Olive squeals, throwing her arms around me in a fierce hug. "You're my favorite brother!"
"I'm your only brother, Olive."
"I know." She gives me a cheeky grin. "That's why you're my favorite. Be at Coltram's at seven tonight. I'll take care of the rest." Her grin slips, her eyes narrowing on me. "And do not fuck this up, Jasper."
"I won't," I rasp, my voice hoarse.
I have a date with Sarah tonight.
Jesus.
Maybe dreams do come true for motherfuckers like me.
Chapter Two
Sarah
If this bra lifts my boobs any higher, they're going to strangle me.
God, wouldn't that be a humiliating way to die? Sadly, I think it might also be exactly what the future has in store for me.
How do women wear these things all day, every day? I mean, I wear a bra.Obviously,I wear a bra. But I think my everyday brasmight be defective because my boobs haven't sat this high since they decided they wanted to be double D's when I was fourteen.
Christ on a cracker. I look ridiculous.
"You look like you're ready to throw up," my boss, Lilah Davis, observes across the counter at the bookstore where I work as I scrub my hands down my sides, trying to situate my dress…again.
"I might," I mumble, staring at her with wide eyes. "I've never been on a blind date before. What if he takes one look at me and runs in the opposite direction, leaving me sitting at the bar by myself all night?"
It's a distinct possibility. Alex, the guy I've been talking to online,seemsnice enough. But they always do…until I'm standing in front of them.
For the record, the problem isn't them. The problem is that there are two versions of me. One version is a strong, confident woman who always knows just what to say, bat her lashes, and smile just right. The other version is an awkward little bookworm who doesn't know the first thing about dating.
One of those versions lives entirely in my dreams.
The other is…well, that hot mess is me.
As soon as I need to speak up, my voice disappears as if it got eaten by a black hole. And I've yet to meet a man interested in a woman who stumbles and stutters her way through the most basic of sentences.
Tonight is probably going to be a disaster.
Truthfully? I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. This date wasnotmy idea. I'm being forced under duress. If I don't go, my best friend, Olive Medlock, may actually kill me… especially once she realizes that her older brother is the reason I don't want to go.
He is the reason, though. He'salwaysthe reason. I think I've been half in love with Jasper since the first time she showed mehis picture in college. I spent all four years just waiting for him to call her so I could listen in and then dream about his voice.
The first time we finally met three years ago, I had actual butterflies. My obsession has only gotten worse since.
Every time I see him, I get stuck on stupid. Every time he calls me baby girl, I start planning this elaborate future—one where he's crazy about me, we get married, have babies, and live happily ever after…with a lot of hot, dirty sex thrown into the mix.
We've lived a thousand lives together in my head already.
Except, he doesn't know. Olive cannotknow. If she had any idea about the things I dream about with her brother, she'd hate me forever. Those are my secrets, and I'll carry them all the way to the grave before I tell those truths.
I've already lost my entire family. I can't lose Olive, too.
So…I guess I'm dating now.
Yay for me.
