Fool For You (Made for Love Book 4) (12 page)

“A
ll right. Your turn.” I stare down my sister’s reflection, more than ready for her to take the floor.

“He’s going to call you,” she murmurs from behind me, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

I draw in a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm. We’re in my bedroom and I’m seated on the top step of my step-stool, my hair a recently washed and dried, wild mess. Harper is stalling, and I just might kill her in a second. The only reason I even told her about Judah is because I want to know what she’s hiding. Her reassurance is not only unnecessary, but it’s also unwanted.

“No, see, this is what girls do—they hear the facts and then they twist them into something else, something romantic, something
false
. He’s not going to call. It’s fine.”

“No man puts in that much effort only to take back his invitation when you’ve finally said yes.”

“Harper Isla Fitzpatrick—if you don’t shut up about Judah, I swear I’ll—”

“Need I really remind you that I’m holding the flatiron?” she asks, interrupting me. “I wouldn’t threaten me if I were you.”

I glare at her reflection. “Hussy.”

“Bitch.”

“Skank.”

“Whore.”

I can’t help but crack a smile at that one. “Yeah, you know me, your regular harlot.”

She laughs and then twists around me to kiss my cheek. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I sigh.

“His name is Ben,” she whispers, resting her chin on my shoulder. “He’s amazing. Ah-mazing! And he’s in town for the day, just like me. And we’re meeting him tonight for dinner. And before you say anything about being the third wheel, he’s bringing his brother, so it’ll be sort of like a double date. And you can’t hate me because I really like him—like, I
really
like him. So, you’re going to come, because you are the best sister in the world, and it’s going to be fun. And you’re going to look hot!”

I gape at her in the mirror, completely and totally speechless. For a full minute, we just stare at one another. Honestly, I don’t even know which part of what she just said that I should address first. I also have to remind myself about her previous warning—she is wielding a flatiron, and I have no weapon to defend myself against
that
.

Also—if I piss her off and she doesn’t fix my hair, I’m screwed.

“Okay,” I say before I take a deep, calming breath. “How about you start from the beginning?”

I flick my gaze at my watch when Benjamin looks over at the door for the sixth time. We’ve been standing at a table in the bar for ten minutes, waiting for his date and her sister to arrive. He’s barely touched his drink, but I’m sure the love-sick fool could use it.

“Calm down, kid,” I insist, sipping at my scotch. “It’s not even five minutes after the hour.”

“What? Oh, I’m fine,” he says with a shrug, directing his attention back to me.

“Sure you are.” I shake my head at him as he finally takes a pull of his beer. “You haven’t told me much about her, by the way. I have no idea what I’m in for tonight.”

“She’s great,” he practically gushes.

I cough, covering my mouth in an attempt to mask my amusement.

“Fuck you,” he laughs. “I’m serious. She’s smart and she’s funny—god, she’s funny. She’s got the foulest mouth I’ve ever heard on a woman, and it’s sexy as hell; but only because she’s actually really sweet, which is such a beautiful contradiction. She’s a knock-out, too.”

“How’d you meet?” I ask, hoping to keep him distracted while we wait.

“At a charity event.”

“Of course,” I pipe in with a knowing smirk.

Benjamin sits on the board of three separate charities. It’s always been a big passion of his—
giving back
. There was a time in his life when he needed all the help and support that he could get. He believes wholeheartedly that he wouldn’t be as successful as he is now if not for the advocates who fought for him when he was a child.

“It was an orchestra concert event,” he continues. “It was put on by a group of teachers and professors all across Colorado Memorial Day weekend; and it was actually a very successful night. We raised over ten grand.”

“Congratulations,” I say in all sincerity. I know how much the organization which funds fine arts education means to him. It’s his favorite out of all his charities.

“Anyway—at the banquet following the concert, she was there. The music teacher from her school was one of the volunteers who played in the concert.”

“So she’s a teacher?”

“Yeah. She teaches the third grade.”

I nod, suddenly even more curious about what this woman looks like. I remember my third grade teacher.
Sexy
was not a word I would use to describe her—then or now.

“And what do you know about this sister?”

“Honestly?” He reaches up to scratch his jaw. “Not much. Single. Recent CSU grad. That’s all I got.”

“Recent grad?” I ask with a furrowed brow. “As in
undergrad?
” He says nothing in reply, but instead takes another swig of his beer. All at once, it makes perfect sense. “You son-of-a-bitch.” He fights a smile and I shake my head at him. “
That’s
why you thought this was a good idea. You knew—you
knew
that the chances of me showing any interest in her sister would be slim to none.”

He shrugs and I can’t help but cough out a laugh. I have to hand it to him—he played this round well. I don’t consider myself
old
by any stretch of the imagination. However, at thirty-one, a twenty-two-year-old often leaves much to be desired.

For a moment, my thoughts drift toward Teddy. I hear her sweet voice in my ear, and my dick stirs at the thought of her beautiful, lithe figure, and that long, red hair. I’m fully aware that she’s younger than I usually go for—but I cannot deny the way my body responds to her. And her eyes…there was something in her eyes.

“What’s the matter, big bro?” he asks, slapping me on the back. “Can’t remember life fresh out of college? Afraid you won’t have anything to talk about?”

“Drink your beer, Ben—just drink your beer.”

“What did you say Ben’s last name was?” I ask as Harper searches for a parking spot.

“Delaney,” she mutters absentmindedly.

A smile tugs at my lips as I open up Facebook. I haven’t been in the app for ages, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.

“Teddy!” she gasps, snatching my phone out of my hands. “You’re
not
going to Facebook stalk him.”

I scowl at her, annoyed that she was able to catch me off guard
while
driving. I’m far too cautious of a driver to even entertain the idea of trying to get the device back, as she’s holding it in a hand that now rests on her steering wheel. Digging for dirt and pictures isn’t worth my life.

“Well, if
someone
had more information to give me, I wouldn’t have to resort to online stalking,” I mutter.

“You’re kidding, right? I practically talked your
ear
off about the man.”

“Oh, yeah—about
Ben
, your blonde haired, blue eyed, attorney with a heart of gold. You don’t even know his brother’s name! I mean, for the love, Harp—if you’re going to make me go on a double date with you, the least you could do is get a name.”

She chuckles, knowing that I’m absolutely right. “Did I mention that we had this conversation while he was in the middle of kissing me goodbye? Sweet baby Jesus, it’s a wonder I remember he even
has
a brother after that kiss. The man melts my damn panties—every fucking time.”

I roll my eyes and direct my gaze out the window. When I see an empty parking spot up ahead, I contemplate not telling her—which would make us even
more
late. Serves her right. Then I realize if I don’t tell her, we could be walking a couple blocks to our destination. While my shoes are more comfortable than most, they certainly aren’t
comfy.

“Fuck—how do you live in this town? Can’t find parking for shit!”

“There,” I say with a sigh, pointing to the spot that still remains empty.

“Hallelujah!” She whips her car into the vacancy, shifts into park, and then turns to grin at me. “Are you ready?”

I force a smile and a nod. “Yup.”

“Promise not to stalk him from here to the door?” she asks, holding out my phone.

“Yes, I promise.” I snatch the device from between her fingers and then step out of her car. She follows suit, and we check for traffic before crossing the street.

“Oh, hell, I’m nervous,” she murmurs, giving her arms a shake as she balls her fingers into fists. “I’m being ridiculous, right? I have no reason to be nervous.”

“Not unless you’re afraid I’ll embarrass the shit out of you, ruining all chances of your happily-ever-after,” I quip.

“Him and his brother are actually really close,” she says, ignoring my joke. “God—what the fuck was I thinking? We’ve only been seeing each other for a month. Why did I suggest meeting family?”

I look over at my sister and smile, every ounce of my irritation evaporating at the vision beside me. She wasn’t exaggerating earlier. She’s totally head-over-heels for this guy. In this moment, I realize that making tonight about me is just childish. She’s not
using
me—she
needs
me.

“Harp, hold on a minute,” I say, taking hold of her elbow and gently tugging her to a stop. “Take a deep breath, yeah?” She does as I say and I offer her a kind smile. “First of all, you are an incredible woman. Something tells me Ben knows that, or he wouldn’t have agreed to tonight in the first place. And if his brother doesn’t like you, he’s crazy. That shit could be genetic, though; so if Ben breaks up with you, it’s probably for the best.” She laughs, unclenching her fists, and I keep talking.

“You also look like a hot piece of ass, which totally works in your favor,” I say, meaning every word. Her long, milky legs are on display in her new green dress, the vibrant shade against her skin making her look as delicate as porcelain. She decided to curl her hair, giving it that gorgeous elegant look, the strands resting on top of her shoulders. Her makeup is flawless, which is no surprise, and her boobs look too good
not
to mention in that haltered top. “Who knows,” I continue. “Maybe they’ll
both
want you by the time the night is through.”

“Teddy Bear,” she begins to say, reaching for my hand. “You are the best wing-woman in the world.”

“I know,” I reply with a playful shrug.

“Come on, before they think we stood them up.”

As we pass through the front entrance, she squeezes my fingers. I squeeze back, reminding her that she’s not alone. The hostess is in the middle of greeting us when Harper gasps. I then watch as the most brilliant smile lights up her face.

“I see him.” She thanks the hostess and then begins to pull me toward the bar.

“Whoa, Speed Racer, calm down. Where are they?”

“Right over there.”

She points. She waves. And my world comes to a crashing halt.

There, standing beside a handsome blonde, who’s features I can’t even begin to remember, is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

He’s wearing a light blue, button-down shirt that he’s got tucked into his khakis. His collar is undone and he’s got the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The sight of him reminds me of his touch, which makes it hard for me to breathe. Then, I replay the humiliating message that I left on his voicemail this morning,
before coffee.
The message he never returned! And when our eyes lock from across the room, I’m
mortified
.