Page 10 of Written in the Stars
Brendon wasn’t going to stop until she was seeing someone, until hethoughtshe was seeing someone.
“I can’t. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to get your hopes up, but I’m seeing someone.” There. She’d bought herself some time.
Except he frowned. “But you went out tonight. With Elle.”
Elle. Damn it.
Unless... no. With a little finesse, she could absolutely work this angle.
“Right.” Darcy nodded. “Elle. Maybeseeing someoneis a bit premature, but she’s... she’s really something. She’s pretty.”
The furrow of Brendon’s brow deepened, forehead wrinkling as he puzzled over what she wasn’t saying. After a moment, his face cleared, his eyes doubling in size. “Hold the phone. You andElle?”
She wouldnotroll her eyes. “Me and Elle.”
“You two hit it off?” he pressed.
Darcy bit her lip and stared hard at the jar of peanut butter on the coffee table as she considered the question, and her answer, carefully.
Scary thing was, theyhadhit it off. Not at first with Elle’s tardiness, but there’d been a spark. For a moment. Until theirmanydifferences—and different desires—had become apparent. “Elle’s not like anyone I’ve ever met. That’s for sure.”
Brendon laughed, drawing her focus back to his face. He grinned like it was the best news he’d heard all day, and for a moment her stomach panged, guilt corroding her insides. “You’re seriously smitten, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m—” Denial was instinctive, but she was supposed to be selling it. “We’re obviously total opposites, but there’s... something there. Potential.”
“And here I thought with you being home early and already in pajamas that your date hadn’t gone well.” Brendon’s crooked grin was sheepish, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Well, you know what happens when you assume.” Darcy smiled, softening the gibe.
Brendon shrugged as if to concede the point and hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Tell me about it. Tonight.”
To Brendon, every moment was a meet-cute waiting to happen, each first date he went on captured in his memory in case he foundthe oneand needed to tell his future children about the night their mom and dad met.
She needed to sell it. Hard. Lucky for her, personality clashes and restaurant disasters were the stuff meet-cutes were made of.
“It’s actually a funny story.”
Brendon shook his head. “Don’t leave me in suspense. I’m dying over here.”
“Settle down.” If her pause was overly long, it was only because she was gathering her thoughts. And okay, fine, she was milking it, but only a little. “I won’t lie—at first, we got off on the wrong foot. Elle was late and you know I’m a stickler for punctuality.”
He rolled his eyes.
“She offered to buy me a drink and she told me about her job, which she’sextremelyenthusiastic about. Even though I don’t believe in astrology, that sort of passion is attractive.”
Brendon waggled his brows.
“Stop.” She laughed.
“Sorry.” Brendon grinned. “Didn’t mean to interrupt. Keep going.”
“Okay, let’s see... we had wine.” She smirked, not because what had happened wasfunnybut because she couldn’t wait for Brendon’s reaction. “Or we would have, had she not spilled it all over me.”
His eyes widened. “Get out.”
“Eh.” With a shrug, Darcy waved it off. “I’m sure my dry cleaner can work a miracle on the stain.”
Fingers crossed.
