This was followed by an address for Casey’s older brother.
Chapter Two
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Angie sat in the passenger seat unhappily waiting for her biggest humiliation to date.
“It’ll be great. He broke up with his last girlfriend like a year ago. It’s clearly time for him to get laid. And you’ve needed a good one-night stand since, well, forever.” Casey’s matchmaking grin could be seen even in the dark as she drove. “It’s perfect.”
“Ooh and I heard he’s the college football coach now.” Beth sighed dramatically from the backseat. “I bet he’s still got those washboard abs.”
“I thought you were Miss Goodie-goodie in high school?” Jenn snarked.
“There was nothing wrong with looking.”
“Girls.” Angie interrupted their chatter. “I appreciate what y’all are trying to do, but it’s not going to work.”
“We’re here.” Casey pulled into the driveway and blew her a kiss. “Go and seduce my big brother.”
“That’s an order,” the two in the back said simultaneously and broke into peals of laughter.
Angie got out of the car with a six pack and watched as her friends drove away. When will this night ever end? She turned and looked at Eric’s quaint little house. A single light glistened in the front window. Great, on top of everything else, I’m going to wake him up, too.
She went to his porch and sat on the stairs. Opening a can of beer, she tried to chug one for courage. Unfortunately, she only ended up sputtering and coughing as it went down wrong. Shit. A dog barked inside the house. Shit. Shit.
Before she could make a quick getaway, the porch light came on and the front door opened. A screen was the only thing between her and Eric’s loud guard dog.
“Quiet.” His voice was deep and husky with sleep. The dog obediently went into whine mode.
Angie got up, trying to straighten out her sundress and otherwise look presentable. “Eric?” The glaring light kept her from really seeing the man in the doorway. “I’m Angie, your sister’s friend.”
“Is she all right?” His voice was laced with concern as he opened the screen. A small fur ball of a dog ran over and sniffed her shoes.
“Yes.” She froze. It was as if she’d forgotten how to speak. “I need to…you see…I was given a dare…can I come in and call a cab?”
“Sure. Any friend of Casey’s…” He stopped in midsentence and whistled. The little dog trotted toward him. Angie obediently followed as well.
Once inside, she got a good look at her old high school crush. She watched as he shut the door behind them then went over to the hallway table. Oh dear god. He actually looks better than he did back then.
Tall and built, Eric managed to make those pajama pants and t-shirt look amazingly sexy. His disheveled blonde hair and yummy five o’clock shadow made her mind spin. It took all of her self-control not to reach up and stroke his prickly cheek.
“Angie?”
She smiled awkwardly and realized she’d been caught staring. A phone was in his extended hand. “Um, thanks.” She took the phone and gave him the rest of the beer. “Casey thought you might want some.”
“Did she?” He tried to hide the grin as he motioned for her to follow him. Turning lights on as he went, Eric nodded in understanding. “That’s right. She’d mentioned something about a reunion sleepover.”
They walked into his kitchen and he put the beers in the refrigerator. Angie twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. “Yeah, it was at my place, well my parents place. I should really call a taxi now.” She went over to the table and sat. This was going even worse than she imagined.
He leaned against the counter and gave her the funniest look. “So if you’re the host of this slumber party, why were you drinking on my front steps at one in the morning?”
“It was a dare.” Dropping her head to the table, she moaned in resignation. “I’m here to tell you I had the biggest crush on you. I wrote your name in my notebooks. I became friends with Casey just to get closer to you. I even went to every one of your football games. And I still don’t understand the sport.”
“I remember you.” She heard him move toward her then felt his hand on her shoulder. “You were the cute little girl with braces and long, flowing hair.”
Angie looked up into his twinkling blue eyes. “Oh God, was I that pathetic?”
“Whoa. I tried to give you a complement, sweetheart.”
Even his voice turned her on. “Well, thanks. I guess.”