Page 40 of Matched with Her Runaway Groom

“Am I that easy to read?” I ask, falling back onto the pillow of my bed.

“Like a book. What happened?”

“I almost asked her to hang out tonight.”

Dani leans her elbows on her knees and looks at me with a death glare. “Wait, start from the beginning. I need to know the whole scenario to judge whether you’ve royally screwed up on this one.”

I tell her about Rachelle leaving the go-karts and we chat about what to do that evening.

Dani nods. “Okay, this is all okay so far. No need to summon Dani Damage Control.”

Her expression is stony and I can’t help but laugh long and loud at the fact she’s just given herself that title.

“You laugh now, but I’m going to have to pull her out on this trip. Whether it’s to hit you or to comfort Rachelle.”

“Wow, again doubted by my own sister.” I should probably be bitter about it, but Dani is the most loyal person I know. At least she’s helping me plan out how to get Rachelle back.

She shrugs. “You’ve got this one last chance. Don’t blow it, all right?”

I nod. Standing, I walk over to the microscopic bathroom and splash some water on my face. I still have wrinkle lines from where the pillowcase bunched up along my cheek, but other than that, I feel a lot more rested than I have in a while. I’m sure the lack of cell phone usage helps with that.

“What should I wear to dinner tonight, oh woman dresser person?”

“Really? You’ve been able to dress yourself for over two decades and now you need my help?” She lifts an eyebrow, her expression suspicious.

I breathe out a long sigh and nod, going down on my knees and clapping my hands together in a pleading pose. “I want it noted that I’m here on my knees begging for your help because I want to get Rachelle back. Might as well help that along with my appearance, right?”

“Landon Higgins, are you saying that women only go after you for your looks? Because I’m here to tell you you’re wrong.”

I frown. Dani constantly battling me every which way about Rachelle is harder than I thought it would be.

She takes a step forward and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Women go after you because you’re a nice guy, and while you messed up with Rachelle, I still love you. But I do think a little sprucing up of the clothing will help. Your shirt looks like you wadded it up into a ball and tossed it to the bottom of your laundry pile.”

I glance down and confirm she’s correct. “Okay, so do I wear the polo shirt or a button up?”

Dani opens the small closet and tugs at the shirts I’ve brought. At least I didn’t just leave them stuffed into the suitcase I brought.

“How about this one? It’s casual but still looks sharp.” She’s holding up a navy blue polo shirt, one that I actually find comfortable thanks to the material it’s made of.

“Sounds good. What pants?”

“Stick with the khakis. They’re a little rumpled but you’ll be sitting for most of the time we’re at dinner so no one will notice.” She taps her finger to her lips and then says, “If she’s at dinner, you’ll need to sit next to her. Talk about what you both did today and then ask her out to a movie or the musical. Since she already mentioned it, chances are higher she won’t turn you down.”

“That’s comforting,” I say, groaning.

“And if Tiffany is with her, I can do some recon work for you as well. I have a feeling she wants to see you two back together as much as I do.”

She puts a fist out in front of her and I glance between it and her face. “What’s that for?”

“I feel like this moment deserves a team cheer of sorts.”

“Okay,” I say, trying to keep back a full laugh. With my fist next to hers, I wait for the cue.

She grins and says, “We’ll bring back your celebrity couple name for good luck. To Lachelle on three. One, two, three! To Lachelle!”

I follow suit and shake my head. It’s still a toss up whether bringing Dani was a good idea or not. But at least we’ve got a plan.

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