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“No!” Simone reached out and grabbed Stephanie’s arm halting her retreat. “I’m just…I was so shocked when I saw you. You look so freaking hot! You’re always pretty, but this is next level shit. I had no idea you had this…” Her sister released her arm and waved her hand up and down, “…in you. You’re like Hollywood-supermodel-hot. You’re—”
“Okay, I won’t change. Just stop,” she cut her sister off as warmth crept up her cheeks. She didn’t take compliments very well and wanted to move the conversation off of her. “What do you mean you were topless in Ace’s garage yesterday?”
“Oh,” Simone waved her hand dismissively, “that. Yeah, I went over and asked him to put sunblock on my shoulders before I went to the river and I untied my top.”
Stephanie closed her eyes. Her sister’s behavior didn’t surprise her, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Knowing that she couldn’t hide from this forever because she may owe her neighbor an apology, she opened her eyes and asked, “What did he do?”
“He left me hanging.” Stephanie’s tone clearly implied—can you believe it?—as if it was unthinkable. “He told me that I seemed like a resourceful girl. He was sure I could handle it and to have a good day. Then he disappeared inside his condo.”
She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Most men wouldn’t handle that situation with as much class and humor. He really was trouble.
“And when I took a pizza and beer over last night, he told me he already ate and he had work to do.” Her sister’s eyes widened and her head tilted to the side as if she’d just delivered Exhibit B on her Ace-bats-for-the-other-team theory.
“Maybe he did have work to do and he had already eaten.” Despite her upbringing, Stephanie’s first instinct was to give people the benefit of the doubt.
“Really? Work to do?” Simone crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Yeah…I don’t think so. But it doesn’t matter anyway because I am going to be part of a very important dating study and I can’t have him messing with my stats.”
“You’re doing the study?”
“Yep. I signed up yesterday. And Ace isn’t going to mess up my numbers. He missed his chance.” Simone returned to the vanity she’d been seated at and picked up a make-up brush.
“I don’t really think it works that way.” Stephanie pointed out. “Plus, it’s anonymous.”
“You don’t know how it works.”
“Yes, I do.”
Simone swiveled to face her. “How? How do you know?”
She knew that she didn’t need to prove anything to her sister, but it was just easier if she did. “Misty tried to recruit me yesterday.”
“She did?!” The shock that had registered on Simone’s face over the dress had nothing on the expression she wore now. “Why?”
Even though that was the same question that Stephanie had asked, it was hard not to take offense at hearing her sister ask it. “What do you mean, why?”
“I mean…you don’t date. Like, ever. Not since Mason and that was what, like, a hundred years ago?”
“Four,” she corrected. Since she and her sister already had more issues than Vogue when it came to their complicated family dynamic, she wasn’t about to tell her the real reason Misty had given. So, she went with a less specific explanation. “I guess she thought I would be a good candidate.”
The horror returned in her sister’s expression. “Are you going to do it?”
Good question. One that she’d been asking herself since Misty had proposed the idea. The sad reality was, she’d originally been leaning towards yes, but her sister showing up unannounced had tipped the scales towards no. Things might be better with her “family stuff”, but they were clearly still complicated.
Before she had a chance to respond to her sister, her phone rang. When she saw the number she knew it was the call that meant she was either going to miss the party altogether or best case scenario, be very late.
“Hello,” she answered, feeling guilty for the frustration that she was sure was evident in her voice.
“Hey Steph, it’s Brenda. Scott’s having an episode and he’s asking for you.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.” She tried to keep her tone upbeat. It wasn’t Brenda’s fault, or her brother’s that she was getting the call. She’d been the one to request that they contact her in these situations to avoid sedation.
This was her choice. Not Scott’s and not the staff at Brookside.
If Simone’s unexpected visit had put her on the fence about whether or not she’d be participating in Misty’s program, this call had pushed her off of it. Her life and a serious relationship just didn’t mix. And since she didn’t think she was built for casual, the answer was clear.
Hanging up the call she stared at her phone a beat, knowing the answer even before she asked, “Do you want to come with me to see Scott before the party?”
“Sorry, I can’t.”
Her sister’s flippant reply shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did.
“I’m on the clock to meet my leading man,” her sister continued. “My knight in shining armor. I need to get to the ball while there’s still some eligible princes available.”
Looking down at her dress Stephanie realized that she’d been gypped. She hadn’t even been able to go to the ball and dance with the prince before midnight had struck.
It sucked. She could’ve really used a fairytale night.
