He glowered. “I’m never living this down, am I?”
“It was one of my favorite life moments,” I answered sweetly. “Ever.”
“That makes one of us. The bastard gave me pamphlets for a penile enlargement. He looked genuinely concerned, Avery. Think of what that does to a man! He thinks I can’t please you!”
I laughed. “And why does that bother you? You’ll never please me. Think of it that way.”
“But I could,” he pointed out. “And put your fingers down. It’s embarrassing how little you know about hot dogs—mine especially.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”
“Careful.” He leaned over the desk and whispered, “Your innocence is showing.”
“Is not.” Mature, Avery. Well done.
“You’re blushing.”
“It’s hot in here.” I made a fan motion in front of my face to deflect his attention.
He eyed me up and down. “Yup, I see what you mean, very hot. Hot enough to give you a nice flush down your neck—hey, where’s that sweater from?”
I ignored him and pretended that I was checking my email so he’d leave. It didn’t help that my fingers shook a bit over the computer keyboard. “I’d like a hamburger. I think I’ve had enough hot dog talk for the day.”
“Done.” He nodded and started to walk away but then backtracked and scratched his head, like he was nervous. “When Chelsea gets here, can you show her to my office?”
My hands froze over the keyboard. I could only nod and mutter out a “Yup.”
“Thanks.”
Fortunately, my embarrassment at the doctor’s office was trumped by Lucas’s, so he hadn’t even touched on the subject of me being technically a virgin. I can only imagine how that conversation would go, especially since by some miracle of God the only guy I’d had sex with hadn’t really done his job.
Needing to busy myself, I reviewed the calendar for the next few weeks. We had app training four times a week in addition to two more school visits this week before I could be done with work, which meant basically every day of my life—both business and personal—was with Lucas.
I exhaled and tried to get myself to think of anything but Lucas.
And the way he had held my hand.
And said he loved me.
And kissed me.
The pencil I was holding snapped in half. My phone lit up the minute the pencil tip nearly impaled my thigh.
Kayla.
Ah!
“Hi!” I answered on the first ring, my voice breathy and high. “What’s up?”
“You,” she sniffled. “You.”
“Me?” I started to have that dizzy feeling you get when you know that you’re in trouble and something bad is about to happen. I knew that the moms would talk. I just assumed they wouldn’t break the news to Kayla, of all people, that quickly. “Me, what?”
“Y-you and Lucas are g-getting married?” she shrieked. Loudly.
Oh no.
I wished I could blame Austin and Thatch and the stupid wine at his house, but this was all me.
All me and my stupid need to save Lucas from his parents’ wrath and possibly mend my own parents’ hearts in the process.
I quickly tried to think of a way I could lie my way out of it.
“Kayla, calm down.”
“CALM DOWN?”
“I mean, what I mean is, you don’t know all the details, and—”
“He cheated on me!” she wailed. “With our SISTER!”
Hah! Wondered what she’d do if she knew he always cheated on everyone. Would that make her feel better or worse? Decisions, decisions.
“Kayla.” I wondered if the day could get any gnarlier. “Look, I can explain—why don’t we meet for dinner tonight?”
Not only did I have absolutely no money, but now I’d have to sit across from my amazing sister and make her believe that I was in love with her ex-fiancé and that he’d turned over a new leaf—though none of it was actually true.
Liar. My heart thudded.
I had adored him once. Past tense. And even then it was a high school crush.
This. This is why they always tell you during all those health-class talks to never have sex. Men only complicated things. One minute you’re a happy single female living in downtown Seattle, the next, you’re lying to your family and planning a fake engagement while behind their back you’re hoping to date the doctor who saw your parts! Ugh, ever since seeing Satan again I was going insane.
“Avery?” She sniffled. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah.” Unfortunately. “Tonight, dinner, it’ll be great.”
“Okay.”
Thank God Kayla was reasonable. Sort of. She was the nice daughter, the one who never did anything wrong and looked weird in red lipstick. She was the girl next door.
Perfect.
“Seven?” At least she wasn’t yelling anymore. Or crying.
“Great.” Shaking, I hung up and looked up to see a gorgeous redhead who could have been someone in my family. She grinned down at me and announced, “I’m Chelsea.” Her shoulders bounced up and down as if she had so much energy it was impossible for her to be still. “You know, Lucas Thorn’s Wednesday.”
I glared. “Of course you are.” Did everyone have to full-name him? It just reminded me of everything I wanted to forget.
She didn’t seem to mind that I was pissed.