BEAT ONE
THE CHEMICAL EQUATION // "DON’T BLAME ME"
Prologue
Stone
Is a lie still a lie if I’m actively working to make it true?
“I want to meet the lady who was able to tie Stone Harper down!” Gracie Helms and my sister, Stella, smush their faces together to fit into the parameters of the phone screen. The two nosiest women on this side of the Mississippi River, if you ask me.
“One day, Gracie. I promise.” I smile through the lie at the buoyant, short-haired blonde. I can’t promise anything because Lucy May Spence won’t give me the time of day despite all my advances. I’ve thrown everything at her—charm, wit, my handsomeness, and even a little money.
No, not likethat.I meant to say I’ve offered to take her out to nice restaurants and have bought her little gifts and such.
She might be the only woman in the world immune to me. She’s certainly the only one who has made me chase her this long, which is why with every passing day, I grow more and more agitated at the situation.
Excuse me.Lack ofa situation between us.
Four whole months. Once I made my mind up at the Valentine’s Day West Coast Swing Dance back in February that I wanted to get to know my now-permanent assistant more, I started to stop by Lucy’s office at random for nothing more than a chat or to compliment her. That led to me asking her out to the occasional business lunch while scheduling work dinners for everyone just to spend a little more time around her. I wanted time withher,though, so lately I’ve started asking her out to private dinners…
But she hasn’t said yes to one of those yet. Even with my blatant attempts to flirt and make my intentions known. She always has an excuse, the most frequent one beingyou are my boss.And the challenge is making me want her more…
“She’s so pretty in her social media photos. Did you know her twin got engaged to the Crown Prince of Korsa yesterday? Of course you did. You were probably there. Why haven’t we gotten pictures? Why do you twonotpost pictures together?” Stella asks without taking a breath, giving a fierce eyebrow raise in my direction. I know that look—the look of doubt.
I sigh, shoulders rising and falling dramatically, as if the reason is the most obvious one in the world. I’ve already concocted an explanation because I knew my sister would ask me eventually. “Because she’s my assistant director and we haven’t told everyone at the community center.”
Stella’s eyebrow still rides high as her gray eyes bore into me. “Scared people will accuse you of nepotism or something?”
“Yeah, he probably wanted her as his assistant just so he could keep her around him all the time.” Gracie laughs, and I grin through tight lips. She’s not wrong…
“No. Lucy is skilled with management and has proven herself capable of performing assistant duties such as planning events, which is her forte. That’s why I merged the assistant director and events planning roles back in April when we started dating.” Also not wrong. While I did want Lucy to work closer with me (more opportunities to get to know and flirt with her), she’s also a competent woman who is phenomenal at event planning because of her creative soul. She’s responsible for the Valentine’s Day West Coast Swing Dance night that opened my eyes to just how downright tempting the woman is.
Then sometime in April I decided to tell my family I was dating her so they would stop nagging me about settling down.
“We’re just teasing you, bud,” Gracie claims, but my sister looks suspicious as she tugs her brunette ponytail tighter.
“We need to meet her soon, Stone. Or else we are going to think you’re lying to us.” Stella’s pointed stare sends panic racing down my spine. Why in the world did I even tell my family I was dating Lucy? I’m regretting that decision right now, but ultimately, I was tired of hearing that I needed to settle down and stop going through girls like I was trying on new clothes. With Stella marrying Lucas over a year ago, all-eyes turned to me with the expectation that I was clearly next. Mama began to question me; Stella and Lucas straight-up told me I needed to start looking into settling down with someone; and Jared, Gracie’s husband, began to try and to set me up with a myriad of women.
The easiest out, since I now live in Juniper Grove, which is six hours north of Dasher Valley, was to state I had a girlfriend. That led to me having to give them a name two months ago after theypestered me while I was home visiting for Stella’s big announcement that she was going to forgo teaching the next year and run for Mississippi state representative.
Can you guess the name that spewed out of my mouth without a morsel of thought when they nagged me for my girlfriend’s name?
Ding, ding, ding! Lucy Spence.
“I don’t have plans to come home anytime soon, Stells. I’m busy with the community center.”
Gracie whispers something into Stella’s ear, and my sister’s ice gray eyes brighten for a moment before she schools her expression.
“You could take a couple days off and road trip down to show us your lady friend. You haven’t dated someone for this long since Lacey. Lucy is apparently special, and we want to meet her. Don’t make me pull the Mama card…”
Disdain and discomfort stir at my sister’s mention of my ex-girlfriend, Lacey Fraiser. But I shake the feeling off and narrow my eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
She smirks. “You used it on me to get me home for Christmas, remember?”
“Revenge!” Gracie hollers, pumping her fist in the air. Stella high-fives her and they let loose an evil laugh. Gracie’s seven-month old son proceeds to scream in the background, so Gracie hands the phone to Stella.
“My dearest brother, you know that our lovely and caring mother is sick. You know as well as I do that her rheumatoid arthritis is disabling her with every day that passes. It would warm her soul to see her long-lost son that hasn’t graced her doorstep in two longmonths. And lastly, you know how pleased she would be to meet the girl who has captured your heart.”
