Page 25 of The Anti-Bachelorette (The Anti-Bachelorette 1)

I walk over to the stove and finish stirring the sauce I was working on. I’ve been making dinner for both my dad and Alaric for over a week now. I told him it was because I was the bigger person, but really it’s hard to cook for just two people because the leftovers go bad too quickly. I actually don’t mind cooking for three. I can make more casseroles and such without having to eat it for a week straight to finish the leftovers.

I call over to my dad. “Food’s almost ready.”

He nods. “I’ll set the table.”

Angela quickly chimes in. “I can help.”

She follows my dad into the dining room with the plates. Alaric watches them go and then turns to me. “Is Angela into your dad?”

My head falls back, and I look up to the ceiling and groan. “Can we not talk about that?”

Alaric just laughs. “Oh she is.” Alaric looks over toward my dad. “Wow. Good for him.”

I glare over at him. “Nothing and I mean nothing will ever happen between my friend and my dad.” I shiver like the idea disgusts me. He just laughs again. “You know you can’t tell daddy who he can sleep with?”

I glare over at him. “My dad wouldn’t sleep with someone half his age.”

Alaric glances back to the dining room and runs his eyes over Angela. I immediately point the knife I am holding at him. “Look at my friend again.” I narrow my eyes at him.

He just laughs and throws his hands up in defense. “Geez relax” He looks back over at my dad. “You’re right though, but it’s only because he’s oblivious to when a girl is flirting with him.”

I laugh out, “I’m surprised you could tell. Have you ever had a girl try to flirt with you? Or do they mostly just run away screaming?”

He smirks at me. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about me. I do just fine.”

I think back to the pretty blonde he was being so charming with at the barbeque. Ugh. Now I am even more annoyed with him. I wish the condescending asshole didn’t get any attention. Teach him a lesson to not be a jerk and all.

I glance at Alaric again. Of course he has girls all over him all the time. How could he not when he has that whole mysterious asshole vibe going for him with the body of someone in manual labor. Not to mention those intense eyes of his. Black as night. It feels like he can see into your soul. That or he wants to murder you. It’s hard to tell the difference.

I just glare at him and then smile. “I don’t worry about you. I don’t even think about you.” He grins like he knows I’m lying and I so am. I feel like I am going crazy thinking about him. I need to get a grip.

I turn back toward the stove, but he steps closer to me and lowers his voice. “Never? Not even when you’re in bed at night?”

My mouth goes dry, and I try to swallow. I don’t want to look over at him because he’ll know with one look on my face that I definitely have. I just keep stirring my sauce, and I shake my head no. He leans even closer so his mouth is right behind my ear. “Because I think about you.”

I whip my head toward him to read his face to see if he is serious, but my dad and Angela walk back into the kitchen, and he just steps back and smiles at me. I just stare back at him. What was that? Why is he doing this to me?

Angela bumps my shoulder with hers. “I thought you said the food was almost ready. I’m starving.”

I break eye contact with Alaric and look over to her. “Yes. It’s ready now. Grab a plate.”

I am quiet most of dinner. Angela is all chatty with my dad. Still not sure how I never noticed that before. I mostly just look down at my food, but every time I glance up, my eyes meet Alaric’s, which are always just staring back at me.

As soon as we are done eating, I get up. “Let’s go Ang. The guys can do the dishes.” I pull her toward the door before she can protest. The second the front door is shut, she stops and looks at me. “What’s going on?”

I just shrug my shoulders. “I couldn’t watch you flirt with my dad any longer.”

She laughs. “Oh please. This look has Alaric written all over it.” She motions her hand over my face.

I look down at the ground and clench my fists. “He’s toying with me on purpose. I swear I never met someone so irritating.”

She just laughs. “Well, maybe you and Marco will hit it off. I know I said he just broke up with his girlfriend, but I mean that was like 2 months ago. He’s probably over her by now.”

I smile at her. “I’m just glad he’ll be there so I don’t have to deal with Alaric by myself.”

We spend the rest of the night picking out an outfit for me for Saturday and her telling me about her new business idea she’s going to start with her other cousin. She has so many cousins I can’t even keep track of them all, but I can’t complain because at least one of them is helping bail me out this weekend.

She’s right too. I should see how things go with Marco. I just need to stop thinking about Alaric and actually consider someone with real dating potential. Marco definitely could be it. We’ve all hung out a few times. He’s always been super nice and friendly. He’s super hot, and he has a good job. I actually can’t think of one thing wrong with Marco. Good. I am feeling better about Saturday already.

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