HOW TO CATCH A BAD BOY

She started walking backward, but her eyes stayed steady on his. “I’ll see you this weekend then.”

Chandler didn’t move until she was inside the car, and he watched her drive off. He glanced at his watch, then he grinned. Hopefully, she didn’t kill him when she realized that they wouldn’t be able to come home that same night, but he wasn’t stupid. If this was going to be the most honest time he’d get with her… then he’d be an idiot not to take it.

———

For the seventeenth time that evening, Elena rolled her eyes as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror.

“You don’t happen to know his social, do you?” Beth asked her,

She answered with the same level of patience that she had her previous sixteen questions about Chandler. “No, Beth, I don’t.”

Whatever Beth saw on her phone screen made her bring it up closer to her face. Lexi peeked over her shoulder and hummed appreciatively while Emily glared at her. “Ewww. That’s your boyfriend’s brother, Lexi,” she told her.

Lexi shrugged, “I know that. All I did was nod my head. I know I’m dating his brother but I still have eyes. I’m allowed to acknowledge that Chandler is a good looking man. No big deal,”

“We don’t make noises about men who are absconding with Elena to parties we know nothing about.” Emily added.

“Yeah, but look at him,” Beth murmured. “I’d let him abscond with me anytime.”

Elena swallowed carefully as she said it because it was easy to imagine Beth with someone like Chandler. Of all of them in the room, Beth was the most athletic. According to what she now knew about Beth, for the past four years, she’d managed a kickboxing studio and gym, now she was doing personal training sessions for extra money, and she looked like the kind of woman who would date someone like Chandler. With her sense of humor, Beth would easily be able to keep up with Chandler.

Carefully, without allowing herself a shred of curiosity at what they were staring at, Elena pushed a pack of wipes into her handbag. “It’s not like it’s a big deal. I told him we are going as friends,” she told them, then glared at Lexi and Beth. “You know what, why is it necessary for the both of you to be here again?”

“Moral support,” Lexi said.

“Are you kidding? I want to see Chandler come pick you up,” Beth interjected. “You are lucky, you know? You get to go out with that hottie, you little punk.”

“Please stop saying that.” Elena said. When she closed the bag with a bit too much force, she hissed in a breath. “It’s one night, and all I’m going to do is go to the party with him and use the opportunity to meet a lot of influential people.”

“And if that is all you do with Chandler Kendrick”-the emphasis Beth put on his name made Elena want to gouge her friend’s eyes out – “this one night, I’ll have you checked out for mental deficiency.”

Emily cleared her throat. “I’m still right here.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. “Like we haven’t talked about worse.”

“I know,” Emily said, “but it’s Elena. She’s my sister and I don’t want to see her get hurt,”

Elena stared at her sister. They always had each other’s back right from when they were kids and even though Emily was just minutes older, she always treated Elena as her baby sister. Always wanting to protect and defend her like an elder sister would.

“Elena,” Beth said. “Earth to Elena.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Elena shook her head. She smoothed her face as well and turned. “Sorry, what?”

“Don’t you think you should bring a jacket?” Beth asked.

Elena blinked. “Umm. No, why?”

“It might be cold outside.” Lexi told her.

Rubbing a hand across her forehead. Elena said, “I don’t think it will be.”

“You don’t think?” Lexi asked. “You should take one just in case.”

“I’ll sure I’ll be fine, you guys.”

Beth grinned. “Chandler can keep her warm.”

Speaking of warm, Elena’s face was probably bright-ass red.

Emily scoffed. “He better not.”

“Oh come on, Chandler isn’t bad,” Lexi said.

Beth grinned at Elena. “Pretty sure that’s up to Elena, not you, Emily.”

“Elena does not go for guys like Chandler,” Emily argued. “She likes her men sane and kind and polite and not liable to drunkenly cuss someone out.”

Elena held up her hands. “Okay, enough. Chandler isn’t needed to keep me or any part of my body warm. I’ve been keeping myself nice and toasty, all by myself and I will keep it that way, thank you very much.”

Beth smirked. “If you say so.” She tapped a finger against her chin. “Now that we’re talking about keeping things warm. I need a new foot warmer. Mine broke last week.”

“Good thing I have Elijah,” Lexi said around an unrepentant grin.

“Gross,” All of them replied in perfect unison.

Elena pressed her hands to blazing hot cheeks. “Okay, he will be here any minute. Please … just … don’t embarrass me, Beth.”

“Me?” Her eyes widened dramatically.

“There’s no chance you’d take Emily and leave before he gets here, is there?” Elena asked her.

Emily wrapped an arm around Beth’s shoulders. “She does not have a chance in hell of dragging me from this apartment.”

Beth glanced sideways at her. “I could still take you, you know.”

Emily patted her head. “No, you really couldn’t.” She stared at Elena . “I don’t know why you’re so excited to go with him. It’s just Chandler.”

“Because he’s rich and hot,” Beth replied. “Did you see that picture I showed Lexi?”

Emily sighed. “Nope. But that’s still not a reason to let him warm Elena’s…” Emily paused with a grimace, “anything. We don’t idolize money and looks in this family, remember? He’s just a normal person-”

“Why do you dislike him so much, Emily?” Lexi cut in, “He’s Elijah’s brother remember? And Elijah is your friend,”

“I don’t dislike him… Don’t get me wrong,” Emily argued.

Elena didn’t want to listen to their discussion, so she tried to shut them out. When she glanced at the clock, she let out a deep breath because he was a couple of minutes late. The buzzer at the door went off, and the four of them froze.

“I’ll get it,” Elena said quietly.