Page 21 of The Anti-Bachelorette (The Anti-Bachelorette 1)

Alaric just mumbles. “Standing right here.”

My dad smiles at him. He turns back to me. “That reminds me, your grandma needs a final count for grandpa’s sixtieth birthday next week.” He turns over to Alaric. “Do you want me to put down a plus one for you? They are trying to get a final count for the caterers.”

Alaric doesn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

He doesn’t say who he is bringing, but his eyes are glaring right at me. I see what game he is trying to play. He’s going to bring a date so he can convince me he doesn’t care at all what happened between us. Well two can play that game buddy. “Put one down for me too.”

My dad looks over to me and grins. “Ah did you meet someone at the bar last night?”

I give him a sweet smile. “There may have been a kiss or two shared.”

My dad shoots his head over to Alaric. “Alaric! What the hell! I said don’t let any guys touch her.”

Alaric’s eyes are shooting daggers over at me, and I just smirk behind my dad’s back and raise my eyebrows like ‘what are you going to do about it?’

He just grunts. “She said ‘may have.’ Sounds like she just made the whole thing up in her head to me.”

I roll my eyes. “No, Alaric was definitely around. He must’ve just been too self-absorbed to notice.”

My dad looks back at me. “Well, what’s this mystery guy’s name? Do I get to meet him before grandpa’s birthday?”

I just laugh. “Oh no. I’m not bringing him. He was totally forgettable.” I stare right back at Alaric. He mouths the word “brat” to me. I just shrug my shoulders. “I have a few guys in mind. I’ll let you know who I pick.”

My dad smiles at me. “Sounds good sweetie. I’m going to go take a shower. You sticking around today?”

“I have plans today. I’m sure Alaric will hang out with you though since you're his only friend.”

My dad laughs and then pats Alaric on the back. “How do you deal with her everyday?”

My mouth drops open. “Me? What about him?”

He laughs again. “Game starts at noon. I’m ordering pizza. The girls didn’t drink all our beer last night did they?”

Alaric shakes his head. “No, I hid that. Plus all they wanted was shots anyway.” He rolls his eyes like we were a bunch of teenagers.

My dad pretend pukes. “Man, I think I might actually drop dead if I tried to do shots the way we did back then.”

I fake gasp. “What? Alaric actually used to know how to have fun?”

My dad starts walking out of the room to go shower. “Be nice. I better not find anyone murdered when I get back out here.”

I walk around to the sink and start washing off my plate. “So, do you actually know my grandpa or did my dad just know you’d have no plans on a Saturday night?”

Alaric looks at me. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”

I smile back. “You know, I think I will. This has been real fun.” I set my plate in the dishwasher and then leave back to my house. After seeing Alaric this morning, I still don’t have any more clarity on how I feel about him. On one hand I still hate his guts. He’s so mean and arrogant, but on the other hand, I can’t stop thinking about the way those pants hung on his ass or how I want those mean hands all over me again.

???

I call Angela up, and we decide to order in lunch at her place. Both of us are still hungover and don’t feel like doing anything, so we order in some greasy food and head to her bed to watch movies the rest of the day. The second we set our food down on the bed, Angela grabs the remote and looks at me. “So…?”

I just look back at her. “So what?”

She slaps my arm. “C’mon! What happened with you and Alaric last night?”

I just sigh. “Nothing.”

She stares back at me like she doesn’t believe me. “Really nothing? After that super hot kiss in the bar you just both went your separate ways?”

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