Page 45 of I'd Never Date my Brother's Best Friend

“For the date?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“Sure.” I shrug nonchalantly. “It works.”

“Alright.” He smiles. “I look forward to it.”

Without responding, I walk out of his house.

Chapter 18

Sean

Throughout the week, I’ve tried not to dwell on the fact that I asked Jessica on a date. The suggestion had just popped out of my mouth, and I quickly had to chalk it up to a “test run” when it was anything but. I wasn’t trying to test out anything, and I know for a fact Jessica would be able to flirt with and have an easy time making conversation with Rick if she wants to. Come on, it’s Jessica Stewart. She’s a brilliant girl.

The truth is, I want to go on a date with her. I’ve been trying to hold back my attraction to her, but it’s not working. A part of me really wants to go on that date and treat her like a queen, but I know it’s one of the worst ideas I’ve had. If I plan to stay away from her and let her date Rick, I should not be going on a date with her, regardless of whether it's for practice or not. What I should be doing is putting a distance the size of the Grand Canyon between us, not fake dating her. But I’m stupid, and today is The Date.

I had sent her a text earlier in the day to be ready by seven p.m., and I sent her a dress and shoes to wear. I thought it would add more to the illusion of this being fake if I sent her what to wear. But Jessica is stubborn, so I’m not sure if she’ll wear them. I really hope she wears them. It’s six now, and I keep delaying getting ready. If I don’t start now, I’ll be late.

Since this is a “test run”, I have to do everything right to show her what a good date looks like. A small part of me hopes it’ll be so good that she’ll see how no one, not even Rick, can compare. To start, her date should never be late picking her up. That shows he doesn’t value her time, which is a huge red flag. With a sigh, I leave the couch and jog up the stairs to my room. My suit is hanging in the closet. I take it out, admiring the material. It’s a new suit. It’s not like I bought it specifically for the date; I’ll probably need one for press events when I eventually go back to my life. Okay, maybe I bought it specifically for the date. But it doesn’t mean anything.

I want it to be special because today is my first actual date with Jessica, but she doesn’t have to know that. I’m content with letting her think it’s just practice. Her thinking that is for the best. I already showered a few minutes ago, so the only thing to do is put on my suit and check myself out in the mirror.

I’m Sean O’Connell. The Sean O’Connell. But right now, I don’t feel like it. I’m nervous, and my heart is beating a little too fast. I feel like I’m the one about to be tested and not the grump next door. With a sigh, I turn away from the mirror and grab my shoes before returning to the living room. When it’s a few minutes to seven, I get up and walk to the door. By this time, my heart is almost in my throat.

I’m taking Jessica out on a date! What?

I take my time, walking to Jess’s house and force myself to stay calm. When I reach her door, I take one deep breath and knock. Seconds later, I hear approaching footsteps and arrange my face into a smile. But when the door swings open, my smile falls away. Jessica is wearing the dress I bought her, and she looks utterly breathtaking. For a moment, my brain refuses to function.

Jessica scoffs, bringing me back to reality. “What?” She asks, annoyed. “Do I look bad?”

Wordlessly, I hand her a bouquet of flowers. “You look very beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She gives me a look like she’s questioning my sanity. “Let me just put these flowers in water and grab my bag.” I stand there and wipe my hands on my pants as I wait for her to come back out. “I’m ready.”

She reappears in another moment and shuts the door before following me to my car.

“Hold on.” I grab her arm when she tries to open the passenger door. “I’ve got to open the door for you.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I always open the car door for you, don’t I?” I smirk as I open the door.

After a moment of silence, she nods and slips into the passenger seat. “You’re right, you do. Sorry.”

I walk to the driver’s side and climb in, my gaze on her. “If your date doesn’t open the door for you, he’s not a gentleman.”

“Roger that.”

Chuckling, I start the car and pull out of my driveway. There’s no rush so I’m driving slowly, savoring my time with her.

“Aren’t you going to start a conversation?”

“What?” She looks at me like I’ve asked her to eat a toad.

“If it was Rick in the car, you’d want to start a conversation and not let the silence drag on for too long.”

“Why doesn’t he start the conversation then?” She asks stubbornly.

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