How to Date a Millionaire by Allison Rushby Page B

brother.
    ‘Hello?’ I say into the phone.
    ‘Hi, Nessa. Sorry to wake you up. It’s Seth. Look, I was wondering if you’re busy today?’
    My heart stops beating in my chest. Um … I don’t quite know how to answer that question. Am I busy today? For what? So he can come downstairs and laugh at me? So we can’t ask him anywhere today? Who knows?
    ‘Um …’ I finally answer, because, like I said, I really don’t quite know what to say.
    ‘I thought we could go to the aquarium together. Just you and me,’ he adds hastily.
    Riiiiight. The aquarium. What does that mean? Is this, like, a date? Did I read yesterday wrong? Again, I don’t know how to answer Seth. But before I can say anything, he starts speaking again.
    ‘I’m sorry about yesterday. I want to make it up to you.’
    ‘Oh.’ The word comes out of my mouth before I can help it and there’s a moment’s silence before I remember Seth’s asked me a question.
    ‘Well, um, the aquarium sounds nice. I’ve been wanting to go there. I’d better check in with Alexa and Nat, though. You know, to see if they’ve got something to do.’ And my dad, I think to myself, but I’m hardly going to say that to Seth. ‘Can I give you a call back in fifteen minutes or so?’
    ‘Sure. I’ll talk to you then.’
    ‘Great.’ I turn the phone off and sit up in bed, stunned. Okay. So I guess I did read yesterday wrong. Unless Seth wants to do the whole ‘hey, I really want to be friends with you, but just friends’ thing. Yikes. I hope not. I hate that speech (who doesn’t?). Still, I guess the only way I can find out what’s going on in his head is by going to the aquarium with him. So, with a shrug, I jump out of bed and open the door.
    Alexa and Nat practically fall inside the room.
    Hmmm. ‘Catch all of that?’ I ask them.
    They both say yes, eyes as wide as each other.
    ‘You don’t mind if I go?’
    They both shake their heads.
    ‘You have to go,’ Nat says. ‘He’s cute.’
    Alexa seconds this opinion. ‘And he’s nice. Much, much nicer than those other two. Maybe he’ll soften and tell you a bit more about his heart transplant if you get to know him better.’
    ‘Maybe.’ But after yesterday, I don’t think I’ll be asking Seth much about that. If he offers, it’d be interesting to hear, but I won’t be prying. That’s for sure. ‘What are you two going to get up to?’ I ask.
    ‘A bit more shopping,’ Alexa says.
    ‘I hope he’s going to wear a necktie,’ Nat pipes up.
    Both Alexa and I turn to give her a strange look. ‘Sorry?’ I ask.
    ‘You know. A necktie. Like in the movie. Shatze thought that gentleman callers should wear neckties.’
    Alexa gives me an ‘if she catches the Marilyn Monroe bug from you, you’re in big, big trouble, sister’ stare.
    ‘Right,’ I answer. ‘A necktie. To the aquarium. I’m sure he will.’
    And before this can go any further, I take off to start in on grovelling to my dad.

    In the end, I pull out all the stops. I use the ‘Marc knows Seth and says he’s a great guy’ card, the ‘we’ll be catching the trolley and be in completely public places at all times’ card, the ‘my cell phone will remain on at all times’ card and the ‘I’ll be back by 4 pm’ card. Only then (and with a nudge from Holly) does my dad finally give me a ‘yes’.
    It’s Holly who sneakily slips me $50 on the way out and tells me to have a great time. Really, you can’t help but love her.
    That done, I ring Seth and tell him I’ll meet him in the lobby at 9.30 am.
    And that done, Nat practically wets herself and tries to give me a mini-makeover with her Hilary Duff makeup set.
    I have to push her out of the bathroom, lock the door and … oh yeah … thank God for never giving me a little sister. Well, until pretty soon, and I don’t think G is going to be into mini-makeovers with Hilary Duff makeup sets for quite some time.

    You know, it’s very hard to look like you’re not trying when