Free Best Dating Rules: A Romantic Comedy (The Best Girls Book 2) by Tamie Dearen Page B

soon.”
    “So… Tell me about this girl who’s coming to dinner.”
    Grace grinned. “Yes, Spencer. Tell us about Emily.”
    He glared at Grace. “You invited her. Why don’t you tell us about her?”
    “Oh. I’m confused. Hannah told me she was Spencer’s new girlfriend.” His mother scratched her head.
    Spencer switched his glare to Hannah. “She’s just a girl I work with. She’s a friend.”
    “Maybe,” said Grace. “But I don’t think so. At least, I think you like her more than that. I’m not sure how she feels, but I intend to find out.”
    “Grace, I’m warning you. If you do anything to—”
    “I’m not going to do anything. I’m merely going to observe.”
    “Grace—” Spencer began.
    “Well,” his mother interrupted. “I’m just glad your friend is coming to dinner. You’ve dated all those girls, and you’ve never brought a single one to the house before. I was beginning to think you were ashamed of us.”
    “Mom, please don’t say stuff like that around Emily,” pleaded Spencer.
    “Like what?”
    “Stuff about me dating so many girls. I don’t want her to think I’m a player.”
    “What’s a player?” she asked.
    Olivia jumped in. “But you are a player. Aren’t you, Spencer? At least you’ve never minded us saying it before.”
    “You may not bring them home, but every time we see you, you’re with a different girl,” said Claire. “What are we supposed to call you?”
    “The important thing is he doesn’t want us to call him a player around this girl. Like I said, Emily is different. Sorry Bro, you can’t hide anything from me.” She whispered in his ear, “Even if you’re hiding it from yourself.”
    “And this,” said Spencer, “is why I’ve never brought a girl to dinner.”
*****
    Anne woke up once when Steven was carrying her. But her head hurt, and she squeezed her eyes closed again.
    When next she opened her eyes, she was staring at a fluorescent light. She considered the unattractive fixture. One of the bulbs was dark at the end. What did that mean? Maybe she needed to tell Steven to change the light bulb. Would he do it himself? Or would he call someone from maintenance? She opened her mouth to call out his name, but no sound emerged. Was she dreaming? Maybe this was one of those nightmares where you try to call out for help, but you can’t make anyone hear you.
    “She’s awake.”
    Anne turned her head toward a woman’s voice.
    “Do you want me to explain it to her? Or do you want to tell her?”
    She heard Steven say, “I’ll tell her.”
    Steven, the light bulb is going out . He couldn’t hear her. Or he was ignoring her. He was talking to that woman.
    “I’ll be back tomorrow morning, early, before I go to my office. And we’ll decide our next step. Okay? And now you have my cell number. You will call me if anything changes. Do you understand?”
    “Yes. And thank you.”
    Anne drifted back to sleep.
*****
    Emily’s palms were sweating. Why was she nervous? She was simply going to dinner with a friend. In fact, she was really going to dinner with a female friend. Grace was the one who’d invited her to dinner. Spencer was only a guy who was going to be at the dinner. Not that she had any reason to be nervous about dinner with Spencer anyway. And even it she wanted to date him, she wouldn’t, because he was a player.
    And besides that, she wasn’t a risk-taker, like Spencer. He liked every adrenaline-pushing sport that existed. He’d be bored with her in a week. No, tonight she was simply going to dinner at Grace’s house. In fact, she planned to be certain she sat between two of the sisters, to play it safe. If she sat next to Spencer and he accidentally brushed his hand against hers, she’d probably spill her drink or break something. She still hadn’t gotten used to that tingly thing that happened when he touched her.
    She paused before she knocked on the door. Maybe she should check the dessert one more time. She