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“Brooklyn Ballroom Dance and Zumba,” she said. This was a perfect opportunity. Now to make the most of it...
*****
Spencer and Emily were already walking on the Highline Park when Landon called with the information about the dance class. “Okay, thanks for the info, Landon. I appreciate it. Yeah, maybe next week.” Everything was falling together nicely. He was quickly saving up a nice nest egg for the ring. Charlie said she could help him pick out a design Emily would like. Now he had a place to take dance lessons, so he could surprise her at Sam and Tanner’s wedding. There was still one tiny little problem. He needed to be sure she would say yes when he asked her.
“What did Landon call about?” asked Emily. “Were you supposed to go on a hike today? You don’t need to miss just because of me.”
“I’m not anxious to go on another hike when Becca might be there. Your dad said we should watch out for her.”
“I don’t know. I still think he’s over-reacting.”
“Don’t be naïve, Emily.”
“Don’t lecture me—I’m not naïve.”
Of course she was naïve. She’d trusted Becca enough to call her for information about that hike, and couldn’t believe Becca had drugged her wine. But he wisely clamped his mouth shut, and searched for a way to change the subject.
“So how was your date with Josh last night?” He couldn’t help the jealousy that crept into his voice. He didn’t trust Josh alone with Emily, no matter how much he swore he liked Charlie instead.
“It wasn’t a date. We split the cost of a pizza, and he certainly didn’t kiss me.”
“I don’t trust him,” he pouted.
“It sounds like you don’t trust me.”
“That’s not it. I don’t... I don’t like to think of you alone with him—with any other guy. Wouldn’t you feel the same way? I mean, what if I spent an evening alone with Candace or Becca or Leah?”
“Who’s Leah?”
“She’s just a girl in the hiking... That’s not the point. The point is, wouldn’t it bother you if I spent an evening alone with another girl?”
“No,” she said stubbornly. Then she grinned, “You could spend an evening alone with Grace or Olivia or Hannah or Claire, and it wouldn’t bother me at all.”
“Then I won’t be bothered when you spend an evening with any of your brothers, either.” He grinned until she laughed.
“Fine, I won’t be alone with Josh again, but it really was completely innocent. And he really is miserable. He told me he’s in love with Charlie.”
“Has he told her that?”
“I hope not. She’s definitely not ready to hear that from Josh.”
Spencer swallowed hard. “Why wouldn’t she want to hear it? You’d think she’d like knowing Josh loved her.”
“She won’t believe it because they haven’t known each other very long. She’ll think it’s a line.” So much for his plan to declare his love to Emily today. She might not be ready for it. How long had they been together? It had only been a couple of months since Emily arrived in New York. But if he counted the time since they first met, it could total eight months. On the other hand, they’d only been officially dating for about four weeks.
“I don’t think there’s a set length of time you have to know someone before you can love them,” he argued. “If it’s the right person, it doesn’t take long before you know.”
“Maybe. But she might think he was saying those words to get her to... to behave in a certain way.”
“Behave in what certain way?”
Emily’s face turned beet red. “You know. Guys who are experienced, like you and Josh, might say they love a girl just to get her to sleep with them.”
So now she was putting him and Josh in the same category. “That’s not true... Well, it’s not true for me. I’d never do something like that. A guy who did that would be a real slime-ball.”
“But how could she know for sure one way or the other?”
“Maybe she doesn’t know Josh well enough to know. But you know I’m not like that. Right?”
