Persuaded (20 page)

“Of course, we both thought it may be your sister—what’s her name?”

“Sydney.”

“Yeah, Sydney, that’s it. Yeah, we sure thought he was going to up and decide to go for her, but nope, he changed his mind just as quickly. Well, I guess that’s a good thing or it may have been your sister in that hospital right now. Have you heard any news?”

“About Kylie?”

“Yeah. We haven’t heard anything since this morning.”

“No, nothing since this morning,” I affirmed.

“Oh well then. Hopefully, no news is good news. It looks like Suzie’s done. Are you ready to eat?”

Eighteen: Surprise Visitor

“Thanks for coming by, Amanda,” Gregory’s dad said. “It was real nice to see you.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for having me.” I still had no idea why the Wentworths had invited me over.

“Oh! Would you like to take a tour of the house really quick and see what we’ve changed?” Charles asked as I was heading out the door.

“Leave her alone.” His wife swatted him softly on the arm.

“I’m fine, thank you.” I grinned. “Maybe I’ll come by and see it another day.”

“Yes, dear.” Suzanne gave me a hug. “You’re welcome to come over anytime you want.”

“And next time I want a rematch!” Charles laughed.

“It’s a deal. Thanks again. The food was wonderful and the game was really fun.”

“Bye!”

I walked past my old porch and down the steps to my dad’s car. I turned and waved before I climbed in, started the engine, and drove away. I couldn’t believe how much fun I’d had with Gregory’s parents. But I couldn’t figure out why they had invited me in the first place. I was completely baffled. As far as I could tell, it made no sense. However, I did have to admit that it beat staying home alone. One thing was for sure, they were definitely not like any millionaires I knew.

A few weeks later, I woke up still baffled at the Wentworths’ dinner invitation and wishing they would invite me over again. As far as I was concerned, the house was in better hands with them than it had ever been with us. It was such a beautiful house, and it deserved to have such happy, loving people living in it.

I was dressed in just my jeans and T-shirt, finishing up a very brief unsatisfactory email from Sydney about what had been happening in Moab, when the doorbell rang. I was the only one home. I ran my fingers quickly through my hair and wished I had worn a better shirt.
Oh well.
It wasn’t that I was expecting company—far from it. It was just that when you’re alone most of the time, you find you want to make an impression on everyone, even if it’s just the mailman who’s come to deliver a package.

It wasn’t the mailman. It took a whole five seconds for me to take in the smiling figure standing on my doorstep. “Sean. Sean Benally?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” His grin deepened. “Are you going to let me in?”

“Uh, yeah! Sure. Talk about surprise. What are you doing here?” I was more than surprised—I was freaking out! Not to mention I was way underdressed. Sean looked like he had just stepped off the cover of
GQ.
He wore a black button-up shirt open at the collar, and distressed jeans that really set off his dark coloring. In fact he fit the “sharp casual” image to a T.

“I was on my lunch break from work and thought I’d stop by and say, hi. So, uh—hi.”

He grinned and I noticed my heart speeding up when I caught the twinkle in his dark brown eyes.
He can’t be checking me out, can he?
All at once I realized I was still standing in front of the door. “Oh, sorry. Come in.” I stepped back hastily, and when he brushed past and his cologne permeated the air, I tried not to swoon.
Oh my gosh. He smells just like Gregory.

I had to know what brand it was. “What uh . . .”

“Yeah?”

All at once I felt like a total dork. “Oh, nothing.”

Sean lowered his dark head and glanced down at his clothes before he brought his eyes back to mine. “What? Do I have something on me? You better tell me what you were going to say before I get a complex.” He smiled flirtatiously, and I noticed again how white his teeth were against his dark features.

“No, really. It’s nothing.” I walked toward the small living room. “Come on in here and we can sit down. Then you can tell me how you found me.”

He laughed and followed into the room. “It wasn’t easy. You guys have moved recently, haven’t you?”

I chose the couch under the window and was a tad relieved when I saw Sean take the one across from it. “Yeah, we just moved here a few weeks ago.”

He nodded. “I was surprised to see my Aunt Suzanne yesterday when I showed up at your old house. You have no idea. No one told me the Wentworths bought it.”

“Wait. You went there first?”

“Well, yeah. That’s the address I found online for you guys. But Suzanne set me straight.”

“Oh.”

“So do you like your new house?” He didn’t say it but I knew he was thinking it was a whole lot smaller.

“Um, yeah, actually. It was hard to get used to at first, but yes. I like the coziness of it.”

“Well, it’s the nicest one on the block by a long shot.”

“That’s what my dad keeps saying. So how long is your lunch break? Oh!” I jumped up. “Are you hungry?”

Sean politely got to his feet as well, which disconcerted me a little. He was tall—not as tall as Greg—but tall anyway. And all of a sudden the room shrank to half its size.

“No, I’m fine. I grabbed a bite to eat before I came over.” He smiled down at me. “But, uh, thank you, anyway. If you don’t mind, I’ve got about twenty minutes to chat.”

Okay, so I was a nervous wreck. I tried not to show it when I sat back down, but only a fool wouldn’t be able to see I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to entertaining guests—especially a guy, when I had no idea why he was here in the first place. “So what brings you here?”
Everyone asks that, don’t they?

Sean bit his lip and smiled as he sat back down. I had the distinct impression he could read me like a book, but I tossed that thought aside when he replied, “You, of course.”

“Me?”
What was the question again?
Subconsciously, I must’ve known it was something significant he had just relayed, because my heart had begun to pound.

“Yes, you. Why else would I come here? You didn’t think it was for Sydney, did you?”

“I—uh—” I was blushing.

“Wow, Amanda. You can’t look like that.”

“I can’t?”

I watched cautiously as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “No.” He stopped and stared at me a moment. “I didn’t know girls still blushed at your age.”

Uh, was that a compliment? What am I supposed to say to that?
“I . . . uh, thank you?”

Sean ran his fingers through his perfectly styled hair and shook his head before he looked me in the eye. “Want to go out?”

I’m sure my eyes were huge. “Out?”

“Where? When? Name it—we’re there.” He stood up and walked over to my couch and sat down next to me. “Seriously, Amanda Ellis, I can’t get you out of my mind and it’s driving me crazy. Let’s go on a date.”

I blinked.
Oh my gosh. He really is cute.
For the first time since Greg, I found my vow not to date anyone else wane a little. I hedged, “Um, don’t you have a girlfriend?” I couldn’t believe I actually asked him that.

Sean grinned, obviously taking it as a compliment. “Not right now. I’m hoping to get one soon, though.”

I looked down at my hands. I could feel the back of my neck get even redder.

He chuckled, and I looked back up at him. “So what do you say?” he asked. “Tonight? Tomorrow?”

“I, uh, okay.”

He grinned. “Okay? So does that mean you’ll go for both?”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Works for me. I’ll see you tonight at seven. Decide what movie you want to see.”

“Okay.”

“Then tomorrow you decide what restaurant you want to go to.”

“Uh, okay.” I watched as he stood up.

“Well, I better go before you change your mind.” He winked down at me. “See you tonight, Amanda. Bye.”

“Bye.” Several seconds after the door quietly shut behind him, I realized I was still sitting on the couch and hadn’t even walked him to his car.

As I was getting ready for my date with Sean, I received a text from an unlisted number.

Kylie can move both arms now. Much improved. Let u no more when I can.

And that was it. No signature.
Who is this from? Kylie’s mom?
I thought. I knew she had my cell number.
Maybe the text is from Sydney and she’s changed her number to private. Or maybe it’s from Collin or Gregory.
After a couple of wasted minutes, I finally shrugged and continued to put on makeup. Yes, makeup. I don’t usually wear the stuff, but since I was asked out by a really hot guy, I figured I would make an effort.

My effort was a complete waste of time. Once I was finished I didn’t even recognize the girl blinking back at me. With a groan in the mirror, I leaned over the sink and began to scrub the whole mess off. Afterward, I settled for some lipgloss and a touch of mascara.
There.
I figured if Sean asked me out like this, he must like it. It only took another forty minutes to settle on the perfect movie outfit. In the end, I chose black leggings, a white oversized blouse with a wide silver belt, and silver flats.

By time the doorbell rang I had worried off most of my lipgloss and peeled off the rest of the fingernail polish I’d just put on. It wasn’t that Sean was late—it was just that I was so early it had left a lot of time to get nervous.

“Hi, Sean,” I said when I opened the door. He looked amazing.

“Wow! Check you out. Very nice,” he said. “Here, I thought you’d like these—” I gasped as he pulled a bouquet of white roses from behind his back. “I wanted to get something that reminded me of you. But looking at you now, I see even these aren’t half as pretty.”

Okay, so I know it was probably a line he had used a million times on a million different girls, but tonight it was my line, and it so worked for me. I giggled as he handed over the roses. “Thank you,” I said. “They really are beautiful.”

“Yes, you are. Are you ready?”

“I’ll put these in a vase and then we can go.”

“Do I need to meet your parents or something?” He shut the door and followed me into the kitchen.

“No, they’re out with some new friends. Since we moved here, my parents have become really popular. Everyone has been inviting them over.”

“They don’t invite you, as well?”

“Uh, no. Not usually.” I pulled down a vase and frowned when I heard the doorbell ring again.
Who is that?

“I’ll take care of the flowers. You can get the door.”

“Thanks, Sean. Just a sec.”

I opened the door to find three pink suitcases.

“Good, you’re home!” I heard Sydney say as she came up the driveway, panting as if she’d just run a marathon. “Move those for me, will you? I’m trying to get this last one up this stupid drive!”