Best Dating Rules, Tamie Dearen [literature books to read txt] 📗

right now if I could take back my past and say something like that to Charlie.” Then he chuckled. “But not in front of two other guys.”

Emily sat in stunned silence, contemplating this new information while Josh and Brad put their bowls in the sink, moving toward their rooms.

Before he disappeared, Josh turned back with a wink. “Emily. I think you’ve humiliated him enough now. He loves you, and you can trust him.”

Then his face lost its joking façade. “Just one thing, though. I need you to remember what this feels like. Both of you. Because this is how I feel right now about Charlie. All the time. Every day. So, I’d appreciate it if you’d put in a good word now and then.” He spun and slipped through his bedroom door.*****

Spencer debated his options, deciding he didn’t have any. If she still didn’t believe him, still didn’t trust him, what could he do? He could find the pictures on Facebook and try to prove he wasn’t with Becca. But Emily claimed it wouldn’t make a difference, anyway. Telling her the truth about his experience level was his final shot. If she turned him down now, he didn’t have anything else to offer.

But at least they were finally alone, without an audience—for a few minutes, anyway. He’d simply have to declare his love to her, and face refusal if it came. It would be easier not having Josh and Brad witness his rejection.

He moved to kneel in front of her while she sat motionless, regarding him with wary eyes.

“Emily...” He reached out for her hand, but a loud knock interrupted his words.

“I wonder who that could be.” She leaped to the door, squinting through the peephole. “It’s Grace and Olivia.”

He attempted to hide his annoyance as she jerked the door open. His sisters exclaimed when they spotted their friend.

“Emily!” Grace wrapped her in a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. We were all worried. I didn’t even know you were here. I just came over to talk to Brad before he left for work.”

“Why did you run off like that?” asked Olivia. “Spencer must have done something worse than he said.”

Grace spied Spencer on the floor and stomped over to stand before him with hands planted on her hips. “And there he is on his knees. I hope he’s begging for forgiveness. What did you do?”

He moaned, bending over to bang his head on the floor in total frustration. “I didn’t do anything. It was a set-up!”

Brad walked out from his bedroom. “Hey, Grace. You need to see the picture Emily got. I have to say it’s pretty convincing.”

Spencer glared at him, but Brad laughed. “Why are you on the floor? Are you groveling?”

He was climbing to his feet when Josh came out of the back, carrying his laptop. He handed it to Spencer and smiled, clapping him on the back.

“Here you go, buddy. Prove your innocence.”

“Grace, will you lock up when you go? We’ve got to head for work. I’ll call you after if it’s not too late.” Brad gave her a quick hug and a kiss.

“Grace and Olivia could go with you. Emily and I will be glad to lock up the place,” suggested Spencer, as he searched madly for the dance studio’s Facebook page.

“That’s okay,” said Grace. “We’ll just stay a while. I want to see this picture Brad’s talking about.”

As Brad and Josh left the apartment, Emily pulled out her phone, displaying the picture for Grace and Olivia, who both gasped audibly.

“Spencer!” said Grace. “When did this happen? You told me you hadn’t dated anyone before Emily.”

“Becca framed me. Look! Look at these pictures. It was a dance class.”

“You were in a dance class?” asked Olivia, looking more astonished than she had at the image of Becca’s passionate kiss.

Grace took the computer, and the three girls studied the pictures.

“Oh yeah. There he is dancing with an older lady. Here he’s with another pretty girl. I’m not sure this proves anything except you were dancing with other girls.”

“Look at this one, where I’m dancing with Becca. Can’t you tell I don’t want to be with her?”

“Well he does look pretty disgusted in this one, where she’s kind of hanging on his leg.” Olivia chuckled.

A giggle escaped from behind Emily’s fingers. “And this one, right after the kissing picture.”

“Oh yeah,” Grace agreed with a grin. “His face is a little nauseated. That’s really not a good look for you brother.”

“And what were you doing in a dance class?” asked Olivia. “And why wasn’t Emily with you?”

Spencer tried futilely to keep the exasperation from his voice. “I wanted to surprise Emily because she loves to dance. I knew she wanted to dance at Sam and Tanner’s wedding.”

“I guess it was kind of sweet,” admitted Emily.

“When did you have time to take dance lessons?” demanded Grace. “I thought you were working to buy her a ring.”

“You knew about that?” said Emily. “Why didn’t he tell me he wanted to get married?”

“Spencer!” Grace scolded. “You were supposed to talk to her.”

“It was only a misunderstanding… But we could talk right now if you two would leave us alone.”

“You bought the ring?” asked Grace with excitement.

“Not yet. But I did ask her parents for permission. And Charlie was going to help me pick out a setting.”

“So you pretty much talked to everybody but me.” Emily’s eyes flashed with resentment.

“I told you... I thought that’s what we were talking about—”

“Well did you at least tell her you loved her? Did she know you hadn’t dated anyone else?” Grace turned to Emily. “You know, he had all of us fooled on that one. When we found out he’d never even kissed a girl before—”

“He’d never kissed a girl before? He didn’t tell me that. He just said he’d never been with a girl.”

Grace frowned at Spencer. “Am I right brother? Tell the truth.”

“Why not? Total humiliation seems to be the order of the day.”

He turned to face Emily with his face burning. “Here