but I’m having more fun watching you pig out.”
Amanda snorted. “Like you’re little Miss Delicate.”
“Oh, I can pig out with the best of them.” Alice stressed her point by stuffing her face with fries. “I usually do it ’cause I like what I’m eating, though.” She spoke with her mouth full, treating Amanda to a perfect view of the insides of her mouth. Yuck . “And I don’t check my watch all the time. Do you have someplace else to be? I thought today was us-day.”
Amanda shook her head, making a conscious effort not to immediately fork down another mouthful. “It is us-day. I’m just—”
“Practicing for an eating contest?”
“No, dumbo. I’m worried your nice, adorable Derek will have peed on all my clothes by the time we get back.”
Alice laughed. “I don’t think he’d take marking his territory that far.”
Amanda wasn’t all that sure about that. “He doesn’t seem acquainted with the word ‘civilized.’” She took her time twirling her fork inside her pasta, but didn’t bring it to her lips. “I mean, I get that he doesn’t have a place yet—though he should have—but you’d expect him to be nicer about the whole thing.”
Her little sister widened her eyes. “Seriously? You think you’re being nice about it?”
“That’s completely different.” Amanda pushed her chair back and crossed her arms. “What he’s doing is screwing with my future.”
“And what you’re doing is screwing with his present.” Alice took a bite of her burger then stuffed an onion ring in her mouth. “Neither of you is being an adult about it, and this is coming from me, of all people. Derek’s gone through a very messy breakup that cost him his business among other things. You know what it’s like to have your heart broken. God knows you were an über-bitch after you and Parker parted ways.”
Amanda really had been one. She winced at the memory. “But look how that turned out: I have Mason now.”
Alice let out a noncommittal sound that was her most subtle way of expressing disapproval.“Do we have to go over this again? I love Mason, and he loves me. We’re good together.”
Alice seemed to mull something over before finally saying, “Mom made me promise I’d shut up about this, but you’re running out of time, and I can’t live with my conscience if I don’t say something.”
“Running out of time for what?” Amanda asked, brow furrowed.
“Avoiding the biggest mistake of your life.” Alice stressed her words with an overly dramatic roll of her eyes. “Marrying Mason.”
Amanda gaped. She knew Alice hadn’t been one of Mason’s greatest fans to begin with, but he’d seemed to grow on her eventually. “I thought you liked him now. I mean, you seem to get along well.” She reached for a roll, wishing her sister would drop the subject, so they could finish their lunch and get back home.
Alice put her hand over hers, stilling it. “This isn’t about me liking him. He’s nice, and I do believe he loves you in his own way. I don’t think you love him—not enough to bind your life to him, anyway. And I don’t think his way of loving is good for you.”
She grabbed the bread Amanda had been going for. “Mason wants a…a li’l woman . He doesn’t want a martial arts instructor who can kick his ass to next Sunday without even ruining her manicure. He wants a Miss Suzie Homemaker with the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval stamped on her forehead, and you burn salad. And I wouldn’t mind what he wants, if he didn’t think you were obligated to be those things. Worse, if you didn’t act like you agreed with him.”
“I don’t—” She most definitely did, but didn’t have time to lie, because Alice cut her off.
“You turn into a whole different person around him, Amanda. You stop being you and become this Stepford robot thing. I’m not saying you shouldn’t cook for your man and take care of him if you feel like it, but the way you
Amanda snorted. “Like you’re little Miss Delicate.”
“Oh, I can pig out with the best of them.” Alice stressed her point by stuffing her face with fries. “I usually do it ’cause I like what I’m eating, though.” She spoke with her mouth full, treating Amanda to a perfect view of the insides of her mouth. Yuck . “And I don’t check my watch all the time. Do you have someplace else to be? I thought today was us-day.”
Amanda shook her head, making a conscious effort not to immediately fork down another mouthful. “It is us-day. I’m just—”
“Practicing for an eating contest?”
“No, dumbo. I’m worried your nice, adorable Derek will have peed on all my clothes by the time we get back.”
Alice laughed. “I don’t think he’d take marking his territory that far.”
Amanda wasn’t all that sure about that. “He doesn’t seem acquainted with the word ‘civilized.’” She took her time twirling her fork inside her pasta, but didn’t bring it to her lips. “I mean, I get that he doesn’t have a place yet—though he should have—but you’d expect him to be nicer about the whole thing.”
Her little sister widened her eyes. “Seriously? You think you’re being nice about it?”
“That’s completely different.” Amanda pushed her chair back and crossed her arms. “What he’s doing is screwing with my future.”
“And what you’re doing is screwing with his present.” Alice took a bite of her burger then stuffed an onion ring in her mouth. “Neither of you is being an adult about it, and this is coming from me, of all people. Derek’s gone through a very messy breakup that cost him his business among other things. You know what it’s like to have your heart broken. God knows you were an über-bitch after you and Parker parted ways.”
Amanda really had been one. She winced at the memory. “But look how that turned out: I have Mason now.”
Alice let out a noncommittal sound that was her most subtle way of expressing disapproval.“Do we have to go over this again? I love Mason, and he loves me. We’re good together.”
Alice seemed to mull something over before finally saying, “Mom made me promise I’d shut up about this, but you’re running out of time, and I can’t live with my conscience if I don’t say something.”
“Running out of time for what?” Amanda asked, brow furrowed.
“Avoiding the biggest mistake of your life.” Alice stressed her words with an overly dramatic roll of her eyes. “Marrying Mason.”
Amanda gaped. She knew Alice hadn’t been one of Mason’s greatest fans to begin with, but he’d seemed to grow on her eventually. “I thought you liked him now. I mean, you seem to get along well.” She reached for a roll, wishing her sister would drop the subject, so they could finish their lunch and get back home.
Alice put her hand over hers, stilling it. “This isn’t about me liking him. He’s nice, and I do believe he loves you in his own way. I don’t think you love him—not enough to bind your life to him, anyway. And I don’t think his way of loving is good for you.”
She grabbed the bread Amanda had been going for. “Mason wants a…a li’l woman . He doesn’t want a martial arts instructor who can kick his ass to next Sunday without even ruining her manicure. He wants a Miss Suzie Homemaker with the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval stamped on her forehead, and you burn salad. And I wouldn’t mind what he wants, if he didn’t think you were obligated to be those things. Worse, if you didn’t act like you agreed with him.”
“I don’t—” She most definitely did, but didn’t have time to lie, because Alice cut her off.
“You turn into a whole different person around him, Amanda. You stop being you and become this Stepford robot thing. I’m not saying you shouldn’t cook for your man and take care of him if you feel like it, but the way you
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