13
“I’m not in the mood to go out to dinner, Lan. Not tonight.”
Kelly pushed aside the box of macadamia chocolate chip cookies she’d been eating for the last twenty minutes. In less than a week, she’d gained three pounds. If she kept up this stress eating, she wouldn’t have to worry about her lack of curves ever again.
“It’s important. I have news. Kel, please. I guarantee you’ll want to see who’s coming with me.”
“Oh, fab. You’re bringing a date and I get to be the clunky third wheel.”
“So bring Spencer.”
Kelly laughed.As if.“Spencer and I are no longer…” She sighed. “No longer. That’s all.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. He wants me in strictly one way, which would be fine if I hadn’t suddenly gone all hormonal over him. It’s not like he lied about his intentions. I guess I was just fooling myself. Based on what, I don’t know.”
Alana would probably think she was overreacting about the sister thing. But it wasn’t just that. Spencer wouldn’t tell her what he had for lunch without her prying it out of him. Did she honestly want to live like that? Moving on now before she fell any deeper would be smarter all around.
She’d scratched her itch. Sort of. And if she watched his ass when he walked past her at work, she was entitled.
“Give it a couple days. He might come around. He, uh, sounds a little Type-A from how you described him.”
“Yeah, just a tad.”
Kelly whisked the cookie crumbs from her fingers and clicked off the TV. She wasn’t paying much attention to the rerun anyway. She had enough melodrama in her own life between her sick infatuation with her boss and dealing with her immediate supervisor, who’d shot her sly looks all afternoon.
Too bad she and Spencer hadn’t been fucking on the desk when Marcia walked in. His sister would’ve had fodder for the rest of the year.
His freaking sister. Shestillcouldn’t believe it.
“I’ve been there. You know that. How many losers have I chased after?”
She almost saidSpencer’s not a loserbut she didn’t. She’d be damned if she defended him. “A lot.”
“But that’s over now. And I want you to see why. You have to come out tonight, Kelly.”
“If you tell me you’re engaged to Ramon, I’m going to kick your ass.”
Alana only laughed. “Retreat. Eight p.m. Be there. It’ll be worth your while. This is the surprise to end all surprises!”
Kelly found herself smiling as she hung up. Her best friend sounded genuinely happy. Good for her. She really hoped that happiness didn’t have to do with that skunk Ramon—who she’d never liked—but if it did, far be it for her to criticize. Her own life sucked donkey balls, so who was she to judge?
With about as much enthusiasm as a woman about to be hung, she dragged herself down the hall to the bathroom. She scrubbed herself liberally with her kiwi-strawberry shower gel and matching shampoo. After she’d dried off and blow-dried her hair, she settled on the second of her new acquisitions, a sexy little scarlet dress. The color brought a nice flush to her skin and made her eyes look bright.
Talk about an amazing feat.
Makeup and hair came next. Somehow she managed to twist up her short bob into a semblance of an updo and she liberally applied mascara, shadow and gloss.
Not bad. She turned in front of the mirror. She looked…well, on the make. But that was okay. At least she’d damn well be the hottest third wheel ever.
Only problem? She couldn’t close her stupid dress.
When the front door buzzer went off, she was attempting to turn herself into a pretzel to reach her zipper. She wasn’t nearly flexible enough. Plus her back really did hurt. Maybe she should pop some Advil before she left.
Right now she had to see who was ringing the hell out of her bell.
She didn’t ask who it was. First mistake. As she pulled the door open and saw Spencer, her second was not slamming it in his face.