My Best Friend's Brother (3 page)

She cut me off. “Someone’s on the other line, how about I call you in a few hours, okay? I think it may be my brother, probably lost already. He’s been out all weekend in some cheesy rental! I just hope it’s not that dumb jock again!”

“Um, okay.” I was going to ask if she wanted me to drop by, but she hung up.

I put my phone away and looked at the giggly girls. They’re all pretty short—not that I’m tall or anything—two brunettes and three blondes. All between fourteen and sixteen. One of them pointed to
him
, the others checked him out and whispered back and forth like sixth-graders.

Annoyed, I stuck my nose back in the book. When my eyes wandered a few seconds later, he was looking at me, plain as day!

He gestured to the giggly girls with his head, made a bit of a face and smiled.

My shoulders sunk toward my feet and my mouth formed a grin.
He’s looking at me!
Naturally, I tried to contain myself—I’ve
imagined
things like this before. Yes, I’ve imagined gorgeous,
literate
guys checking me out, when they’re merely zit-faced losers with braces, dirty hair and the inability to formulate a sentence.

Need I remind you, the guys at school are
not
much to look at?

His attention shifted away from me. He put the atlas back on the shelf and pulled out another. Yup, I’d imagined it! But I found pleasure in watching him anyway, so I did.

There’s a term for that—it’s called
stalking
, right?

Before I could stalk much longer, he put the atlas down and very coolly strolled my way.

I pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to look dumb when he’d pass by me. That’s happened before, too, and not with a guy
this
hot.

My eyes fixed to page sixteen. I waited in suspense.

No one passed by. My breath stopped when I looked up: There he was.

“Good book?” he asked with a half-smile.

“Uh-huh,” I uttered, unable to find my voice.

He cocked his head and looked at the cover. “
Love at the End of the Day
,” he read, straightening his head and nodding as if that answered his question. “Going to buy that?”

I glanced toward the front of the store, where the clerk sat in a rotating chair, blowing a bubble and lost in a book. My eyes met the Greek god’s. “I don’t know. Should I?”

He shrugged. The giggly girls laughed loudly, but he blocked my view of them. “You could buy it and have lunch with me. Or you can leave it and have lunch with me…” The corners of his mouth rose into a seductive smile. “Or, you can bash me over the head with it for asking.” He grinned. His teeth were perfect.

At this point I was so stunned that I literally turned to see if there was anyone behind me he could possibly be talking to. Nope, just books.

I was speechless, with my mouth hanging, even. I never in my wildest dreams thought a guy who looked like
him
would ever talk to
me
.

“
Me
, have lunch with
you
?” I asked in disbelief.

“I’m not
that
hideous, am I?” His grin grew.

“
No!
” I blurted instantly.

He laughed.

I put the book back on the shelf and got to my feet. “I guess I could go for lunch.” I motioned to the travel section. “Gonna get your atlas?”

“Nah.” He winked. “Didn’t you know? Men don’t need directions.”

And we left the giggly girls gasping.

~ ~ ~

“So your dad’s a writer and your mom’s an anth-anthra—”

“She’s an anthropologist,” I confirmed. His cute, struggling expression made me grin.

“And that is…?” He took a bite of pepperoni pizza.

“A social scientist that studies culture,” I explained, not wanting to get technical.
My mom
was the last person I wanted to discuss with a Greek god.

I meant to ask about his parents, but before I could, he said, “That’s pretty cool. She sounds really smart.”

“She has a Ph.D.,” I said dully, still trying to get off the subject.

He took another bite. “I’m a senior, too. I start school tomorrow.”

“Really? That’s kind of late to be starting school.” It isn’t that odd, though, since there are plenty of new kids—mostly from military families—starting at my school every week. But it kept us talking.

“I transferred here,” he uttered. “And all I’m looking forward to at school is math class.”

“
Math
class?” I laughed, though I quickly realized that must’ve seemed rude. “How so?”

“Math is cool,” he explained, pointing his index fingers at me. “And I’m
not
a nerd!” He grinned and took another bite. “I like the challenge.”

“Are you taking algebra two?”

“No, I’m taking calculus two. Anyway, don’t get the wrong impression—I don’t crunch numbers for fun all day or anything.”

I took a bite of my pizza. I’m not a fan of pepperoni, but that’s what he ordered himself; he paid for mine, and he’s just too hot for me to insult his food of choice. So I swallowed it, barely. “What do you do for fun?”

“I do movies, skiing, and beautiful girls.” He winked and grinned devilishly.

“
You
do
beautiful girls?”
I blurted. And gasped! I covered my face, humiliated.

He was taken aback. “Uh… no…” He frowned. “And that’s not because I
do
ugly girls, either,” he quickly added.

I stared at him, mortified.

He shook his head, hid his beet-red face in his hand and laughed. “Sorry, I was not expecting the question!”

“No, it just slipped out! It’s my fault, I’m sorry!” Seriously, I wanted to die!

He put his hand out. “It’s okay. No worries.”

I bit my lip nervously. His icy blues made me blush.

I looked down at my oily plate, picked up my pizza, and forced another bite. He looked at me in the sweetest way—it even made me forget what I was eating.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You seem uncomfortable,” he noted.

Yeah, well, I just asked if you
do
beautiful girls, and I want to puke up my pepperoni.
“I’m great,” I assured him. “Now.”

More awkward silence, before he breathed, “So, how about a movie?”

A movie?
With
him?
“Absolutely,” I said, acting composed, ecstatic inside.

~ ~ ~

We saw the new Ben Stiller movie. We were high on laughter, sick to the stomach from so much candy, popcorn and soda by the time it was over. And greasy pepperoni under all that.

Meeting
him
at the bookstore, lunch, window shopping, talking—mostly about me, he wants to know
everything
about
me!
—and the film; it had to be the best night of my life!

We sat on a bench for a while. My phone vibrated three times during the movie. I reached for the phone in my pocket to check my messages.

Two messages were from Lilly, the last from my dad. I checked my watch, and to my dismay it was nearly 8:30! Dad wanted to
remind me
of my nine o’clock curfew. But Lilly’s messages made me feel lousy.

6:23 p.m.:
I said I’d call back so we can get together. Where are you? Jeez, everyone vanished on me today. Mom and I are leaving at eight in the morning. Call me!

7:58 p.m.:
It’s almost eight. I guess you’re busy with the hottie you said you saw earlier. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll see you in a few weeks. I’ll bring you back something cool. Good luck, okay? By the way, I saw that dweeb Jake at the skating rink. I told him you were on a hot date! You’re welcome! Bye!

I sighed guiltily. Then I realized he was watching me, and that we’d been so on the subject of
me
that I never even caught his name.

At first I was hesitant to ask, but if I didn’t, what the heck would I call him?

Yeah, I have this problem a lot.

“Uh, sorry, I seemed to have forgotten your name.” I smiled sheepishly. The hottest guy I’d ever met, and I forgot his name—I’m off to a great start!

He laughed. “You never asked for my name.”

I waited shyly, feeling majorly dumb. He probably thinks I’m stuck on myself!

“Luke,” he said. “Luke Pawlak.”

I ogled him. He is
so
freakin’ amazing.

After a brief moment, he cleared his throat, smiled and added, “It’s Polish.”

I snapped out of it. “It was great spending the day with you, Luke.” I couldn’t emphasize
that
enough!

“Same here, Adonia. What does your name mean, anyway?”

I felt myself blush. “Beautiful…” It makes me sound like I’m even
more
stuck on myself, thanks to my mom and her love of Greek names.

“Wow,” he said, eyes twinkling, “your parents were right on target when they named you that!”

I saw
that
coming!

He looked around at all the near-empty stores as I fiddled with my watch. I didn’t know how to tell him that I have a nine o’clock curfew. How totally lame, he’ll think my parents baby me!

And then he looked at me funnily.

“I need to go home now. My dad gave me a curfew,” I muttered.

To my relief, he smiled. “Sure. Need a ride?”

I was totally tempted. But leaving Mom’s car in an empty lot for thieves is
not
a good idea. She’d fly home and kill me if anything ever happened to it. “I drove here.”

He nodded. “So, maybe I can I get your number?”

I pulled out my thumb-sized address book, wrote it down, tore the page out and handed it to him. Our hands touched and my heart fluttered.

“Thanks. You couldn’t jot it down on something smaller…?” he joked.

I laughed.

“I’ll call you,” he breathed. Then he smiled, waved, and took a few steps back. He turned and walked toward the exit. But within a few yards he stopped and looked at me. “Hey Beautiful, should I walk you to your car?”

I giggled. “I can handle it!” Mostly so I can see his butt as he walked away.

~ ~ ~

Traffic almost made me miss curfew. I got home thirty seconds after nine.

Dad was on the couch with his laptop and
Writer’s Digest
, pocket watch in hand. The look on his face made me sweat. “Thirty seconds! Round it up to the next minute and you’re late!”

I rolled my eyes.

He smiled and raised his eyebrows, obviously awaiting an explanation. I thought having to give one was cheesy, but I gave him one anyway.

“I’m sorry, Dad. Traffic… and I didn’t wanna speed.”

He nodded. “Did you have a good time?”

I took my coat off and joined him on the couch. “I had a date.”

“Oh? You had a date with whom?”

“With a nice guy named Luke. We saw the new Ben Stiller movie.” I had to stick the
nice guy
part in there—if I didn’t, he’d ask a ton of questions and it would just take longer.

“Was it a good movie?”

“Quite.”

“Was he well behaved?”

I rolled my eyes again. “He was great, Dad…” He actually was—he was sensitive enough to keep his hands to himself through the entire movie!

He resumed typing. “Let me know if he misbehaves!”

I headed up the stairs to change.

“Oh, look who’s home!” a voice called down to me.

Jake was at the top of the stairs. I pushed past him. “What are you
doing
here?”

“Hangin’ out with Sullivan,” he uttered, stopping at my bedroom door. “I went by the rink today. Saw Lilly. She said you had a date, I was shocked.” He laughed. Jake’s still cute—dark-haired and blue-eyed—but a total joke compared to the Greek god I’d just met.

“Yup,” I boasted.

He grew serious. “Do I know him?”

I shook my head. “No. But he looks, acts, and
smells
better than you!” He deserved a taste of his own medicine, dumping me for a pea-brained cheerleader. “How’s Jenna?”

“She’s
great!
And how are you?”

I beamed. “I’m awesome.
Now…
”

“Glad you were finally able to get over me.”

I sneered.
How conceited!
“Like there’s anything to get over…” I threw myself on my bed and opened the book I was currently on,
Life of Pi
.

“Still a bookworm, huh?” He’s
such
a nuisance.

“Would you rather I spend my free time sleeping with the football team?” That one, of course, was aimed at his new girlfriend.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of my door. “Look, that’s not why I broke up with you.”

“And I’m the President of the United States of America!”

He rolled his eyes.

He’s got to know he’s an awful liar! And wasn’t he supposed to be
playing video games
with that pest Sullivan? I started reading, wishing him away like a fly. If only I could swat him!

After a lengthy moment, he sighed and said, “I really did love you.”

“
Did
? You know, you were so pushy you were downright hounding me. And I finally snapped because
you deserved it!
” I shook my head. “Did you ever think maybe I don’t like you
that
much?”

His expression was blank.

“And why are you hanging out with a little seventh grader, anyway? You’re always around!”

“I’m only here to help him beat some levels.”

“
Every day?
”

“There are just lots of levels.”

Dad suddenly appeared beside him. “Is there a problem here?” He stared into the side of Jake’s face.

I rubbed my forehead. Dad never stayed out of anything long enough for us to settle it. “No, Dad, there isn’t. Jake was just leaving. Weren’t you, Jake?”

Jake cleared his throat, not looking at my dad. “I’m leaving soon, Mr. Morrison.”

“If you need anything, Adonia, I’ll be in my office.” He looked at Jake again. “That’s right down the hall, you know.” Dad left after a quick wink back at me. I turned my attention back to my too-horny-to-be-with-me ex-boyfriend.

“Look,” Jake mumbled. “I just wanted to say
hi
.”

“So did you get what you dumped me for?”

He looked annoyed. “Good night, Adonia.”

I felt a sting of guilt and glanced his way. “
Bye
,” I muttered, looking into my book again, too upset to read. What made it worse, he still stood there and stared at me for like five minutes, like he did when we used to argue. I tried to look past him, but his eyes gripped me.