Every Girl Does It(35)

“Please, it’s a smoke screen.” I say, challenging him. His look is altogether too cute. I know I’m going to regret this later, but what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii, right? Or wait, that’s Vegas. Still, I find myself saying, “Sure, I’ll marry you, happy now?”

“Yes.” He beams. “Speaking of desert,” he begins totally confusing me with his inability to stay on subject. “How about you and I have some ice cream out here in the hot tub? You know, to celebrate our upcoming nuptials?”

“Deal.” What can I say, I’m a sucker for junk food. “I’ll go back to the room and get the ice cream if you—“

“—get the chocolate sauce,” he finishes, winking.

I don’t know why, but I get embarassedat this remark. Geez it's not like it's going on me instead of the ice cream. The ice cream, Amanda, I yell at myself in my head. “Um sure, yeah, good idea,” I say, blushing.




Chapter Fifteen



I grab my towel and run back to the room. I begin searching for the ice cream in the freezer when I hear an odd buzzing noise, similar to the one on the boardwalk earlier. I turn to face the counter and see Preston’s cell phone. It continues to buzz awhile longer before stopping. I shrug and grab the ice cream and a fresh towel. Then the buzzing starts again.

And okay, I know it's none of my business, but maybe it's important. Like someone is actually hurt or something. I mean, he is a fireman.

Right? And wouldn’t it be so cool if I’m the one who discovers what’s going on back home and then helps him solve it. It would be like we were saving people together. I mean, what if he would have never known had I not brought him his cell phone at this precise moment. I mean, lives are hanging in the balance here!

Okay, I’ve convinced myself. I put the ice cream carton down on the counter and carefully picked up his cell phone.

Wow, two missed calls andTwelve missed text messages. This guy doesn’t kid around with technology. I pick it up to stuff it in my pocket when it goes off again. Why is Bobby calling him? Well, actually, I guess it makes sense; they do work together. The phone goes off again as I near the pool.

Okay, maybe it wouldn’t hurt if I just look at a few texts. I mean, how is he gonna know anyway? I can always delete them, or actually, I can see them if I just look at the heading.

I step into the shadow and take out the phone that’s burning a hole in my pocket. I don’t do well with secrecy, this much is obvious. I click on the last text. It says, “Congrats, you win!” Oh yay. Maybe he won a whole bunch of money or something! I get to be the first to say congrats! How exciting! I click on the next text. It’s from Bobby, just like the first one. “Time is up.”

What? What does that mean? The next few texts had similar cryptic messages. “Did you do it? You have one more day. Ashlyn says hi. I’ll back out if you back off. You always were a sucker for a challenge.”

And then the one text to ruin them all. “Deal, if you can get her to fall for you, not only will I back off with Ashlyn, I’ll move departments. You have five days. If you lose, well, you’ve been losing this whole time. It won’t be any different for you.”

I quickly check his outbox, please tell me this is all some huge joke and he’s talking about someone else. The text to Bobby from Preston read, “It’s done, now leave my wife alone.”

I feel numb as I walk back to the hot tub.

“Wow, seriously, Amanda, did you make the ice cream?” Preston asks as I sit on a nearby chair.

“Here,” I say, my voice thick with emotion as I hand him his phone.

He takes it from my hands and looks down at all the missed messages.

I left my favorite one open for him to read.

“Amanda!” He says as he quickly gets out of the water, but I’m already running back to the room. You better believe I’m taking the ice cream with me.

I slam my bedroom door in Preston’s face as I lean against it and dig into the soggy ice cream.

“Amanda, seriously, it’s not what you think. Actually, I don’t even know what you're thinking right now. Just talk to me.”

“No!” I yell, my mouth full of ice cream.

I hear Preston get on the phone, hoping he’s calling the airline so he’ll leave my presence. I mean come on, playing me just to prove to my ex-boyfriend that he could “get me” and all so he could get his wife back? Who does that? How childish is it to make a bet that you can get a girl to date you or agree to marry you? And why do I have to be that girl?

“Just talk some sense into her!” I hear him yell, and then everything goes quiet. “Man, I’m so sorry, okay yeah, we’ll be waiting.”

“Amanda,” he calls me again. “It's Brad and Kristin. Their parents got in a car accident, the kids were with them. Everyone’s okay, but they need to fly back tonight.”

“I’m going,” I say as tears stream down my face. I still haven’t gotten up enough nerve to open the door.

“You can’t.”

“Why?” I ask angrily.

“Because there are only two seats left on the plane. We can’t leave for two more days. They, however, are getting out tonight.” His voice sounds raspy as if he’s just as upset as I am. But what does he have to be upset about?