that have their own money.”
“Age old truth, yeah. Just like a pretty girl has to wonder if the guy is after her because of her looks, or because he actually got to know her.”
“Hmm. Never thought of it that way. So I guess you would wonder if Willie just wants you as a trophy?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I wasn’t talking about me, no. That thought never entered my mind. No, Lump,” I motioned to her. “She had a lot of problems with that in L.A. Airhead L.A. beauty, but with more than air in the head.”
“You are both pretty girls. Adam looks infatuated with her. That must be the girl he has his eye on.”
“Adam has a girlfriend.”
“No, they broke up over this Christmas thing. It was going to happen, anyway. I couldn’t imagine a worse pair.” She shrugged. “Is your friend—wait, did you call her Lump?”
“Oh. Yeah. Her real name is Betsy but she hates it. Adam and Gladis call her Betz, but she has always been Lump to me so...”
“Where did she get that name?”
“Long story short—she gave someone a black eye for making fun of her name, so they called her Lump. Have her tell you the story.”
“But Adam calls her by her real name?”
“By a nickname of her real name, yeah.”
“Hmm.” She smirked and her eyes twinkled.
“What?”
“Adam is like a window. He’s hard to read at times, but you hear one thing that acts like Windex, and suddenly you can see right through him.”
“He likes Lump, then.”
She giggled delightedly. “Betcha! He probably has for a while. He is patient about a lot of things. There would be a part of him that would wait forever. Worse than a chick!” She rubbed her hands together and looked toward the kitchen. “Look, let’s have some fun with them. Will your friend forgive us?”
“Uh...what did you have in mind?”
“Nothing really. Just a little matchmaking.” She giggled.
“It’ll be good for her,” I said, intrigued.
“Okay, let’s pretend I pissed you off with a question or something. Stalk off to the kitchen. Lump will probably follow you--”
“William will follow if that happens.”
She made an irritated sound, loudly, and looked at Adam angrily. Him and Lump noticed, their eyes pulled our way. William’s eyes followed a second later, so I did my best to look mad, too. Or was I supposed to be trying to be embarrassed?
Adam and Lump looked from me to Elaine, buying that something was the matter and Adam was the problem. William looked straight at me. I could tell he knew we were up to no good.
Elaine flicked her hair and let her gaze settle back on me. In a mock whisper, she said, “He might try to sell you that he is a poor boy, but have you found out how much he is worth?”
Not where I thought she was going with that one. Elaine wasn’t messing around! I bet she played a lot of pranks as a child.
I couldn’t help looking at Adam in embarrassment.
William stood up slowly, now looking at his sister, silently pleading with her to stop. Oh yeah, a lot of pranks.
Elaine grabbed my arm. “C’mon. Let’s get some more wine.”
She threw Adam another glare before letting her eyes settle on Lump.
“ Lump , why don’t you join us.” As she said the nickname she threw Adam an ‘I know what you’re up to!’ look.
Lump stood up confusedly, following me like a meek lamb. Adam stood up quickly beside her, wanting to stop Lump from going, but not knowing how.
I wasn’t ready for the big leagues. I felt really guilty!
About ready to stop this charade, I followed Elaine’s eyes. Then let a smile curve my lips. It was worth it.
“C’mon Lump,” I said, walking off.
“Jess,” William said as a warning, playing into this nicely.
Lump followed me, trusting, glancing back at Adam in confusion. Elaine scooted off in the lead.
Adam watched us go, expression unsettled and betrayed. Whatever Elaine knew, it was a series sore spot, which meant it probably had to do with his trust fun; money he got from his
“Age old truth, yeah. Just like a pretty girl has to wonder if the guy is after her because of her looks, or because he actually got to know her.”
“Hmm. Never thought of it that way. So I guess you would wonder if Willie just wants you as a trophy?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I wasn’t talking about me, no. That thought never entered my mind. No, Lump,” I motioned to her. “She had a lot of problems with that in L.A. Airhead L.A. beauty, but with more than air in the head.”
“You are both pretty girls. Adam looks infatuated with her. That must be the girl he has his eye on.”
“Adam has a girlfriend.”
“No, they broke up over this Christmas thing. It was going to happen, anyway. I couldn’t imagine a worse pair.” She shrugged. “Is your friend—wait, did you call her Lump?”
“Oh. Yeah. Her real name is Betsy but she hates it. Adam and Gladis call her Betz, but she has always been Lump to me so...”
“Where did she get that name?”
“Long story short—she gave someone a black eye for making fun of her name, so they called her Lump. Have her tell you the story.”
“But Adam calls her by her real name?”
“By a nickname of her real name, yeah.”
“Hmm.” She smirked and her eyes twinkled.
“What?”
“Adam is like a window. He’s hard to read at times, but you hear one thing that acts like Windex, and suddenly you can see right through him.”
“He likes Lump, then.”
She giggled delightedly. “Betcha! He probably has for a while. He is patient about a lot of things. There would be a part of him that would wait forever. Worse than a chick!” She rubbed her hands together and looked toward the kitchen. “Look, let’s have some fun with them. Will your friend forgive us?”
“Uh...what did you have in mind?”
“Nothing really. Just a little matchmaking.” She giggled.
“It’ll be good for her,” I said, intrigued.
“Okay, let’s pretend I pissed you off with a question or something. Stalk off to the kitchen. Lump will probably follow you--”
“William will follow if that happens.”
She made an irritated sound, loudly, and looked at Adam angrily. Him and Lump noticed, their eyes pulled our way. William’s eyes followed a second later, so I did my best to look mad, too. Or was I supposed to be trying to be embarrassed?
Adam and Lump looked from me to Elaine, buying that something was the matter and Adam was the problem. William looked straight at me. I could tell he knew we were up to no good.
Elaine flicked her hair and let her gaze settle back on me. In a mock whisper, she said, “He might try to sell you that he is a poor boy, but have you found out how much he is worth?”
Not where I thought she was going with that one. Elaine wasn’t messing around! I bet she played a lot of pranks as a child.
I couldn’t help looking at Adam in embarrassment.
William stood up slowly, now looking at his sister, silently pleading with her to stop. Oh yeah, a lot of pranks.
Elaine grabbed my arm. “C’mon. Let’s get some more wine.”
She threw Adam another glare before letting her eyes settle on Lump.
“ Lump , why don’t you join us.” As she said the nickname she threw Adam an ‘I know what you’re up to!’ look.
Lump stood up confusedly, following me like a meek lamb. Adam stood up quickly beside her, wanting to stop Lump from going, but not knowing how.
I wasn’t ready for the big leagues. I felt really guilty!
About ready to stop this charade, I followed Elaine’s eyes. Then let a smile curve my lips. It was worth it.
“C’mon Lump,” I said, walking off.
“Jess,” William said as a warning, playing into this nicely.
Lump followed me, trusting, glancing back at Adam in confusion. Elaine scooted off in the lead.
Adam watched us go, expression unsettled and betrayed. Whatever Elaine knew, it was a series sore spot, which meant it probably had to do with his trust fun; money he got from his
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