Here's a little taste of what's coming up in Chapter 13 of Hot Commodity...
“Are you really planning on spending Thanksgiving by yourself, Bell?”
I shrugged. “I don’t feel like going to Rose’s and we’re well past the age of getting tanked all night like Mike wanted to. Chinese takeout and the TV are my only options.”
“Come to the Whitlock’s house with me and Jasper,” Alice said, looping her arm through mine.
“You’re kidding, right?” The last thing I wanted to do was cash in on the sympathy invite and spend the day with a family I didn’t even know. “I’ve hardly spent any time with Jasper and I’ve obviously never met his family. That would be supremely awkward and uncomfortable for everyone involved, Ali.”
“Oh, hush. I’ve never met his parents either, so we’d be in the same boat there.”
“Yes, but you’re his girlfriend. I don’t fit into the puzzle.”
“And you’re my best friend and I refuse to let you spend Thanksgiving holed up by yourself in your apartment.” Alice came to a stop in front of my building and turned to face me. “Jasper’s family is small, so I’m sure they’d be happy to have an extra face around the table. I know Jasper won’t object – he thinks you’re great.”
It would be pretty boring to sit at home by myself. Plus I loved the food. I wasn’t ashamed to say I usually stuffed my face, unbuttoned my jeans, and kicked back to watch the football game with my dad on a typical Thanksgiving afternoon.
Besides, this was the Whitlock family she was asking me to spend the day with. It wasn’t like she was asking me to spend it with the Cullens or something.
It didn’t take much to get me to give in. “I’ll come for dinner, but if it’s too awkward, I’m leaving right after.”
“Yay!” Alice hugged me and smiled happily. “Who knows, maybe mama Whitlock knows a single man or two that need New Years Eve dates next month!”
I held up my hands and shook my head. “No enlisting anyone to play matchmaker for me, Alice. I’m perfectly capable of securing my own dates.”
“You’re no fun,” she said with a pout. I laughed, walking towards the door of the building.
“How can you say I’m no fun?” I asked, turning around, as I was about to open the door. “I just agreed to go to Thanksgiving with you at the house of a family I’ve never met before.”
“I know, I know. I promise I won’t pester you about dating again – at least not for the remainder of 2011.” Alice winked and checked her cell phone. “Jasper is picking me up at ten tomorrow. Can you be ready by ten thirty?”
“Yes ma’am,” I said, giving Alice a pseudo-salute. She stepped off the curb and waved her hand in the air, hailing one of the dozen or so taxis crawling up the street.
“See you in the morning!” Alice waved and climbed into the back of the cab.
My stomach was twisted in nervous knots an hour later when I climbed into bed. I tried to shake the feelings of worry that had occupied my stomach, but I just couldn’t do it. Instead, I lay awake and stared at the ceiling. Sometime after two I managed to drift off into a restless slumber.
For reasons unknown to me, I had a feeling that tomorrow would end up being a Thanksgiving to remember.
- = - HC - = -
Look for the full update on Thursday!
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