Ready to Wed by Cindi Madsen

Except for the clothes and job, and…” He looked me up and down as if he was assessing the differences, and I fought the urge to squirm. Was he thinking of me the way I’d just thought about him, or had I had too much wine? “Okay, maybe a lot of things.” He leaned against the doorframe and shrugged. “But not who we are. I know you better than you think, D.J. Halifax. After all, how many times did we sleep over at each other’s houses growing up?”
    “Every weekend we could get our parents to agree to. Until you proposed, and my dad totally freaked out.”
    Brendan’s eyes lit up—the same brown eyes that used to say so much with just a look. Go long. Sneak out of the bushes on three. We’ll ditch these guys in a few. “That’s right. After that, I was banished from slumber parties.”
    “I tried to explain to him that we were the kind of engaged where there was no kissing, but I think it was the first time he realized I might actually kiss a boy someday.” An image from my ninth birthday popped into my head. Brendan and me sitting up in the olive tree in my backyard. He asked me if I’d marry him when we were “old, like twenty or something,” and I told him sure, but that in order to be properly engaged, I’d need a ring—I’d been quite proud of my knowledge of the subject. Brendan took a grape Life Saver out of the roll he’d had in his pocket and tried to shove it on my finger. Since the hole was too small, he sucked on the candy, checking it every few minutes until it fit. And that was how I’d become engaged at nine, only to have my dad promptly remove the sticky, dirt-coated “ring” as soon as I informed him of my betrothal, and tell Brendan that he was no longer allowed in my room and couldn’t sleep over anymore. Over the next four years Brendan had sneaked back to my room now and then, when my dad was at practice. He and I had never kissed, though, and I found my gaze drifting to his lips now.
    Then I came to my senses. That was just a weird, random thought, brought on by the fact that this was the first good night I’d had since…well, pretty much since my wedding fell through. Did it mean I should give up a perfectly good offer that’d allow me to see my dog whenever I wanted without having to also see my ex? Honestly, it seemed like the perfect solution until I could find a more permanent one.
    “Are you sure having my dog here wouldn’t be too much trouble? He’s fully trained and pretty low maintenance. I mean, he sheds a bit, but he also licks up anything that’s spilled, so I consider it a wash.”
    “No trouble at all. I get a furry companion to hang out with, and it means seeing you more, too. Sounds like a win all around.”
    A lightness filled my chest. Usually I liked my plans followed to the letter, and this had definitely come from left field, but I had a feeling this slight detour was going to make my life easier.
    “Come on,” Brendan said. “Let’s go watch a movie or play video games. I’ve got the new 007 , and with the updated graphics, I bet you won’t be constantly stuck in a corner.”
    “Ugh, I swear the wall always closed in on me when I took a turn. Then I just got dizzy as the bricks spun around until someone came from behind, shot me, and my screen went red.”
    Brendan laughed, picked up the wine bottle, and gestured me toward the living room. As I followed, I thought not only was this new arrangement with Brendan and Cupid going to make my life easier, but it was also going to make it a lot more fun.

Part Two
    Temperamental Tangerine – High
    (High risk of tears, panic, rapid breathing, and the urge to bolt or pass out)
    “The prudence of the best heads is often defeated by the tenderness of the best hearts.”
    — Henry Fielding

Chapter Seven
    “Where the hell are my doves?” I asked into my Bluetooth earpiece, though it probably looked like I was talking to myself. I wished I was talking to a real live person, but all I’d gotten