he'll get under my skin. It's so much easier to think of him as a flirt, a lad, someone I should keep at arms length. If he's at arms length he can't wriggle under my defences towards my heart.
I know that's what will happen. If I give him a chance I may as well stand on the rooftop and shout 'hey, Alec, come and break my heart!' at the top of my voice. I don't know if I'm ready for that.
The fact we've only known each other a week doesn't matter much anymore. The thought hits me suddenly and I recall Bing's words. You need to loosen up a bit. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and sigh it out. Damn my brother to hell and back on a rocket.
''One chance, Alec,'' I say quietly, looking into his eyes. ''If you can prove to me you're not a man whore, then I'll forget everything Jen has told me about you.''
His face transforms and he smiles widely. His dimples make an appearance and I feel a bit of my resolve melt. I know I've just made a mistake, giving him that chance.
''You have a deal.'' He takes my hand and steps back. ''My lady, would you allow me to escort you to the upcoming nuptials?''
I put my other hand over my mouth and laugh into it as he bows to me. A nod is all I can manage.
He stands and whoops loudly. ''She said yes!'' he shouts, much to the delight of passer bys.
I gasp and slap his arm. ''You're such an idiot!''
''Sorry,'' he laughs. ''I couldn't resist.''
I look at him and I can't contain my amused smirk. He bumps my shoulder with his.
''Come on, Princess, it was a little bit funny.'' He grins.
''Maybe a little..'' I try to contain my laughter.
''You know it was...'' He pulls a silly face and I let my laughter go.
''You're so stupid,'' I manage through my laughter.
''I know.'' He wraps his arm around me and leads me towards the fish and chip shop. ''Dinner is on me.''
~
''What day is it?'' Gram asks me, peering at the calendar.
''It's Wednesday, and your glasses are on the kitchen side,'' Mum replies, kissing Gram's head as she walks past her.
''You seem a bit forgetful lately, Gram,'' I comment.
Dad peers at us over the top of his newspaper.
''It's old age, Lexy girl.'' She chuckles and puts her glasses on. ''Happens to the best of us. Why, Mabel forgot her bingo pen on Sunday night! Caused quite a stir in the Bingo hall, I'll tell you.''
''Is that why you won?'' I grin.
''Why you cheeky little..'' She swats me and I sidestep out of the way laughing. ''Probably was, dear. I won't complain though!''
''How much did you win?'' Dad asks her.
''Fifty pounds,'' she says proudly.
I snicker and Dad claps.
''Drinks on you then, Vi!''
''Si!'' Mum admonishes. ''Don't encourage her. Me and Lexy have already hidden the Vino.''
''Not very well,'' Grammy cackles and waggles a finger at her. ''It's in the cupboard under the stairs. I might forget the day and where I put my glasses but you lived with me for eighteen years, sugar-pie, and you've been hiding things there since you were a year old.''
I make a buzzer sound. ''That is the wrong answer.''
Gram looks at us, shocked. ''You mean it's not there?''
''Don't be silly, mother,'' Mum laughs. ''Lexy hid it.''
''Yep, and I'd love to see you climb the chimney!'' I laugh.
''You didn't!'' Grammy puts a hand to her chest.
''You're so gullible.'' I bend over the chair laughing. ''Of course I didn't put it up the chimney.''
''They tipped it down the sink instead!'' Dad teases her.
''You horrible children,'' she clucks. ''Tormenting a poor, defenceless, little old lady.''
''Defenceless! Ha!'' Dad puts his paper down and sits back in his chair. ''I seem to remember you're lethal with a handbag, Violet.''
Gram gets a thoughtful look on her face.
''I get the feeling there's a story here somewhere.'' I look between her and my parents.
''Oh there is.'' Mum stirs her tea and leans against the kitchen counter. ''We were what, fifteen?'' She looks at Dad.
''Sixteen, I believe,'' he corrects her. Mum nods.
''You were. I think I was still
I know that's what will happen. If I give him a chance I may as well stand on the rooftop and shout 'hey, Alec, come and break my heart!' at the top of my voice. I don't know if I'm ready for that.
The fact we've only known each other a week doesn't matter much anymore. The thought hits me suddenly and I recall Bing's words. You need to loosen up a bit. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and sigh it out. Damn my brother to hell and back on a rocket.
''One chance, Alec,'' I say quietly, looking into his eyes. ''If you can prove to me you're not a man whore, then I'll forget everything Jen has told me about you.''
His face transforms and he smiles widely. His dimples make an appearance and I feel a bit of my resolve melt. I know I've just made a mistake, giving him that chance.
''You have a deal.'' He takes my hand and steps back. ''My lady, would you allow me to escort you to the upcoming nuptials?''
I put my other hand over my mouth and laugh into it as he bows to me. A nod is all I can manage.
He stands and whoops loudly. ''She said yes!'' he shouts, much to the delight of passer bys.
I gasp and slap his arm. ''You're such an idiot!''
''Sorry,'' he laughs. ''I couldn't resist.''
I look at him and I can't contain my amused smirk. He bumps my shoulder with his.
''Come on, Princess, it was a little bit funny.'' He grins.
''Maybe a little..'' I try to contain my laughter.
''You know it was...'' He pulls a silly face and I let my laughter go.
''You're so stupid,'' I manage through my laughter.
''I know.'' He wraps his arm around me and leads me towards the fish and chip shop. ''Dinner is on me.''
~
''What day is it?'' Gram asks me, peering at the calendar.
''It's Wednesday, and your glasses are on the kitchen side,'' Mum replies, kissing Gram's head as she walks past her.
''You seem a bit forgetful lately, Gram,'' I comment.
Dad peers at us over the top of his newspaper.
''It's old age, Lexy girl.'' She chuckles and puts her glasses on. ''Happens to the best of us. Why, Mabel forgot her bingo pen on Sunday night! Caused quite a stir in the Bingo hall, I'll tell you.''
''Is that why you won?'' I grin.
''Why you cheeky little..'' She swats me and I sidestep out of the way laughing. ''Probably was, dear. I won't complain though!''
''How much did you win?'' Dad asks her.
''Fifty pounds,'' she says proudly.
I snicker and Dad claps.
''Drinks on you then, Vi!''
''Si!'' Mum admonishes. ''Don't encourage her. Me and Lexy have already hidden the Vino.''
''Not very well,'' Grammy cackles and waggles a finger at her. ''It's in the cupboard under the stairs. I might forget the day and where I put my glasses but you lived with me for eighteen years, sugar-pie, and you've been hiding things there since you were a year old.''
I make a buzzer sound. ''That is the wrong answer.''
Gram looks at us, shocked. ''You mean it's not there?''
''Don't be silly, mother,'' Mum laughs. ''Lexy hid it.''
''Yep, and I'd love to see you climb the chimney!'' I laugh.
''You didn't!'' Grammy puts a hand to her chest.
''You're so gullible.'' I bend over the chair laughing. ''Of course I didn't put it up the chimney.''
''They tipped it down the sink instead!'' Dad teases her.
''You horrible children,'' she clucks. ''Tormenting a poor, defenceless, little old lady.''
''Defenceless! Ha!'' Dad puts his paper down and sits back in his chair. ''I seem to remember you're lethal with a handbag, Violet.''
Gram gets a thoughtful look on her face.
''I get the feeling there's a story here somewhere.'' I look between her and my parents.
''Oh there is.'' Mum stirs her tea and leans against the kitchen counter. ''We were what, fifteen?'' She looks at Dad.
''Sixteen, I believe,'' he corrects her. Mum nods.
''You were. I think I was still
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