Free Blurred Lines by M. Lynne Cunning Page B

adequate.
    “I’ll think about it, okay?” She sounded less sure of herself than she had before. Libby nodded back at her in response, an encouraging smile showing faintly on her lips.
    “Just don’t think so long that you find out it’s too late, my friend.”
    With that, Libby stood up and brushed some nonexistent dust from her jeans. After a moment, Lauren still hadn’t said anything, so Libby took the opportunity to speak again. “I’m going to be away a few days over the weekend. I’m hoping to be back for Monday’s class, but if something happens and I’m not, can you text me and let me know what I’ve missed?” Lauren gave a nod, but Libby was already grabbing the pen and paper from the chair beside Lauren and scribbling down her number. She set it back down and smiled again.
    “Thanks, Sarah.”
    Lauren shook her head, smiling weakly. “No, Libby. Thank you.”
    A few minutes after Libby left, Dean returned with two steaming cups of coffee. He gave Lauren a questioning glance as he handed a cup to her. He eased himself back into his seat and took a sip from his coffee.
    Lauren didn’t give him a chance to ask questions. Instead, she said the only thing that was running through her mind at that moment.
    “I’ll go out with you, Dean.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Fourteen
     
     
    Lauren couldn’t remember the last time she had dressed up for an occasion, let alone went so far as to curl her hair and apply make-up. She even called Libby to see if she would be willing to accompany her to the mall to buy something nice to wear. Libby had squealed with delight and was all too keen to let her borrow something of hers. In the half hour she’d been at Lauren’s dorm room with her, she had aided her in transforming herself from an everyday casual looking woman with a natural femininity into a sexy and confident socialite with smoky eyes and red lips. She slipped on a pair of black pumps Libby had brought along with her, surprised that everything fit so well.
    “Do you even wear size seven shoes?” Lauren glanced toward Libby’s feet. She didn’t look like she would be able to squeeze into the shoes that were snug against the soles of Lauren’s feet.
    “They were a friend’s. She left them at my house. Her loss, your gain. You look hot, Sarah.”
    Lauren felt more attractive than she had in ages. For once, she felt like a true twenty-something with style instead of the easily overlooked wife who hid within the comfort of her own home back in Texas. She’d never even thought of owning black eyeliner or red lipstick before, and told Libby so.
    “Be brave, Sarah,” Libby encouraged her just before she hugged her tightly. “Details. I want ’em all tomorrow,” she added in a whisper before she pulled back, grinned, and left. Lauren wondered if maybe Libby was more excited for this date than she was.
    Lauren’s cell phone rang shrilly just as a knock sounded at the door, breaking her from her thoughts. That would be Dean. A quick glance at her phone revealed Nadine was calling. Lauren exhaled slowly and ignored the call, tucking the phone back into her purse. It was time to be brave, as Libby had directed. It was time to see what Sarah was really made of.
    Could Sarah convince a younger, attractive, intelligent man to fall for her in just one date? The thought worried Lauren slightly, the unfairness of it all looming darkly over her thoughts, but the thoughts she knew Sarah would be having right now included only excited nervousness and a willingness to accept the challenge.
    Tonight, she would see how well Sarah’s personality could fair against the strength and persistence of Dean’s. Tonight, Lauren would forget herself for a few hours and play out the scene as only Sarah could. Tonight, she wasn’t Lauren pretending to be like Sarah. Tonight, there was no denying it. She was Sarah.
     
    ***
     
    As Lauren opened the dormitory door and allowed him his first peek at her, his