Page 25 of Simply Irresistible

Chapter 5

I catch sight of myself in the bathroom mirror as I fix my hair. I've spoken to rooms filled with hundreds of people without breaking into a sweat, yet this woman makes me question myself. Am I good enough for her and her daughter?

I stare at myself again. I've had no problem getting attention from women, but most want me for my money and the privileges that come with it.

Ding dong.

Who the hell is that?I peek at the clock on the wall behind me. It's a quarter past seven, and I'm not expecting anyone. I walk downstairs and open the door.

"Hey, big brother," Amanda chirps. Her lips curl as she sees my clothing. "Oh, wow, looking sharp. Going somewhere?"

"Hey, nosy much?" I tease, holding the door open and signaling for her to come in.

"So, where are you going?" she asks as she walks into the hallway.

"None of your business."

"Come on, tell me."

"It's not a business thing. It's a woman," I clarify.

Amanda's brows furrow and release as her brain goes nuts trying to figure out who.

"Please, don't tell me you're going out with that bitch, Meghan." The way Amanda curls her lips and wrinkles her nose is hilarious.

I let out a modest laugh. "Oh, you'd hate that."

“That woman is a manipulative, gold-digging Barbie doll. She's so fake. But when she blinks her false eyelashes and flashes her cleavage, every man ends up acting as if they were a dumbass puppet."

"Want to talk?" I ask.

"No!" she says, putting her hands on her hips. "Oh my God, it's Cindy. Isn't it?" Amanda's face flushes red. "Please don't tell me you're so stupid to let that woman back into your life. She cheated on you."

Amanda is getting so worked up that she's making elaborate gestures with her hands. I have to stop her.

"Easy, sis." I breathe. "It's not Cindy or Meghan," I add.

"Oh, thank the Lord. But if it's not them, then who is it?"

I won't be able to hide this from my sister for very long.

"I'm taking Emma out to dinner."

"Emma?" she thinks out loud for a second before exploding with excitement. "Oh my God, you're going out with Emma! The one from the auction? The one with the adorable daughter?"

"Yep. So stop screaming." I loosen my collar as Amanda takes a deep breath.

"She's an amazing woman, Nick."

"Hm, yeah, I know."

"Are you... nervous? Like actually nervous? About a date?" she muses.

"What? No! Of course, I'm not nervous."

Amanda's face tells me she's not buying it.

"You can't fool me, big brother. You've run your hands through your hair at least four times, and you only do that when you're nervous, which hasn’t happened in years." Amanda is giving me googly eyes, and her generous smirk shows she's having fun teasing me.

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