Soulsearch (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Soulmate Series: Teen Paranormal Romance Book 2) (9 page)

“Girls, man, girls,”
 
Rider sighed, shaking his head with a chuckle.
 
“They make you do crazy stuff and you don’t even realize it till it’s already happening.”

“Sorry if prom’s not your thing.
 
I didn’t really mean to rope you into this.”

“Nah, I don’t mind.
 
It’ll be fun.
 
I’m used to Rachel calling the shots, anyway,” Rider admitted sheepishly.

“Oh yeah?
 
She likes to be in charge, huh?
 
Isn’t that a little emasculating?” Zach teased.

“It’s not like that — she’s not bossy or anything.
 
It’s…I guess I’m just used to going with the flow, that’s all.”

“I could probably take a lesson from you in that, then,” Zach smirked.
 
“You ready to go try on some monkey suits?”

Rider was more interested in learning about Zach’s control issues.
 
Could they have something to do with an inner companion?
 
He couldn’t think of a casual way to continue the conversation, though, so he just nodded and the two headed off to find the tux shop.

“I think it’s this way,” Zach suggested, pointing to the left as they approached the end of the food court area.

“Are you sure?
 
I thought it was that way,” Rider disagreed.

“Nah, I’m positive.
 
It’s down here next to Sears.
 
How would you know?
 
I thought you lived in Indy.”

“I’ve been here a few times with the girls when we visited before, but you probably know better.”
 
Rider knew Zach was wrong, but he let him have his way and the two traipsed all the way to the end of the mall before Zach admitted he was mistaken.

“Sorry, dude.
 
Must be those control issues, I guess,” Zach apologized lightly as the two headed back the way they had come.

“No worries.
 
I’m sure the girls will take a lot longer than us anyway.”

“Oh yeah?
 
You sound like you know ‘em pretty well.
 
How long have you been going out with Rachel?”

“Oh, not that long, actually,” Rider admitted.
 
“But I have a sister, so I know what girls do when they go shopping.
 
They’re like, ‘Ohh, it’s so pretty on you!
 
But what if there’s a prettier one?
 
Maybe we should try on ten more, just in case!’ ” Rider pantomimed in falsetto.
 
“Then they end up buying the first one anyway.”

“Wow.
 
I guess I’m glad we split up for this!”

“I’m telling you, it’s torture.
 
And don’t even mention shoes and accessories.
 
How many hours do we have till the dance?
 
Not enough, I’m sure!”

Zach chuckled at Rider’s impersonation as they entered the tux shop.
 
There were several other teens in the store, presumably picking up their suits for the dance, and Zach nodded at a couple of them.
 
They looked curiously at Rider, but Zach didn’t offer any introductions.
 
“Any chance we can still get tuxes for tonight?” he asked the salesman, approaching the counter.
 
Within minutes, a tailor was running a measuring tape down their inseams and across their chests as they stood awkwardly akimbo in the back of the store.

“So what do you know about Paige, Cameron?” Zach asked, desperately trying to ignore the guy with his head between Zach’s legs.

“Paige is great.
 
You really couldn’t ask for anyone better.
 
She’s kinda crazy, but in a good way.
 
Never a dull moment with her around.
 
She and Rachel have been friends for a long time.”

“The way she flirted with me — is she always like that?” Zach asked, realizing he might just be one of a number of guys she had wooed.

“No!
 
Not at all, actually,” Rider defended her honor.
 
He wondered how much of Paige’s performance had been real attraction and how much had been for Rider’s sake.
 
Paige was really good at being dramatic.
 
“She’s never even had a boyfriend before.
 
What about you?
 
Ever had a girlfriend?”
 

“I’ve never had a girlfriend, either,” Zach admitted.
 
“Never even been on a real date.”

“I’ll clue you in on a little secret about girls, then,” Rider offered.
 
“They are way more insecure that you would ever expect.
 
You ever notice how hot girls are always going out with ugly guys?
 
It’s because they don’t think they can do any better.
 
Just look at me and Rachel; she’s way out of my league!
 
Tell a girl she’s special and you think she’s pretty, do something thoughtful like buy her a present, and she’ll be all yours.”

“That’s deep, dude.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m like the Confucius of the female psyche,” Rider joked.

“Alright, gentlemen, I’ll be back in a moment with your suits.
 
What color tie and cummerbund will you be requiring?” The attendant asked.
 
The two boys stared at each other in confoundment.

“I’ll text the girls and see what they say,” Rider suggested.

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An hour after they started, the girls had tried on a dozen dresses each and settled on the least atrocious of the bunch when Zach and Rider found them in the shoe department, strutting around in sparkly stilettos.
 
“What do you think, Rider?” Rachel asked, holding out a sequined shoe.

“Almost as gorgeous as you, babe, but the real question is, can you dance in those things?
 
Cuz I plan to boogie all night long.
 
I’m not letting all those years of dance lessons go to waste,” Rider retorted, wiggling his eyebrows exaggeratedly.

A panicked look came over Zach’s face and Paige was quick to reassure him.
 
“Don’t worry, Zach, the only dance lessons I’ve ever had were from watching The Wiggles on TV as a toddler.
 
I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to keep up with me.”
 
Zach smiled in relief.

“So what kind of dress did you get, Paige?” he asked, eyeing the plastic-sheathed garments laid across the chair.

“You’ll just have to wait and see!
 
Don’t you know it’s bad luck for the guy to see the dress before the dance?”

“Isn’t that just for weddings?”
 

Paige rolled her eyes dramatically.
 
“What-EV-er!
 
Anyways, Rachel and I need to go home and do our hair.
 
What time are you picking me up?”

“Uh, I think the dance starts at 8.
 
Did you want to go out to dinner first?”

“Oh, I’d love to!
 
But I don’t think I can.
 
My mom has been making Rachel’s favorite dish for dinner tonight.
 
She’d probably kill me if I told her we were going out instead.
 
Hey, maybe you could eat with us?”

Zach gulped.
 
“You mean, have dinner with your parents?”

“Sorry.
 
A little too much too soon, huh?
 
It’s okay if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Zach considered, “I don’t mind.
 
Are you sure they won’t?”

“Believe me, they’ll be thrilled to see me doing something normal like going to prom with a boy,” Paige assured him.
 
“Here, let me put my address in your phone.
 
Come over at 6, okay?”

“Okay, see you then, Paige,” Zach replied, a happy grin lighting up his face.
 
He could hardly believe that an hour ago he had been planning to spend the evening scooping ice cream cones for little kids and, instead, now he was taking a beautiful girl to the prom.
 
On a whim, he gave Paige a kiss on the cheek and hurried off before she could respond.

chapter seven

“MOM! WE’RE HOME!” Paige bellowed as she barged through the front door, dumping her bags unceremoniously on the sofa and heading towards the kitchen where the intoxicating scent of roasted garlic permeated the air.
 
Cathy Donovan was bent over the counter, kneading the dough for her famous breadsticks, when Paige wrapped her arms around her from behind and laid her head on her mother’s shoulder.
 
It was the classic Paige signal for “Mom, I need something” and Cathy responded in typical mom fashion.

“What do you need, darling?
 
Can’t you see I’m busy?” Cathy replied, taking a moment to pat Paige’s head before resuming her bread-making.

“Mom, is it all right if my date eats dinner with us tonight before we go to prom?
 
I already told him it was okay,” Paige asked innocently, hoping her mother wouldn’t notice the part about the prom she had never mentioned going to before.

“Date?
 
Prom?
 
Tonight?!” Cathy squawked, turning to face her daughter.
 
So much for that idea.

“Uh, yeah.
 
So, we were hanging out at Sundae’s, and I ran into this guy from school there, and we got to talking about prom, and…. he asked me to go with him.
 
It’s okay, right?” Paige implored, her doe-eyes begging for approval.

“We want to go too, Mrs. Donovan,” Rachel piped in.
 
“We found dresses and everything.
 
Zach is a really nice guy; you’ll see if you let him come over for dinner.”

Cathy’s eyes shifted from one pleading girl to the other.
 
“All right, I suppose.
 
But your curfew is midnight, not a minute later!
 
And your daddy will have to approve this boy, so make sure he’s a gentleman.”

“He is, I promise, Mom.
 
Thank you!
 
We’re going upstairs to do our hair and stuff… Er, do you need any help?” Paige reluctantly offered, hoping the answer was no.

“I’m fine, you go get ready,” Cathy replied, shooing the teenagers out of her kitchen.
 
She couldn’t help but notice the little grin that took over her face at the thought of her daughter going to prom.
 
Paige had never fit in well with the rest of the kids in her class so she was happy to see her excited about such a normal teenage activity.
 
Suddenly, she realized she had one more mouth to feed and started debating how many breadsticks four teenagers could eat and whether or not she needed to make another batch.

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When the doorbell rang at 6pm sharp, Cathy and Rider were setting the table while Paige and Rachel were upstairs, fussing with the finishing details of their impromptu prom outfits.
 
Mr. Donovan opened the door to a nervous Zach, clenching an enormous bouquet of lady slipper orchids between his white-knuckled fingers.
 
“Hi, Mr. Donovan,” Zach croaked, holding out a sweaty palm for him to shake.
 
“I’m Zachary Pasquetti.”

“Nice to meet you, son.
 
Come on in,” Ed Donovan nodded, slightly impressed by Zach’s good manners.

Just then, Paige and Rachel appeared at the top of the stairs, sparkling in yards of silky fabric — Paige in a vivid violet halter that matched the lips of Zach’s orchid bouquet and flowed like water over her voluptuous curves, and Rachel in an aqua princess gown with layers of chiffon that swished and swirled around her legs.
 
They carefully descended the stairs, trying desperately not to catch their dresses in the heels of their shoes.
 
Rider joined Zach at the bottom of the stairs to witness the girls’ entrance and couldn’t help but be mesmerized by their beauty.
 
Paige had tamed her wild dark hair into flowing waves while Rachel had added loose curls to her wavy blonde locks.
 
Their lips and eyes shimmered with glittery shadow and gloss and their rosy cheeks bloomed as pink as cherry blossoms.
 
Their pale winter skin glowed luminescent and the boys were captivated by the creamy white swells peeking out of their bodices.
 
Cathy quickly snapped a few pictures as the boys appreciated the stunning view.

After their ensembles were appropriately admired, the teens were led to the table where Cathy had prepared an elegant spread of pasta and breadsticks.
 
A dark green salad bursting with vegetables vied for attention with Zach’s orchids as the centerpiece and the diners quickly filled their plates with food, carefully protecting their formalwear with the large cloth napkins Cathy had wisely thought to employ.
 
Paige’s parents gave the kids a few moments to enjoy their meal before launching into their interrogation.