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Falling for the Ghost of You(10)

By:Nicole Christie




Me: Bill is cute! And nice.

Lauren: Really? What does he look like?

Me: Young, kind of scruffy-looking. He created Arpeggio!

Lauren: !!! A cute, rich, genius? Your mom really scored.

Me: I know! This restaurant is really snooty.

Lauren: Better get used to it. What’s the son like?

Me: He’s not here yet. Sounds like he’s going to be a computer ge



“Sorry I’m late.”

The warm deep voice startles me. I look up from my phone, and my jaw drops open.

My eyes meet a pair of gorgeous dark ones.

Hot Guy!

“Oh, crap!” I shout.







Chapter 5



So, turns out Hot Guy is Zane O’ Connor, son of Bill, and my future brother-in-law. Yes, really, because that’s my kind of luck.

After my initial outburst, I clamp my mouth shut and stare down at my lap. I can’t help sneaking glances at him, though. Hot Guy—Zane—is just as impossibly beautiful as I remember. He looks really good in the white shirt and jeans he’s wearing—casual and effortlessly elegant.

I have his shirt hanging up in my closet right now. In the Hot Guy Hall of Fame section.

He gives my mom a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, then slaps Bill on the back in greeting. My heart flutters nervously when he takes the empty seat next to me. I angle my face away, wishing I had left my hair down so I can hide my red cheeks behind it. This could not get more embarrassing.

“Zane, this is my daughter, Violet,” Mom introduces us. “I was just telling her all about you.”

“Good things, I hope,” he says easily. I sense him turn to me. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Violet,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his sexy voice.

“Uh-huh,” I say faintly, looking everywhere but at him. I see Mom’s eyebrows go up at my rudeness, but I am suffering here!

“Zane, why don’t you go ahead and order something,” Mom says, while giving me the silent “what’s wrong with you?” look.

“Great idea. I’m starving.” He flags down one of our waiters with an authoritative ease I can’t help but admire.

A sudden silence descends on our table like a wet blanket. Mom and I seem to be the only ones bothered by it—which is bad. One of us is bound to break and start babbling senselessly.

"So, Zane, doesn't Violet have a nice tan?" Mom says, smiling desperately. "She just came back from Hawaii."

"Oh, yeah?" He leans forward, resting an arm on the table. "Which island?"

Oh, wow, he smells so good!

"Oahu," I mumble shortly.

I know Mom is waiting for me to elaborate, but I don't. She tries to catch my eye. I pretend to be fascinated with my fork. I can feel her growing more and more flustered by my unfriendliness.

"Yes, she worked as a stripper in her grandmother's bakery!" she blurts out.

What?!

It's so unfortunate that my mouth is full of rice right now. Why did I take such a big bite? It's taking forever to chew!

"Stripping in a bakery, huh?" Zane says with a ridiculously adorable half smile. "That's pretty awesome."

I just keep shaking my head in a tiny mortified sort of way. "I don't...I'm not a stripper," I stumble over my words, hideously embarrassed.

Mom's eyes are huge right now. "Oh, no!" she gasps. "Did I just call you a stripper?!"

Indeedly-doodly, Mother.

"I'm not," I scoff to Zane and Bill. "That's so...why would you say that, Mom?"

I didn't really see a resemblance between father and son. Not until they both start coughing behind their fists.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know why—things just slip out when I'm really nervous. Violet is the furthest thing from a hooker there is—"

Aaaaauughh!

"Stripper, Mom," I say through gritted teeth.

We never look more like mother and daughter than when our faces are the color of humiliation.

"Right," Mom is saying. Her hands are actually shaking now! "She is not a hooker or a stripper. In fact, today she just told me she's a virgin."

It can't get any worse. It just cannot.

For some reason, I find myself staring at Bill. He catches my eye. "Good for you, Violet," he says awkwardly.

Mom shoots me a horror-filled look. "I think I should go to the bathroom," she whispers.

I rub my throbbing temples. "Please do."

Both guys stand up when she excuses herself. Bill stares after her indecisively for a second, then mutters something and goes after her. I stare longingly towards the exit. If i made a run for it now, who could blame me? Not the woman who called me a hooker and a stripper, that's for damn sure.

"So, Violet." Zane turns his chair in my direction. "Is your day getting better yet?"