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

it is. I’d never kissed a single girl before I kissed you. None at all. I was always waiting for a special girl to come along, and it just took twenty-five years for that to happen. So there you go. I’m a nerd. I’m totally inexperienced. I’m a fake. Oh, and by the way, in case I didn’t make it clear before, I’m totally head-over-heels in love with you.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the sound of her laughter. After a few seconds of silence he cracked one eye open to see what she was doing. She was standing stock still, staring at him, her huge almond-shaped blue eyes brimming with tears.

“I’m sorry—I always say the wrong thing. Please, don’t cry. I’ll leave you alone. I promise. I won’t bother you anymore.”

He fought the urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her. How had he made such a mess of things? He clenched his eyes, reaching up to pull his hair in frustration. He flinched as he felt her surge against him, wrapping her arms around his waist and wetting his shirt with her tears.

He let his arms fall around her and rubbed her back, squeezing her against him and nuzzling her damp curls. He was totally confused. Did she like him or did she despise him? Was she angry or had she forgiven him? Did she believe him? Why would she cry and then hug him? This must be some type of farewell hug. She was crying because they were breaking up. He closed his eyes and willed it to last as long as possible.

“Too bad you don’t have that ring, Spencer,” sniffed Grace. He opened his eyes in confusion to find Grace and Olivia both crying and hugging each other. Girls were so weird. Why were they all crying?

He was thinking it was a good thing he hadn’t already bought the ring or destroyed her grandmother’s ring. He guessed he could give it back to her since he wasn’t going to use the diamonds. He refused to let himself think about another guy making it into an engagement ring for her. He pulled one hand down to reach into his pocket and pull out the ring box.

“Here,” he said, holding out the box. “I guess I won’t be needing this.”

Emily pulled away and gazed at the ring box balanced on his fingers. She picked it up with trembling hands and opened it.

“Oh!” she cried. “It’s my Grandmother’s ring! I’ve always loved this ring!”

She pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on her left hand. It fit perfectly. Then she started crying afresh, throwing herself back into Spencer’s arms. This time Spencer kept his eyes open, patting her back and watching in bewilderment as his sisters went on another crying-hugging spree.

Grace furrowed her eyebrows. “Kiss her, Spencer—she accepted.”

“Accepted what?”

“You’re engaged, you idiot.” Grace laughed. “Congratulations!”

Chapter Nineteen

Emily thought it was a perfect day. Oh, the wedding hadn’t been perfect. Her new shoes made a blister on her toe while they were taking pictures, so she’d discarded them to make her way down the aisle barefooted. The flower girl, one of Spencer’s cousins, had run all the way to the altar without throwing any petals, while the ring bearer had refused to take a single step down the aisle. Throughout the ceremony, Josh had been smiling and waggling his eyebrows at Charlie who vacillated between spearing him with her glares and refusing to make eye contact at all. Her sister had been furious with Spencer for choosing Josh as his best man, resulting in their pairing during the wedding ceremony. But over the last four and a half months, Spencer and Josh had become amazingly good friends. Spencer somehow credited Josh with helping him get engaged by providing the computer to prove his innocence, although secretly, Emily knew she would have believed him anyway.

But when Spencer squeezed her hand under the tablecloth, she felt a marvelous joy. She was married to an amazing boy, no—an amazing man. He was not only handsome and smart, but he adored her in every way. He’d already proven he’d do anything to protect her and care for her. And she knew with absolute confidence he loved her and would always love her and only her. And she returned that love with all of her heart.

Parts of the wedding had been storybook perfect. The beautiful classical music emanating from the grand piano. Walking down the aisle with Steven. Standing before the stained glass windows that decorated the front of the church with Charlie and all four of Spencer’s sisters as bridesmaids. Her mother, crying and hugging her, radiantly beautiful despite being eight months pregnant with twins.

And she definitely looked pregnant now.

Steven’s Gram, the tiny, feisty, ninety-six-year-old, held hands with Gus while describing her recent marriage to the ninety-one-year-old as robbing the cradle. Gram had insisted on buying Emily’s wedding gown, arguing she loved buying dresses for her granddaughters. It had cost way more than Emily was comfortable with, but wearing it made her feel like a fairy princess.

Altogether, it was an amazing day.

Spencer pulled up her left hand and kissed it, gazing fondly at the new band nestled next to her grandmother’s ring. “I still can’t believe you didn’t want a new engagement ring. I think you deserve a bigger diamond.”

Emily rolled her eyes. They’d had this discussion so many times. “But I don’t like big, flashy diamonds. And this is exactly what I wanted, plus it’s sentimental. Anyway, you put plenty of diamonds on the wedding band.”

“Yes, but none of them are very big.”

“Size isn’t important.”

He grinned impudently, whispering in her ear, “It will be tonight.”

“Spencer!” She knew her face was flaming, as if the entire group of guests could hear.*****

Josh laughed and joked with the rest of the wedding party, but his heart wasn’t in it. His mind was on the tall, beautiful maid of honor with the big golden