Page 62 of Tamed to Be Messy

He nods. “Seems like a good idea.”

I drop my gaze. “Hannah offered to go with me, so I’m taking her up on her offer.”

He raises one brow, like a question mark, and the gleam in his eye below is the dot.

I resist rolling my eyes. “As a friend.”

His brows lower. “Do you have a thing for Hannah?”

I lean forward and look Zane straight in the face. We’ve known each other long enough that I feel I can shoot straight with him. In the past, I didn’t bother to deflect the commentsabout my reputation because I didn’t care. But now I do…a lot. I don’t want that stuff to ruin my chance with Hannah. If I even have one.

“Yeah, I do. And before you go scolding me about fooling around with my best friend’s sister, let me put that thought to rest. I wouldn’t do that to Graham, and I especially wouldn’t do that to Hannah. She deserves better than that. And just for the record, I’m really not that guy anymore.”

Zane holds his hands up. “Dude, relax. That’s obvious.”

Totally didn’t expect that. “It is?”

“Yeah, man. We’ve all noticed you’ve changed a lot over the last year or so.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think Graham has.”

“I’m pretty sure he has. But we’re talking about his little sister. Of course, he’s going to be protective of her. Especially considering she’s had a crush on you since before she left for college.”

I snap my gaze to him as something shifts into place in my gut. “She did?”

Kade walks into the office. “Is this about Hannah?” He holds his hands out in apology. “Couldn’t help but overhear as I walked in.”

I crane my neck to look up at him. Hopefully, he didn’t overhear anything else. “Am I the only one who didn’t know this?”

Zane grabs his keys from his desk and stands, signaling he’s ready for that breakfast. “Seems that way.”

Needing a few minutes to process this, I lag behind them as we walk to Zane’s Jeep. Knowing that Hannah had a crush on me is doing funny things to my head—and my heart. Back then, she was just a kid, really…Graham’s spunky little sister, who always had some kind of animal in her arms. I barely noticed her, to be honest.

But I see her now. And I cannot look away.

CHAPTER 23

Hannah

Itwist to the side, then the other to get a better look in the mirror. When I tried this dress on at The Pink Hibiscus, I instantly fell in love with it. Sally Albright, the owner of the store, said the deep turquoise color complemented my hair and complexion.

But now I’m having doubts, and I think it has more to do with a certain sexy lifeguard, who’s monopolizing my headspace. I want to look amazing for Nick tonight. Not just because I’d like to make a good impression on his parents, but also because Imightbe trying to make myself irresistible.

Okay,definitelytrying…

“Han, you look fantastic. Quit second-guessing yourself.” Madi’s leaning in the doorway to the bathroom, holding an eyeshadow palette in one hand and a fancy hair stick thingy in the other that looks more like a giant fork. “Nick will be here in less than twenty minutes. Are we doing hair and makeup, or is this going to be anau naturelaffair?”

I spin around and face her. How does she always manage to know what I’m thinking? “I need all the help I can get.”

“Are you kidding? With those curls and that complexion…honey, I’m just here to highlight your best features.”

I slide onto a barstool in my kitchen so she can start my much-needed transformation. “Curls and freckles aren’t sexy.”

She frowns at me. “What mirror are you using, girl?”

I point toward my bathroom. “That one. And it says I’m too ordinary to land a guy like Nick.” I slap a hand over my mouth. So now I’m trying to land him? What is wrong with me? Why am I setting myself up for heartache here?

Madi’s grin gives the Cheshire Cat some serious competition. “Trust me. When I’m done, he’ll be begging you for a real, official date.”

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