Page 3 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
Beth joined her at the window and confirmed that it was him. “Wait until you meet him. He’s got the most pretty blue eyes.”
The two friends waited for the pretty blue eyes to emerge from the ugly yellow sports car. And waited. And waited.
“What sort of guy doesn’t come to the door?” Lauren said. The jerk face could take his pretty blue eyes and shove it! Lauren didn’t look convinced. Miffed, yes. But not convinced. Beth deserved a man that walked up to the damn door, rang the damn bell, and offered his damn arm to walk her to the damn car and then when they reached the damn car, open the damn door for her, dammit! Couldn’t this guy see how special Beth was? Good luck finding a woman better than her because they aren’t out there! You big fathead!Breathe, Lauren.
Beth got her purse and started for the door. “Maybe he’s just nervous.”
Lauren snatched a cookie and took a large bite. If she didn’t, she was liable to storm outside and take a bite out of him. “Call if you need me to come get you. Where are you going anyway? And what’s this guy’s name?”
“Danny Scott. He’s taking me to that new Italian restaurant on Third Street. Do you want to meet him? I can ask him to come inside.”
Lauren and Gram looked at each other and in unison said, “No.” He had no manners, an ugly car, and a first name for a last name. That was all they needed to know. At least they lived in a small town. This Danny wouldn’t be able to pull anything without half the town knowing about it.
“Have a good time, and be careful in those shoes!” Lauren called to Beth as she walked out the door.
“I nearly forgot! I made a strawberry cake today.” Beth called back over her shoulder.
Lauren followed her to the door to see her off. “With that fluffy, toasted coconut frosting I love so much?”
“Of course!”
“I love you! Have a good time! Just remember he won’t buy the cow if you give the milk away for free, young lady!” Lauren teased in her mother-knows-best voice. She sighed and shook her head as Beth waved behind her while she walked, er, wobbled down the sidewalk.
“That’s rich coming from you, Lauren. I caught you making out in my basement more times than I can count!” scolded Gram.
From the front door, Lauren watched her friend open her own car door and get into the ugly, striped lemon on wheels. Never mind that it was impractical for Minnesota, it was hideous! He hadn’t even stepped out of the car to greet her outside. Nope. This guy wasn’t the one for Bethany Spinner, but getting her out of the house for an evening was good. Maybe he would be a nice guy? If not, maybe Beth would meet someone better while out? The striped lemon peeled away with a squeal. Sigh … One could hope!
Lauren closed the door and returned to Gram. “Making out in the basement … those were good days. Remember Beth’s first boyfriend?”
Who could forget poor Lars? He had a lazy eye, short mousy brown hair except for the tiny ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he could never be parted from that ridiculous cape. Gram nodded. “He was obsessed with that Dungeons and Dragons game. Remember the purple velvet cape he wore all the time?”
“And that rat's tail he sported? Lars still plays Dungeons and Dragons, works at Al’s Pizza, and lives in his parent’s basement.” And right now he was preferable to Danny.
Lauren and Gram simultaneously rolled their eyes and laughed.
Lauren met Beth on the first day of kindergarten when, somehow, Beth got glue in her pigtails. Then the inevitable followed: glitter. Everywhere. Poor Beth looked like a disco ball with red curls springing out. Everyone, including the teacher, laughed at her, but not Lauren. Although it hadn’t actually helped one iota, Lauren took Beth to the girls' room, soaped up her hair, and dunked her head under the running water in the sink. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Okay, so it made it worse, but that wasn’t the point. The only solution was, of course, to cut Beth’s left pigtail. And once the left pigtail was gone, Beth’s hair looked stupid so naturally, the right had to follow. Lauren handled the hair removal personally. That was the day they learned that Bethany Spinner and glue were not compatible.
Incidentally, that was also the day they learned Lauren had no future in cosmetology.
They had been best friends ever since. And since that fateful day, Lauren had watched the revolving door of losers, all vying for Beth’s heart. The trouble was they lived in a small town that didn’t see many newcomers. Beth was running out of options.
The problem was that Beth was too nice. She saw the good in everyone—everyone. Even the guys that couldn’t so much as get out of their damn ugly car and be a gentleman for three lousy seconds of their self-centered, pathetic lives. Buttheads! Breathe, Lauren.
“I’m going to get some cake. Would you like a slice?” Lauren asked.
“No, thanks, I had some earlier. I’ll take another one of your cookies, though. I like chocolate with my whiskey.”
“Want some tea with your whiskey?”
“No, straight up is good tonight.”
Lauren went to the kitchen and returned with a pair of tulip glasses for the whiskey and a fat slice of pink cake with an equally fat scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tonight, she would eat through her rage aimed at the idiot man-child named Danny.
ChapterTwo
After openingthe restaurant door for herself, Danny had to answer a call on his phone. Beth sat down as the waiter pushed in her chair for her. At least someone around here had some manners, even if he was paid for them. The waiter paused a moment to look at Beth’s soft face, and sweet expression, and wondered what sort of idiot would keep this angel waiting?
Right on cue, the idiot arrived, plopped down, and placed his cell phone on the table beside his napkin. Judging by the look of him, the waiter took the liberty of assessing that he was no doctor, fireman, or police and if he wasn’t any of those and on call, then his juvenile yellow phone should be out of sight.
