fifteen. Anyway.'' She focuses on me. ''We'd been out to Ilfracombe to see a show at the Landmark and then dinner afterwards. It was at some all you can eat buffet, and we'd stuffed ourselves silly. Anyway, I was a little bloated and when we got back, your grandmother took one look at me and accused your father of getting me pregnant. We were so shocked by her words he didn't see her handbag come flying towards him.''
I snort and Dad laughs at the memory.
''My arm is still sore to this day,'' he jokes. ''She carried everything but the kitchen sink in that blasted bag.''
''I can't believe you actually beat Dad with your handbag!'' I look at Gram and there's a fond smile on her face.
''I believe I remember that,'' she chuckles and turns her attention to me. ''You make sure to tell your Alec about my handbag skills.''
''He's not my anything!'' I insist.
''Of course, honey,'' Mum says and puts her empty cup in the sink. ''Are you ready, Mum? Tesco won't do the shopping for you.''
''Yes, yes, Em. I'm ready.'' Gram kisses my cheek and picks up her bag. Dad takes the car keys from Mum and goes to start the car up.
''See you in a bit, Mum.'' I flick my magazine open.
''Bye, love.''
''Oh, Lexy,'' Gram turns in the door, and that twinkle I've come to expect is in her eyes. I narrow my eyes. ''Your Alec will be here in ten minutes. He's putting my shed up for me.''
''What?!'' I exclaim and jump out of my seat. ''Why does no one tell me this stuff?'' I stomp past them. ''And for the last time, he's not my Alec!''
''Oh, Emmy,'' I hear Gram giggle as I run up the stairs to get changed. ''That girl has it bad.''
''Mother, you're incorrigible.'' Mum sighs. I hear the front door open then close again.
I turn to the mirror. My hair is shoved up in a messy bun, I have smudges under my eyes from yesterday's make up and I'm still wearing my pyjamas.
My Snoopy pyjamas.
If there's any chance of me being ready to face the hottest guy on the face of the Earth, I'm gonna need a freakin' miracle.
And if I'm now referring to him as 'the hottest guy on the face of the Earth', I need a brain transplant.
~
Miraculously, I'm ready by the time Alec knocks on the door.
''You're not exactly dressed for shed building, Princess.'' He leans against the door frame.
''I wasn't under the impression I would be shed building,'' I reply and flounce into the kitchen.
''Well, you are.'' He follows me in.
''Says who?'' I turn and nearly smack into his chest. I tilt my head back and look up at him.
''Says me,'' he says in a low voice that does funny things to my knees. Yeah, the guy is a walking advert for sexiness.
''It's a shame I say no then, isn't it?'' I smile sweetly and step away from him before the rest of my body goes into overdrive. ''Gram said you'll find all the tools you need outside.''
''Ah, the Princess is afraid to get her hands dirty,'' he says in a knowing voice.
''Nope,'' I say casually. ''But ladies don't build sheds.''
''You're not eighteen yet, Princess.''
I roll my eyes. ''Alec, I wear a bra. That makes me a lady.'' I slap my hand over my mouth. ''Totally didn't mean to say that.''
Alec laughs and wraps his arms around me. I bury my face into my hands and try to ignore how warm his body is, how strong his arms feel and how freakin' hard and muscular his chest is.
This is so not on board with my 'Resist Alec' plan.
I extract myself from his arms with a tiny bit of reluctance. So what? I enjoyed the hug. I can appreciate a good hug.
''Get building, go on.'' I give him a friendly shove towards the sliding doors.
He pushes them open easily and looks at me over his shoulder.
''Whatever you say, Princess.''
''I wish you'd stop with the pet name,'' I mumble as I head upstairs to my room.
My head can only be cleared with one thing.
It's time to grab my iPod and listen to my secret Westlife play list.
ALEC
There's something satisfying about finding the last piece of a puzzle and slotting it in.
There's
I snort and Dad laughs at the memory.
''My arm is still sore to this day,'' he jokes. ''She carried everything but the kitchen sink in that blasted bag.''
''I can't believe you actually beat Dad with your handbag!'' I look at Gram and there's a fond smile on her face.
''I believe I remember that,'' she chuckles and turns her attention to me. ''You make sure to tell your Alec about my handbag skills.''
''He's not my anything!'' I insist.
''Of course, honey,'' Mum says and puts her empty cup in the sink. ''Are you ready, Mum? Tesco won't do the shopping for you.''
''Yes, yes, Em. I'm ready.'' Gram kisses my cheek and picks up her bag. Dad takes the car keys from Mum and goes to start the car up.
''See you in a bit, Mum.'' I flick my magazine open.
''Bye, love.''
''Oh, Lexy,'' Gram turns in the door, and that twinkle I've come to expect is in her eyes. I narrow my eyes. ''Your Alec will be here in ten minutes. He's putting my shed up for me.''
''What?!'' I exclaim and jump out of my seat. ''Why does no one tell me this stuff?'' I stomp past them. ''And for the last time, he's not my Alec!''
''Oh, Emmy,'' I hear Gram giggle as I run up the stairs to get changed. ''That girl has it bad.''
''Mother, you're incorrigible.'' Mum sighs. I hear the front door open then close again.
I turn to the mirror. My hair is shoved up in a messy bun, I have smudges under my eyes from yesterday's make up and I'm still wearing my pyjamas.
My Snoopy pyjamas.
If there's any chance of me being ready to face the hottest guy on the face of the Earth, I'm gonna need a freakin' miracle.
And if I'm now referring to him as 'the hottest guy on the face of the Earth', I need a brain transplant.
~
Miraculously, I'm ready by the time Alec knocks on the door.
''You're not exactly dressed for shed building, Princess.'' He leans against the door frame.
''I wasn't under the impression I would be shed building,'' I reply and flounce into the kitchen.
''Well, you are.'' He follows me in.
''Says who?'' I turn and nearly smack into his chest. I tilt my head back and look up at him.
''Says me,'' he says in a low voice that does funny things to my knees. Yeah, the guy is a walking advert for sexiness.
''It's a shame I say no then, isn't it?'' I smile sweetly and step away from him before the rest of my body goes into overdrive. ''Gram said you'll find all the tools you need outside.''
''Ah, the Princess is afraid to get her hands dirty,'' he says in a knowing voice.
''Nope,'' I say casually. ''But ladies don't build sheds.''
''You're not eighteen yet, Princess.''
I roll my eyes. ''Alec, I wear a bra. That makes me a lady.'' I slap my hand over my mouth. ''Totally didn't mean to say that.''
Alec laughs and wraps his arms around me. I bury my face into my hands and try to ignore how warm his body is, how strong his arms feel and how freakin' hard and muscular his chest is.
This is so not on board with my 'Resist Alec' plan.
I extract myself from his arms with a tiny bit of reluctance. So what? I enjoyed the hug. I can appreciate a good hug.
''Get building, go on.'' I give him a friendly shove towards the sliding doors.
He pushes them open easily and looks at me over his shoulder.
''Whatever you say, Princess.''
''I wish you'd stop with the pet name,'' I mumble as I head upstairs to my room.
My head can only be cleared with one thing.
It's time to grab my iPod and listen to my secret Westlife play list.
ALEC
There's something satisfying about finding the last piece of a puzzle and slotting it in.
There's
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