Second Chance for Romance полностью

“Sounds like a cozy arrangement,” he said with a grin.

“It’s more trouble than it’s worth sometimes.”

“This is normally the point where I’d say, ‘Women, huh?’ Gotta keep up the act. But you know better.”

“No kidding. So how’re you? How’s life?”

“The same. Still searching for truth and happiness.”

“Who isn’t?”

“In other news, I applied to the PhD program. Philosophy. I wanna be

overeducated and underemployed the rest of my life.”

“At least you can be philosophical about it.”

He looked at me askance and laughed when he realized I wasn’t mocking him.

We chatted for a few more minutes, until I was almost late.

“Hey,” I said before we parted, “let me have your phone number. I’ll call you sometime.”

“For real?”

“Yeah, sure. We can hang out.”

“I’d… like that.” He wrote in a small notepad and tore off the page.

I took it and gave him my number.

“Thanks,” he said. “Take care.”

“You too. Say hi to Jamie and the other guys.”

He looked at me for a moment. “You really mean it?”

“Of course.”

He shook his head and laughed.

“Hey,” I said, “I’m straight, not narrow.”

He laughed again, and it reached his eyes this time.

“Take care, man. But I gotta run. Call me sometime!”

“I was thinking…,” Wren said at dinner that evening, “we’ve all been working like crazy and could use a break.”

“Amen,” Trip said. “What d’you have in mind?”

“Well, Halloween’s on Monday, so I was thinking—”

“It’s a school night,” I warned.

She gave me a cross look. “I know. Which is why I was thinking of a party on Saturday. Does that work with your busy school schedule?”

“A costume party would be fun,” Christy said.

“Exactly,” Wren said in a much lighter tone.

The fix was in, I realized, but I wasn’t going down without a fight. “Do we have time to get costumes and decorate and all?”

“You are just determined to be a wet blanket, aren’t you?”

Yes. “No.” I sulked.

“It’s okay,” Christy said. “Not everyone can be sunny all the time. Well,

except me.”

“What? You’re as moody as I am!”

“Am not! And if you say so again I’ll pout.”

“Children,” Trip said. “Behave.”

“Yes, Dad,” Christy and I said at the same time. Mine was sullen and contrary. Hers was upbeat, and her good mood wore me down.

I reluctantly cracked a grin, and hers turned into a radiant smile of triumph.

Wren watched the whole thing, of course.

“You were saying…?” Trip prompted her.

“Right. Well, I was saying… I think we should have a party this weekend. I’m pretty sure I can throw everything together in time, food- and drink-wise.”

“Paul and I can do the decorations,” Christy volunteered.

“And I’ll start making Halloween mix tapes,” Trip added. “And we’ll need to party-proof the house. Start by finding the keys for the bedroom doors.”

“Good call,” I said.

“Have you thought of costumes?” he asked Wren.

“You’d look good as Han Solo.”

“Yeah, I would. Cool. That was easy.”

“And I was thinking…”

I almost laughed as she let the pause draw out so we’d look at her. She was a performer, all right.

“I want to make a Princess Leia costume. You know, the metal bikini one?”

“It’s pretty skimpy,” I said. “You definitely have the body to pull it off.

But still…”

“You’d look awesome!” Christy said. “What’re you thinking, Paul? For a costume, I mean.”

“No clue.”

“You know…,” she mused, “you’d look cool as the guy from Risky Business.”

“Tom Cruise?”

“Yeah! When he does the dance in his underwear, with those rad sunglasses.”

“Wayfarers,” Trip said. “I have a pair you can borrow.”

“You’d need tighty-whitey underwear,” Wren added.

“That’s what you said the last time we had a costume party,” I said.

“When I wore a toga. Remember?” I looked from her to Christy and back again. “Hold on a sec… This was your idea, wasn’t it? The Tom Cruise costume.”

“What if it was?” Wren said mildly.

“What’s it matter?” Christy said. “You totally look like him. Except…”

“Except what?”

“Well, your legs and butt are nicer’n his.”

Wren burst into laughter at my expression. “I swear I didn’t tell her to say that!”

“Say what?” Christy said. “I really do think they’re nicer.”

“Thank you,” I told her with exaggerated politeness. Then I glared at Wren again. “You’re insufferable.”

“Yes.” She wiped the corners of her eyes and couldn’t stop smiling. “I am.”

“So… what?” Christy said. “Don’t you like the costume idea?”

“I love it,” I told her.

“I just thought you’d look nice.”

“I think so too. Thank you.”

She smiled but was still a little confused.

“What’re you going to wear?” I asked her.

“Alice in Wonderland.”

“Your idea too?” I accused Wren.

“I think it’ll be cute!” Christy objected. “Lots of frills and ruffles. Even better, I have the perfect shoes. They’re cute patent leather Mary Janes. I’ve been dying to wear them, but I—”

“Hadn’t found the right outfit yet?” I chuckled.

“Are you going to start making fun of me again?”

“Yes. No. Maybe.”

“Hell hath no fury…,” Trip began.

“Like a pint-sized woman scorned,” I finished.

Christy’s eyes blazed. “You’d better watch out, mister. I could take my brothers out, and I’ll do the same to you.”