Page 47 of Scarlett and the Fake Boyfriend (Scarlett #2)

Saturday

My phone buzzed. I pulled out my glasses and slid them on. My phone immediately unlocked.

“What are you doing, you beautiful goddess?!” Justin shrieked and pulled my glasses off. “You’ll ruin your makeup.” He tossed them onto the vanity like they were disgusting.

Sophie, me, and my mom were all getting our makeup done for homecoming. And yes, I knew it was weird that my mom was part of that. But it was fun getting ready in her bathroom.

“I don’t see how my glasses will ruin my makeup,” I said.

“If you wanted to wear your glasses I needed to know from the beginning. You can’t change things on me last minute! Where’s my coffee? I need coffee!”

I pointed to it behind him.

He spun around and almost knocked his steaming cup onto the floor. And then he downed half of it in one gulp. I swear steam came out of his nostrils.

I was pretty sure that was his third cup tonight. He was never going to sleep. Justin was a friend of the family and always came over to help us get ready for every special event we attended. But he seemed extra hyper tonight .

“I need to see my text,” I said. “It might be...Jacob.” Or my kiss thief. Or was Jacob my kiss thief?!

“Just give it to me, sweetie,” my mom said and put her hand out. “I’ll read the text for you.”

I’d rather throw my phone out the window.

“I got it,” Sophie said and grabbed it from me. “It’s Jacob. The guys are on their way. We should probably get dressed soon.” She handed me my phone and stood up.

I went to stand up too, but Justin shoved me back down into my seat.

“Don’t you move,” he said to me.

“Why?” I asked.

“You keep looking paler and paler. We need more bronzer, stat!” He downed the rest of his coffee as he grabbed a makeup brush.

I closed my eyes as he tried to fix the problem that was my face.

“Or maybe we need some blush? Seriously...why are you so pale tonight?” Justin asked and pinched my cheeks.

“It’s the curse of being a redhead,” my mom said.

“Stop it, you know I love your lustrous locks. This is something else entirely. Is something wrong, Scarlett? It feels like something is wrong. I’m getting a very wrong energy right now. Do you need some coffee? James!” Justin screamed at the top of his lungs. “James, we need you!”

My dad walked into the bathroom.

“We need more coffee!”

“Justin, you’ve had a whole pot,” my dad said. “Isn’t it a little late... ”

“You beautiful bastard, we need caffeine! We’re freaking out!”

My dad chuckled. “You might be freaking out because you’ve consumed too much caffeine already.”

“Daddy James!” Justin shrieked. “This isn’t the time for jokes! Coffee us!”

“Okay, okay. I’ll be right back. You girls all look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Justin said and touched his chest.

My dad shook his head and walked back out of the bathroom.

“Now back to you,” Justin said as he tapped my cheeks a bit. “Tell me everything.”

“I just feel a little nervous,” I said. And maybe a little nauseous.

“Ah, I know,” he said. “It’s a homecoming thing. I’m always a little jumpy too on homecoming night. But just remember, no matter what happens, there will always be a homecoming story worse.”

“Yeah? What happened at yours?” Maybe hearing his disaster of a night would somehow calm me down.

“Not at mine. Mine was fabulous. I decorated and it was utter perfection. I was talking about one of my besties’ homecomings.”

“What happened?” Sophie asked as she started to change.

Justin walked over to Sophie to zip up the back of her dress. “She got kidnapped by a psycho and was left naked in the middle of the city like a piece of trash.”

“Oh,” I said. Wow. Well, that definitely seemed worse than what I was going through.

“I need so many more details,” Sophie said.

“It’s not my story to tell,” Justin said. “So as long as no one drops you off like trash, keep your head up, gorgeous.” He winked at me. “And if someone does do that, you call me and I’ll take care of them.” He karate chopped the air.

“Do you know karate?” I asked.

“That divine beast that’s friends with your father taught me a few moves.”

I glanced at my mom.

“I think he’s referring to Tanner,” my mom said.

“Isn’t that what I said?” Justin asked.

I laughed. “Yup.”

My dad came in holding two cups of coffee.

Justin grabbed both. “Thank you, Daddy.”

My dad just shook his head. “Do you guys need anything else?”

“No! Out! We’re changing! You can’t be in here!”

My mom laughed and grabbed her dress. “I’m going to change in the other room. Have fun finishing up getting ready, girls.” She and my dad closed the bathroom door behind them.

“Let’s get you into this sexy little number,” Justin said and lifted up my dress. “Oh, is this Odegaard?”

I nodded. “What happened after your friend was left in the middle of the city?” I asked as I stepped into my dress.

Justin zipped up the skirt of my dress and helped me into the top. It was in two pieces and showed off a bit of my midriff. But not nearly as much as Sophie’s.

“It really isn’t my story to tell,” Justin said.

“Please, Justin?”

“Twist my arm why don’t you! She ran through the city wrapped in an old newspaper,” Justin said and stepped back to view his handywork. “Like a hooker down on her luck.”

“And then what?”

“Well your father saved her of course,” Justin said.

Sophie and I looked at each other. “Whose father?” I asked.

“Yours, Scarlett,” Justin said. “She ran to him and he was her knight in shining armor.”

“What?” I asked.

“Wait...do you actually not know this story? I kind of figured you knew it.”

“We’ve definitely never heard this story,” Sophie said.

“Oh.” He put his hand over his mouth, but he looked pleased with himself. “Oops.”

“You can’t leave us hanging there,” Sophie said. “Who was your friend?”

“Okay, but don’t say I told you any of this.” He took a huge sip of coffee. “I’m talking about my bestie Brooklyn Sanders. Well, Brooklyn Caldwell now.”

“Aunt Brooklyn?” I asked.

“That’s the one! Now then.” He clapped. “You two are ready for a night you’ll never forget!”

“Hold everything,” I said. “Why did my dad save Aunt Brooklyn? Wasn’t she dating Uncle Matt?”

Justin shrugged. “I heard there was some drama that evening. Some kisses shared. Some cheating. Some reuniting.” He laughed. “The things Brooklyn has told me she’s seen.”

“I’m so confused,” I said.

“And now you’re not pale,” Justin said. “Mission accomplished. Did you want this cup?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“More for me!” He downed it and walked out of the bathroom.

Sophie turned to me. “So our dads and uncles got in an epic fight at homecoming. Because Uncle Matt showed up with Uncle James’ girlfriend. Do you think it’s possible that Uncle James retaliated by kissing Aunt Brooklyn? And that’s why she ran to him half naked in a newspaper?”

“I don’t even think this story sounds real.”

Sophie laughed. “Justin does like to exaggerate.”

“And my dad said he got back together with his girlfriend that night.” I shook my head. “So he was with his old girlfriend. Not Aunt Brooklyn.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, Justin is probably making up half of that. But it was a good story. And our homecoming will definitely be better than that. No fights, that’s for sure.”

“I hope so.”

“I really am sorry about the whole homecoming queen thing,” Sophie said. “I feel like I should just take this off.” She reached for her tiara.

“Don’t you dare.” I swatted her hand down. “You look beautiful.”

“I swear I don’t have any feelings for Axel.”

“I know.” I really did. Seeing them together wasn’t exactly easy though. “And I don’t have any feelings for Mr. Halifax.”

She nodded. “I guess we find out the truth tonight. Ready for Operation All Eyes on Baby Doll?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Sophie grabbed my hand. “Come on. Axel and Jacob are probably going mad waiting for you to walk down the stairs. ”

“One sec.” I grabbed my glasses and my phone. One of the best parts about my dress was that there were pockets in the skirt. I slid my glasses and phone into them.

“We’ll get RJ to fix your phone for you.” She pulled me out of the bathroom. “Ah, I was right!”

Sure enough when we reached the top of the stairs, Axel and Jacob were standing in the living room. Their heads turned as my foot hit the top step.

I swear it felt like everything was in slow motion. And there was a wind coming from somewhere. The wavy curls Justin had given me blew over my shoulder. And the slit in my long skirt rode up as I walked down each step.

“They’re drooling over you,” Sophie whispered.

I wasn’t sure about all that. But Axel and Jacob were definitely both looking.

I felt like I was in a movie. And that tonight really was about to be the best night of my life.

But before I reached the bottom step, my father stepped in my path.

“No,” he said firmly. “Absolutely not. Go change.”

“Dad.”

“You’re half naked. Try again.” He waved in Axel and Jacob’s general direction. “Don’t look over here!”

“But...Dad! Mom already said it was okay.”

“Everyone out!” my dad yelled. “Penny!” He looked over his shoulder at my mom. “Weren’t you with her when she picked this out? What is this?”

“James.” My mom walked over and wrapped her hand around his arm. “Most of the dresses were like this. It’s just the style this year.”

“This isn’t a dress,” he said. “The last time I checked, dresses were one piece. Not two. This is...this is a bathing suit.”

“Hardly,” I said.

Liam chose that moment to walk down the stairs. He looked at me and laughed. “Now who’s dressed like a slut?”

“Liam Hunter!” my dad yelled. “Do not call your sister a slut!”

“She literally calls me a slut all the time,” Liam said. “I’m just saying...I’m fully clothed right now.”

He was wearing a tux. But that’s because that’s what he was supposed to wear. This was what I was supposed to wear.

“Uncle James,” Sophie said. “Scarlett’s dress is just like mine. Only mine’s sheer. At least hers is solid.”