mrs. Nixon.”
“Thank you, Andy. How sweet. You didn’t have to do that,” Mom cooed.
Andy chuckled. “Oh, but I did. My mom lectured me for five minutes before I left about the importance of bringing your hostess a gift. I plucked them from her garden on the way out.” He winked at mom, and she giggled like a teenage girl.
“Well, they’re beautiful,” she complimented, then stuck out her hand.”And please, call me Karen. This is Ivy’s father, Bill.”
Dad also shook Andy’s hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said.
“Likewise, sir.”
Mom continued the introductions. “This is Ivy’s brother, Nathan, and his wife, Candice.” Everyone finished saying hello and shaking hands, then stood there in the foyer looking all goofy and awkward. If we kept this up, I wouldn’t need to worry about our relationship status. Andy would hightail it out of here and never come back.
“All right, people.” I sighed. “It’s not like I’ve never had a friend over before. Can we all stop acting like weirdos? Mom, why don’t you go put the flowers in some water?”
“Good idea.” Mom blushed and hurried into the kitchen.
Nathan couldn’t help teasing me. “Come on now, Ivy. Can you blame us? It’s been a while since you’ve brought a boyfriend home.”
If looks could kill, Nate would be a dead man right now. I shot him a death glare, silently warning him to shut his trap. He only chuckled. Luckily, Candice had my back. She was a good sister-in-law.
“Nathan Nixon,” she scolded, “cut that out right now.” Then Candice looked at Andy apologetically. “Don’t mind him. It’s his goal in life to embarrass his little sister.” She stood behind Nathan and started pushing him toward the kitchen. “We need to go check on the steaks.”
“Sorry, Andy, duty calls. We’ll chat later,” Nate said with a devilish grin.
“Sounds good,” Andy responded coolly.
Once we were alone, I faced Andy and rolled my eyes. “Sorry about that. I should have warned you about Nate. He’s kind of a pain. Likes to grill any boy I bring home, whether we’re dating or not. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him you were my boyfriend. He came to that conclusion all on his own. Feel free to correct him later when you two have your talk.”
Andy cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Do you want me to correct him?” he asked.
I tried to hide my shock. “Do you want to correct him?” I asked in return.
Andy appraised me momentarily before pursing his lips and shrugging his shoulders. “Hmm” was all he said before changing the subject. That wasn’t helpful. What did that even mean?
“So, are we going to hang out in the foyer all afternoon?” Andy asked casually, then wandered into the kitchen. “Do you need any help in here, Mrs. Nixon?”
“No, I think I’m good. And really, Andy, it’s Karen, please. Mrs. Nixon makes me feel old. Plus, you’re probably almost an adult anyway, right?”
“That’s what my mom always says.” Andy smiled. “And yes, I turned eighteen in December.”
“How come I didn’t know that?” I interrupted.
“I don’t know. You never asked.”
I grabbed a soda from the fridge and handed one to Andy. I popped it open and took a big drink before continuing. “My birthday’s in December, too. What day are you on?”
“The fourth,” he answered.
I choked on my drink before sputtering, “No way! I’m on the fourth, too! Wait a second, are you pulling my leg?”
“No, honest. My birthday is December fourth.”
“Huh. What a small world. No wonder we get along so well.” I grinned and bumped his hip with mine. “I wonder who’s older? Do you know what time you were born?”
“Not a clue.” Andy frowned. “I’ll have to find out. Do you know what time you were born?”
I looked at my mother expectantly. “Mom?”
“It was right around ten in the morning, I think. I’d have to look at your birth certificate to be sure, though. It was a long night.”
“Crazy.” I shook my head. “Is it weird if I hope that I’m older than you?”
“Always the competitor.” My mom laughed. “She can never leave well enough alone. She’s got to be improving things or winning things or proving herself to someone.”
“Is that so?” Andy mused. “I hadn’t noticed.” His tone said that he had noticed. “So, it wouldn’t be uncharacteristic of Ivy to rope someone into participating in an activity they weren’t interested in? Or maybe give someone an unsolicited makeover, even if that person was perfectly acceptable the way they were?”
“Ha,” Nate snipped as he walked through the back door and grabbed a stack of plates off the counter. “You should have seen what she tried to do to Lilly in tenth grade.”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal,” I countered. “I just thought that if she dressed a little more normally, people wouldn’t think she was so strange. I was trying to help.”
“Well, it didn’t suit her,” Nate argued. “All of her quirks are what make Lilly so likable.”
“It’s not like it lasted more than three days,” I grumbled.
“So, Andy, it sounds as if you’re speaking from experience?” Nate prodded.
“You could say that.” Andy quipped good-naturedly.
Mom smiled. “And what activity has she roped you into?”
I spoke up to defend myself. “It’s the senior class date auction, and I didn’t rope him into it. I was desperate for a final volunteer, and he kindly agreed to help. I gave him a chance to back out if he wanted.”
“Let me guess,” Nate cut in, snickering. “He could back out, but at great inconvenience or humiliation to you?”
I threw my hands on my hips and pouted. “Wait,” Nate said as he waved his hand around my face. “I bet there was some of that going on, too, wasn’t there? Ivy’s really good at getting her way when she pouts.”
Andy laughed. “There was definitely pouting. And begging and groveling, if I recall correctly.”
“What is this? Pick on Ivy day?” I frowned. “I don’t recall you complaining during the pedicure portion of the makeover.”
“That was the dirtiest trick of all,” Andy countered. “How can I say no to something while watching ESPN from a massage chair and getting my feet rubbed?”
Nate interrupted. “Wait. Is that what all pedicures are like? That doesn’t sound girly at all. Sounds pretty sweet, actually.”
“I
t was,” Andy agreed.
“Hey, baby,” Nate called out to Candice on the patio, “can we stop for a pedicure on the way home today?”
Candice wandered into the kitchen with a questioning look. “Umm, sure. Once you tell me where my real husband is and what you’ve done with him.”
“Andy says pedicures are the bomb.”
“I like you.” Candice grinned at Andy before taking the plates from Nathan’s hands and heading back outside.
“Well, Andy, I hope Ivy has thanked you properly for agreeing to help her out,” Mom stated.
“Yes, Ivy,” Nate mimicked Mom’s voice, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively. Mom couldn’t see his face, but Andy and I could. “Have you thanked Andy properly?”
Andy’s face turned bright red, and I ran around the kitchen island to smack my brother. Luckily, he was saved from being beaten to death by the dinner bell.
“Lunch is ready.” Dad called from the back porch.
We all headed outside and sat on the patio. Only in Florida can you dine al fresco in January. The temperature was in the mid-seventies again. Lunch was nice, and Nathan behaved himself. My parents asked Andy lots of questions. His plans for after graduation seemed to be of the biggest concern. Once Dad found out Andy was on the golf team, he was a fan. Dad loves to golf, even though he doesn’t get to go very often. The meal had been surprisingly free of embarrassment. I was beginning to think I was safe until we started clearing the table.
“Nathan, would you help me with the dishes, please?” my mom asked.
“No, but Ivy will,” he volunteered. “I was about to take Andy down by the pool for a little chat.” Nate smirked at me.
“Andy, you do not have to chat with Nate. As a matter of fact, I forbid it.”
“I don’t mind,” Andy reassured me, then looked at my brother. “Maybe I can get some pointers. My sister’s fourteen. I’m sure I’ll be needing to have my own chats pretty soon.”
“Good man.” Nate clapped Andy on the back and led him away.
I walked to the sink to help with the dishes, but that obstructed my view of the pool through the back door. After a few minutes of uselessness, my mother sighed. “You aren’t going to be very helpful, are you?” she asked.
“Would you be?” I asked her sarcastically.
“Fine, go spy from the family room.” She dismissed me, and I took off.
I sat on the couch, watching Andy and Nate. They were facing each other on lounge chairs. I couldn’t hear a thing they were saying. I could barely see their lips. They looked fine, though. I mean, Andy didn’t look scared or humiliated, and Nate didn’t look too threatening.
After a few minutes, Nate said something, and Andy’s eyes got really big. He coughed into his hand and took a second before responding. Then…nothing. I watched as Nate stared at Andy, an unreadable look on his face. Andy, on the other hand, looked super uncomfortable. Oh, no. This was bad. I was about to run out the door to Andy’s rescue when Nate doubled over in laughter and slapped Andy on the knee. Andy wasn’t laughing, but at least he didn’t look awkward anymore. I rushed out the door to the pool.
“Ok, that’s enough torture,” I demanded, grabbing Andy by the hand and pulling him up from the chair.
“Geez, little sis. I wasn’t torturing him. We were just talking about guy stuff. But I’ve learned all I need to, you can have him back now.” Nate turned to Andy and offered him a hand. Andy reached out and shook it. “Nice chatting with you, Andy. You’re all right. Hopefully we’ll see you around more.” Nate grinned.
“Same here,” Andy called over his shoulder as I dragged him away from my brother and walked him to the swing in the corner of the yard.
“Sit,” I instructed, and Andy complied. I towered over him, hands on my hips, ready for an inquisition. “Ok, what was that all about? What did he say to you? Was he horrible? Do I need to shave off his eyebrows while he sleeps?” My questions rushed out in urgency. “Are you going to leave and never come back?” That last question probably sounded a little desperate.
Andy chuckled. “Ivy, calm down, it wasn’t that bad,” he soothed, pulling me onto the swing next to him.
“Define not that bad.”
“Slightly more than uncomfortable, but nowhere near embarrassing.”
“Oh, my, gosh. What did he say?”
Andy laughed lightly. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
“Trust me, I do,” I pushed. “Andrew Walker, you better tell me what he said right this minute.” I tried to look intimidating, but his lazy smile told me it wasn’t working. I switched tactics and begged. “Please?”
Andy looked thoughtful. “What’s it worth to you?”
I tried to look shocked. “Are you trying to extort me?”
“No, I’m suggesting a trade. I give you info, and you give me…?”
“What do you want?”
“How about a kiss?”
“Right here in the backyard?” I asked, a little surprised. “Everyone’s probably watching us from the family room or the kitchen right now.”
“Are you embarrassed to kiss me in front of your family?”
“No, but I don’t want Nate to come back out here with Dad’s shotgun, either.”
“Well, that’s the offer. A kiss for the info. Take it or leave it.”
I leaned in and kissed Andy on the cheek. He pouted. “That was a lame kiss.”
I defended myself. “You didn’t specify what type of kiss it had to be. Now spill.”
Andy laughed, then laced his fingers through mine before staring at me with a serious expression. “Nate asked me if I planned on having sex with you.”
“What?!” I choked out before throwing my hands over my face and falling over on the swing, curling into the fetal position. “Are you serious?” I squeaked as I peeked between my fingers.
“Totally serious.” He nodded. He was trying not to smile, and I could tell he was enjoying my humiliation.
“Oh my gosh. What did you say? You should have slugged him.”
Andy rushed to Nate’s defense. “Hang on, before you get all crazy, he was only doing his job as a good brother. Even if it was premature, he was man enough to ask. I decided to be a man and answer.”
My heart stopped beating. What was he saying? Did he tell my brother that…? Oh, kill me now. Did I even want to know how he answered? Of course I did. I was a glutton for punishment. “What did you say?” I asked, then held my breath.
“What’s sex?”
“Huh?” I was confused by his answer.
Andy explained. “Nate asked if I planned on having sex with you, and I answered by asking him what sex was…” He was grinning at me now. “Then I told him I was only joking, that my mom had taught me about sex just last week and that I’d decided I better wait to do that until I was married.”
I stared at him for a moment, then reacted exactly as Nate had. I doubled over in laughter. I laughed and laughed until my eyes started to water. After I composed myself, I was able to ask one more question. “So, that’s what Nate was laughing at. I bet you caught him totally off guard. Serves him right, the little brat. What did he say after that?”
“When he finished laughing at me, he told me that I’d given the right answer and that I could date you if I wanted.”
“And did you tell him that we were dating?” I fished.
“Did you want me to tell him that we were dating?” Andy raised his eyebrows and waited patiently for my reply, but I wasn’t going there. Definitely not answering first.
“Ivy,” Candice called from the back door, “Mom says to come in and get dessert.”
Andy smirked. “Saved again, I see. We’ll continue this conversation later,” he promised, then stood, helping me up from the swing, and headed inside for hot fudge brownie sundaes. After dessert, my mom kicked Andy out. She did it in the sweetest way possible, of course, but it was family day, after all.
“Thanks for coming over today, Andy.” Mom smile
d at the front door. “It was so nice to meet you. I hope you’ll be back when it’s not a Sunday. I promise to let you stay longer. Come for dinner any time.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Nixon…sorry, Karen,” he corrected after she gave him the eye. “I’d love to come back.” Andy shook my dad’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”
“Nice to meet you, Andy.” Dad nodded. He was a man of little words.
Candice was next. “See you around.”
Finally, we all looked at Nate, waiting for a snarky comment. But he was reasonably cool. “We live about an hour away, but we should double sometime. Meet in the middle.”
“Sounds good.” Andy smiled.
“All right, everyone. It’s not like he’s leaving the country. You might even see him again this week.” I sighed and pushed Andy out the door, shutting it behind me. “I’m sorry my family acted like I’ve never brought home a boy friend before.”
“Boy friend?” Andy asked, only one eyebrow raised this time. I was envious of people who could do that and not look stupid.
“Boy-friend.” I emphasized. “Not boyfriend…?” My statement was more of a question.
Andy squinted his eyes again. “Hmm.” He grunted, and I smacked him on the arm, a little harder than playfully. I hadn’t meant to, but my frustration at his ambiguity on the matter was starting to wear on me.
Andy smiled, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. I was both disappointed and relieved, since I knew Nate was probably peeking out the front window. “Thanks, Ivy. It’s been fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Andy gave me a hug, then walked to his car. I waved good-bye as he drove away, then headed back inside, no doubt to be given my own inquisition.
. . . . .
I lay in bed reading around ten thirty that night when I heard a faint clink against my bedroom window. I ignored it and kept reading, until a second later when I heard another clink, followed by two more. I went to the window to investigate. Lifting the shade, I peered outside, surprised to find a grinning Andy on my front lawn.
I opened the window and spoke softly so I wouldn’t wake my parents. “What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t get a goodnight kiss. Come down.” Andy grinned.
Well, he certainly didn’t need to ask twice. “Give me a second,” I said, then closed the window and shade. I assessed myself in the mirror. My pajamas were cute enough. I’d brushed my teeth before bed, but just to be sure, I took a swig of mouthwash before heading downstairs. Once outside, I beckoned Andy to the dark front porch. “Get over here, before my parents see you.” He jogged up the steps. “How’d you know which room was mine?” I asked.
Perfectly You (The Perfect Series Book 2) Page 13
