The Dating Tutor (2 page)

“You have no idea.”

She arched a brow but didn’t comment as her phone chirped again. “He wants to take me to DeNuzio’s.” Her nose crinkled with distaste. “Isn’t that a seafood place?” On Alec’s nod, she began typing, reading aloud as she did. “No thank you. Hate seafood.”

Before she could hit send, Alec jumped out of his seat and slapped her phone from her hand.

“Are you insane?” she cried.

“Are you?” He picked up her phone as he shot her a dirty look. “When a guy offers to take you to a classy, not to mention very expensive, restaurant, you say yes.”

“But I don’t like seafood.”

“You do now.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but Alec cut her off, speaking as he typed a reply for her. “DeNuzio’s sounds lovely. I can’t wait. L-O-L.”

“L-O-L?” Ellie asked in horror. “Why am I laughing?”

“Because you’re beside yourself with giddiness.” Alec tossed her phone to the bed. “This unexpected location means you need to step up your wardrobe. Cute little booty shorts are not going to work in those surroundings.”

“Cute bootie shorts? When have you ever seen me in booty shorts?”

He shrugged with a comically perplexed expression on his face. “I don’t know what all your dating wardrobe includes.”

Feeling way out of her depth, Ellie admitted, “My everyday wardrobe is pretty much it. I don’t have a dating wardrobe.”

Alec’s eyes widened at her confession, his surprise written plainly across his face. “Really? Nothing?” On her headshake, he looked nearly pained. “So the fanciest thing you own is your church dress?”

Deciding she didn’t like the tone of his voice, she asked, “What’s wrong with my church dress?”

“Nothing,” he shot back. “My grandmother loves it.”

“Then what’s the probl— Oh.” She could feel her cheeks heating with embarrassment. “I see.”

He nodded. “Exactly.” Clapping his hands together, he said, “Come on, El. We’re going shopping. It’s time to buy you something sexy.”

Chapter Three

Ellie stared at the item Alec held out to her in horror. “What is that?” she squeaked. She’d been harmlessly perusing the aisles of a local department store looking at flower-patterned sundresses when he ambled over with a scrap of pink fabric in his hands.

“This,” he said with a cocky smirk, “is called a push-up bra. It’s your friend.”

“I know it’s a bra,” she said with annoyance. “Why are you holding it?”

“Because you’re trying it on.” He held the lacy item up in front of her as if comparing it in size with her chest. “What are you? A 26C?”

Ellie squeaked at his alarming accuracy. “What are
you
, the boob expert?”

“I am. Now go try it on.” Shoving the bra into her hands, he nudged her toward the dressing room.

“Why do I need a new bra?” she complained. “It’s not as if I intend to let Jake see it.” Despite her arguing, she stepped into a changing room and lifted her shirt over her head.

“You need to harness your inner sexy,” Alec informed her from the other side of the door. “Besides, a push-up bra will make your cleavage look more pronounced.”

Though he couldn’t see her, she widened her eyes in disbelief. “
Cleavage
? I don’t own anything that shows cleavage.”

A dress suddenly came sailing over the stall, and Alec hooked its hanger on the top of the door. “You do now.”

Ellie stared at the dress as if it might bite. It was a simple black with tiny pink flowers that stood out in layers. It was sleeveless and scooped in the front. The waist was cinched and tiny, the bottom flaring out.

“Quit stalling and put on the dress.”

Shooting the door a glare, she slipped into the bra and then yanked the dress over her head. It slipped down along her hips with a soft brush of fabric. In the mirror, she grudgingly admired the way it hugged her curves and made her look feminine.

The dress fell to the mid-thigh, the hem swirling around her legs. There were a few layers of tulle that puffed the bottom of the skirt out in a very classy fashion. Twirling this way and that, she couldn’t help but silently admit that she looked hot. And she had cleavage!

With a little smile of pleasure, she lifted the tag to check the price on the dress. “Seventy-five dollars!”

“Beauty isn’t free.”

“I’m not spending—”

“You have the money, El. You hoard it, for what? If anything is worth breaking open your wallet for, it’s this. Live a little.”

She pursed her lips as she eyed herself in the mirror. Dang it. He was right. She looked good, and there was nothing she wanted more than for Jake to see her all girly like this.

“Get out here and let me see how it looks.”

Inching the door open, she took a tentative step out. She thought the dress looked nice, but Alec would be the real decider. “Well?” She let her arms drop to her sides as she shot him a questioning look.

“Wow,” he said, his voice low and full of appreciation. He moved closer, his eyes roving over her from head to toe. “Add some make-up and you’ll actually look like a girl.”

She gave him a dry look. “Thanks.”

He shrugged one shoulder carelessly. Upon reaching her, he pinched the fabric of her dress between his fingers and tugged at the neckline. “And the bra did wonders. I’m serious, El. You look pretty foxy.”

She flushed in embarrassment. She wasn’t used to such compliments, especially not from him. Alec was the type of boy to rub dirt in her hair and tell her to get her butt out to second base. They didn’t do girly territory…until she’d foolishly asked it of him. “I’m more comfortable feeling like one of the guys,” she admitted.

Alec winked. “Trust me. Jake will be happy you’re not.”

She sent him a dirty look at the suggestive tone of his voice.

Laughing, he smacked her across the backside and backed out of the dressing room. “Now get dressed so you can pay for that. Next, we’re shopping for shoes.”

*
* * *

Ellie stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom and stared at her reflection. Her afternoon with Alec had her wondering if she could pull off this date. She wasn’t very girly, and she worried the new clothing would make her feel out of sorts.

Not for the first time, she wondered why Jake Phillips had asked her out. She didn’t hang with the popular crowd. The only reason she and Alec were so close was because they’d grown up next door to each other. If they hadn’t, she doubted her super cool jock of a best friend would have even given her a second look.

Lifting the lid to the box of shoes she’d bought earlier, she peeked in at the sexy, sleek heels. With a grimace, she replaced the lid. Alec had given her the assignment of learning to walk in them before their mock date Saturday.  “I am so going to break an ankle.”

With a sigh, she made her way over to her bed and crawled underneath the blanket. Though she tried to push her worries to the back of her mind, she found it hard to relax and fall asleep. She was too anxious. Biting her lip, she admitted to herself that she was completely out of her element in the dating world.

She watched the clock for a half hour before the ticking hands became almost a taunt. Rolling to her side, she tried to busy her mind with things that were more familiar to her, like camping and hockey. Her tactic worked, because before long, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease and her eyelids become heavy.

She was just starting to doze off when her bedroom window opened and Alec crawled through. As he’d done a thousand times before, he edged through the window and climbed across her desk. Lowering himself carefully to the floor, he padded across the room in her direction.

Kicking out of his unlaced sneakers, he climbed into bed clad in flannel sweats and a plain cotton t-shirt.

They didn’t speak. They’d done this enough times that she knew he didn’t want to talk when his dad got to drinking. Alec’s father had never gotten violent when drunk, but he was cruel and emotionally abusive. It wasn’t something Alec enjoyed rehashing.

Silently, Ellie shifted in the bed to make room for him.

Alec repositioned himself closer to the center of the bed and pulled the blanket up over his waist. His shoulders were tense and his movements stiff.

Both of them stared up at the ceiling, lost in their own thoughts. With a weary exhale, she scooted closer and let her head rest against the side of his shoulder in a show of silent support.

He patted her head before settling in. Within a few minutes, his breathing had evened out and he made a soft mumble in his sleep.

Ellie’s eyes drifted closed, and she relaxed completely. She always felt so at ease with him. He was familiar. He reminded her of her childhood. She only prayed he would help her achieve even a fraction of this comfort level with Jake. If anyone could do it, it was Alec.

Chapter Four

“Hey, Ellie.”

Upon hearing her name spoken from right beside her in Jake’s unmistakable lilt, Ellie jumped with a yelp. She slammed her locker shut with a bang to find him grinning at her from the other side of the door. “Y-yes?”

“Nervous?” he asked with a chuckle.

Trying to salvage a sliver of her dignity after her shameful outburst, she shook her head. “Nope. Not nervous. Not nervous at all. Why should I be?”

Jake’s grin widened. “Exactly.” Leaning against the locker next to hers, he gave her a considering look. “Are you sure DeNuzio’s is good for you next weekend? I can pick some place different if you would prefer it.”

It took her a moment to stop ogling how pretty he was and concentrate on his question. When she did, she frowned. More than anything, she wanted to ask him to pick a different restaurant, but a vision of Alec’s look of disapproval flashed in her mind. Swallowing down the request, she instead said, “DeNuzio’s is perfect.”

His smile in response was worth having to suffer through a seafood dinner. “Great!” Reaching out, he took the stack of books from her arms and held them on top of his own in the crook of his elbow. “Let me walk you to Biology.”

Ellie blinked at him for a moment in surprise. She’d never had anyone carry her books for her before. It was so gentlemanly and…smooth. “Thank you.” Ducking her head, she attempted to hide her giddy smile.

Jake snorted in amusement and elbowed her lightly. “You sound shocked. This can’t be the first time a member of the opposite sex has offered to carry your books for you. Doesn’t Alec ever offer?”

She couldn’t hold back her bark of laughter. “Alec?” She shook her head with a small smile. “No. I usually end up carrying
his
books. He’s always got his stick in his hands.”

Jake’s brows shot up at this, and his lips tugged in the beginnings of a smirk.

Realizing how that may have come across, she waved her hands in front of her to dispel any inappropriate thoughts that might have crossed his mind. “His
hockey
stick. Because he’s on the hockey team.” She quickly added, “I didn’t mean in a perverse…” She bit her lip and gave him an apologetic look. “He doesn’t know how to manage time, so on many game days, he doesn’t leave himself enough time to lock his equipment in the gym. His stick is too big to fit in his locker. His equipment bag, too. So he carries both around to classes with him all day. I usually offer to carry his books for him, because he’s dropped them on my toes before. It’s just safer that way.”

When she was finally done rambling, Jake gave her an appraising look. “So Alec has a big stick?”

“The biggest.”

He burst into laughter. “Most guys wouldn’t like to hear about how big a stick a prospective date’s male best friend has, but I’ll allow it.”

Ellie flushed. “I didn’t mean…”

“I know you didn’t.” His eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled. Their bright blue irises studied her face a moment before he said, “You’re very cute.”

She glanced down at her toes, knowing she must be blushing a ridiculous shade of red. Knowing there was no hiding it, she looked back up into his sparking eyes with a shy smile. “You’re very nice.”

He nodded his thanks, his face softening. “I’m really looking forward to next weekend.”

“Me too.” Her voice was a breathy whisper that she was sure was drowned out by her thudding heart. She couldn’t remember looking forward to anything more in her life.

“We should get to class before we’re late.”

“Yeah.” She gave an awkward stutter step before falling into stride with him. Walking along next to the most eligible guy in school had Ellie beaming. She kept glancing over at Jake to make sure he was real.

When they entered the Biology lab, she wasn’t even bothered by the antiseptic smell or the dirty looks sent her way by half of the cheerleading squad. She was being escorted by Jake Phillips. That was all that mattered.

* * * *

“No. No. No,” Alec grumbled. “You’re doing it all wrong!”

Ellie shot her friend a dark look of warning. “What did I do wrong
this
time?” It seemed as if she hadn’t gotten a single thing right in over an hour. When she’d requested his help, she hadn’t realized he would be so tough on her.