An American Love Story Read Online Free PDF Page B

sitting nervously in his armchair; before I could chew him out for my forced date, he started talking. "Tessa, I told Eric no. He asked me at the gym if he could set you two up, and I said no — I promise. He just didn't listen." He looked so worried, like I'd storm out and never return if I didn't believe him. This obviously wasn't his idea.
    "Yeah." I sighed. "He didn't listen to me either. Terrible listener, not really something I'm looking for in a man. Let's hope his brother isn't just as annoying."
    Dad laughed, relaxing a little.
    He still was wound too tightly. Probably because I couldn't force myself to completely relax the glare off of my brow — but I was mad. I didn't like being made to do something that I didn't want to do; it was a blessing in a way. Peer pressure had never worked growing up. But my tendency to hate all things someone forced me do was going to make this date more than unbearable.
    "What time's he supposed to be here?"
    "Three," I said, plopping onto the couch.
    He looked at the clock. "That's coming up pretty fast. Where's he taking you anyway?"
    "The speedway, I've never been, and that's not an accident, watching cars go around and around… riveting," I mumbled. How had my day gone from bad to worse? First, I ' m tortured all night by suffocating dreams, then I run into my ex ' s Mom, and now I ' m going on a date that I said no to three times!
    "I'm sorry, baby sister. Just try to have a good time. Eric said this guy is the cream of the crop… and I know you've been through a hard time, but so has he. Be nice to him; think of it as a service project to your country."
    He was right. No matter how mad I was about going, or how closed off to guys I was, I had to make sure Garrett had a good time. The guy had just got back from war. Whatever he'd been through the last year made my nine-month heartbreak look like a cake walk. "Well, I guess I better get dolled up for this soldier."
    "That's my girl," he said, picking his book up off of the table and settling into his chair.
    ****
    I didn't have much of a wardrobe to choose from, but studying myself in the mirror, I was happy with what I ended up with. Luckily I had brought my favorite skinny jeans and a red blouse that hugged me in all the right places. I slipped on my red peep-toe pumps and headed back to the living room.
    It was three.
    "Sorry I'm going to miss your barbeque, Dad," I said looking out the window. I really was bummed. My best friend, Skylar, was even going to be there.
    "Don't worry about it, your mother called everyone, and we're still on for a party. It will just be tomorrow," he said with a grin.
    "Really? Even Skylar?" I asked, abandoning the window. It didn't look like he was going to be on time.
    "Do you think she'd miss seeing you?"
    I smiled; she'd been bugging me to come back ever since I left. Of course she would be there. "Good, after the agony I'm going to be put through tonight, I'll need a party tomorrow…"
    "Is dating really that torturous?" he asked looking like he didn't think it was.
    "I just feel bad for the guys, I mean they have a nice time and think we're getting along great… and then they get their feelings hurt when I cringe away from their touch at the end of the night. These guys are just after a hug or a kiss, and I act like they want to throw acid at me or something," I said thinking back over the last few months of dating.
    Dad nodded his head. "You have a true heart. It runs in the family. We love deep and faithfully. It might take your heart a while to realize that it isn't in a relationship anymore, but you'll get there."
    I didn't know if that was likely. It was a hard line to walk, missing being touched, and feeling nauseous at the thought of someone touching me. "Yeah we'll see…this guy is late," I said, annoyed at him already. "You don't drag someone into a date kicking and screaming and then show up late."
    My dad looked at the clock. "Not by much, he doesn't know