Page 8 of The Flirty Forward

“Please tell me you didn’t say something like that to her,” my mom says, horror in her gaze.

“Relax, Mom. You guys know I do know how to handle women right?”

“And that, right there, is the problem, little Brother,” Tina says.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re going to push her away before she even gives you a chance,” Tina says.

I laugh out loud. “No, I’m not. I’m not dumb. Besides, when I want something, I know how to go after it and get it.”

“That’s true, Son, but don’t forget that this is a person, not a hockey puck.” My father’s words give me pause.

“I will,” I tell him seriously. I’m kind of bummed that my family isn’t taking me seriously and doesn’t think I know how to handle a woman. I'll just have to show them. “How about this? I’ll bring Stephanie to the next Sunday brunch I’m available for.”

Keith scoffs, and Andrew laughs out loud. I look at both of them, a challenging look in my eye. “Want to make it interesting?”

“Sebastian! We do not gamble in this house,” my mother says.

Keith reaches into his pocket and pulls out a fifty and puts it on the table. He meets my eyes. “Fifty bucks says you can’t get her here for the next brunch.”

“A hundred,” Andrew says, adding another fifty to the pile.

“A hundred fifty,” my father says, throwing another fifty in.

“Lou!” my mother gasps, but he just smiles.

“Fine.” I pull out my wallet and throw another fifty in. “Two hundred bucks, and I will claim all of that when I bring Stephanie to the next family brunch I’m able to be here for.”

“Deal,” the guys around the table all say.

I turn to Kayla. “Not a word to your teacher, okay?”

She mimes locking her lips. “Not a word, Uncle Sebastian.” She frowns. “I don’t think she likes you, though.”

I frown. “Why?”

“Because she was cranky right after you left, and she kind of looked mad.”

I grin slowly. “That’s because I’m irresistible; she couldn't stop thinking about me.”

“Oh, no, she got right into our history class. I’m pretty sure she didn’t think about you again,” Kayla says. Everybody around the table laughs, and I just shake my head.

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Tina says, grinning.

“You can all laugh it up, but I know I’m right. She will be here for the next brunch. You can count on it.”

“We’ll see,” Andrew says.

“We’ll see,” I repeat. I’m still grinning when I feel my phone buzz. I pull it out and see a text from Aiden.

Aiden-be at my house at 7 tomorrow for wedding planning

I grin and text back.

Sebastian-who is this?

Aiden-tomorrow night at 7

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