Page 2 of Austen Persuaded

A cough rose up in my throat. “Uh, Brandon, I find him so—” I started again hoarsely.

“So perfect?” Viviana flashed an indulgent smile, as we’d had some version of this conversation more than afew times before.

“I’m actually finding it hard to spot anything wrong with him too, I’ll admit,” she continued. She seemed about to say more, but after I sneezed, she gave me a motherly look. “Hey, don’t cough all over my clothes now. Are you feeling OK?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Don’t start your worrying thing. Just a tiny cough, probably just a touch of hay fever.” I didn’t actually know what hay fever was exactly, but it was a common allergy, right? People had allergies in the spring, didn’t they?

“Annie, is Gregory coming?”

After blowing my nose as delicately as I could, I glanced at Viviana and grinned. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle. She must have it bad for him. “As if Brandon would go anywhere without him. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this, but he’s just as keen on setting up you and Greg as I am. Brandon speaks well of you to Greg.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize … well, then.” She looked away and laughed softly, though her warm brown eyes showed a touch of uncertainty. “I hope we live up to your expectations.”

“We? You’re speaking in ‘we’ now? That has to be a good sign,” I said with a grin as I sat next to her on the bed, outfit selection forgotten for the moment. “Tell me everything! I promise I won’t cough on you.”

Viviana didn’t speak at first and instead played with her wavy brown hair, and I frowned. It wasn’t the first time I suspected she didn’t really trust me. It was as though we weren’t truly friends on an equal level but were still mentor/mentee as we’d been in college. I’d been a junior who still hadn’t chosen a major when we met, and Viviana had been in the master’s English program. We’d become fast friends as she guided me through my newly declared English major and capstone, among other things. Things I’d prefer to forget.

“Well, there isn’t much to tell,” she said at last. “Gregory is Gregory. Rude, cold, but also unfairly hot.” We both laughed. He was definitely all those things and probably worse. He was a snob of the highest degree. But the hot/cold thing was kind of intriguing to her, I could tell. And I couldn’t blame her—I’d probably be a bitsmitten myself if Brandon hadn’t occupied all my thoughts lately. “It’s just—”

I didn’t hear the rest as I began to cough again.

Stupid, stupid cough.

I can’t be getting sick. I just can’t.

“Annie, are you sure you’re OK to go out tonight? I’m sure Ellen would be fine with you sitting this one out,” Viviana said, her brows furrowed as she searched my face, which likely featured a reddened nose and tired eyes by now. She picked up a water bottle from her nightstand and took a sip.

I scowled. “You’re changing the subject. You know, you’re not as good at that as you think you are.”

She nearly spit out her drink and laughed. “Well, maybe, but you really do seem ill. Iamstarting to worry about you.”

“I’ll be fine.” I walked back over to the closet, dodging the piles of clothes I’d discarded on the floor because they weren’t up to my party standards. “I would press you for more deets, but I need to focus. I wish we had time to go shopping. You just don’t give me much to work with here, Viv. And I—achoo!—I still have to do my hair, but wewillcontinue this conversation later,” I warned. If I was going to find the perfect dress for my friend in this dated, minimalist wardrobe, I was going to need my full concentration and creativity. I sighed, looking again between the discarded heap and what remained in the closet before a series of sneezes overtook me.

Early on at the party, hosted at Ellen’s more than comfortable house in the neighboring city of Edina, Viviana looked increasingly concerned as my coughing worsened. She and Brandon traded looks before encouraging—no, commanding—me to go home.

“We haven’t even eaten yet,” I pouted, though I had no appetite. Honestly, I hadn’t been able to taste or smell food all day. Viviana was right; Iwasfeeling progressively worse, and it was becomingharder to hide it. But I couldn’t bring myself to miss a party with my potential soulmate, could I?

“Annie, babe, I think Viv’s right. You should call it a night. You look …” When Brandon saw me blanch, he backtracked. “I mean, you look gorgeous as always, even sick, but youaresick. You should go home and get some rest.”

“Oh, I can't just abandon you. I’m fine!” I protested with all the feeling I could muster.

“You’re not, love,” he said. When he started lightly massaging my shoulders, I couldn’t think of anything but his warm hands. “Go home—I’ll bring you some chicken soup tonight after we’re done here.” His breath warm against my face, he added for my ears alone, “and maybe a real massage.”

It’s a good thing my face was likely already reddened from all the sneezing and congestion. “Oh, if you insist,” I said, biting my lip to hide a smile. I sighed and looked at Viviana, forcing the fuzzy-headed feeling to clear before I spoke. “Be sure to keep Brandon company. Maybe if you’re sober, you can give him a ride to my place afterward?”

Gregory appeared out of nowhere and offered to take Brandon home himself. “Brandon will be fine without you,” he barked. “Go home before you infect the rest of us.”

Although Brandon’s best friend was being a jerk as usual, Gregory was probably just protective of his friend. I ignored him and pulled Brandon close. “I’m going to miss you so much,” I whispered.

“Will you though? You’ll be passed out on cold medicine,” he said with a pouty expression and then chuckled. His hands roamed down my back until I giggled and pulled them away.

“Not now, hon. Germs, you know. We will have an epic makeup session when I feel better. Which will be tomorrow, if I have anything to say about it.” I wanted to kiss him but settled for a forehead nuzzle and stepped away reluctantly.

Sighing, Viviana mumbled, “Probablytoo late for that.”

“What—” I started to ask, but when I saw her glaring at Gregory, I shrugged. It wasn’t worth interrupting whatever was going on between those two.

Chapter 2

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