Best Dating Rules: A Romantic Comedy (The Best Girls Book 2) (17 page)

“So, tell me about Spencer. I know he was there. I know he saw you. Steven told me, despite everything, Spencer ended up giving you CPR and saving your life. So, what’s the deal? After all that, you don’t like him? You still want to be friends—nothing more?”

“No... I... That is, yes. I like him. I really do. But, it’s too late. I finally realized it, but it’s too late. I was so awful. I lied to him, and I hurt him.” She turned her head away. “I don’t even think we can be friends, now. And I’ve probably lost Grace as well.”

“You haven’t lost me yet,” said a voice from the doorway. Grace’s face appeared around the door. “I was eavesdropping. I could apologize and say I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be true.” One corner of her mouth kicked up in a smile. “You know how nosey I am.”

“Hi, I’m Charlie. You must be Grace. Have you come to help me yell at my sister?”

“Absolutely.” Grace moved to stare down at Emily with her arms on her hips. “It’ll be so much more fun to do it together.”

Emily felt tears welling up. “I’m so sorry. You have every right to hate me. I know I do—I hate myself.”

“Oh, no,” said Grace. “You will not feel sorry for yourself. No one hates you, and you know it. If you’d seen my brother last night, you’d know he doesn’t hate you. Crying while he gave you CPR. Sitting by your bed for hours holding your hand. Quite the opposite—I think he’s in love with you.”

“He can’t be,” Emily declared. “He’s too good for me. Even if he does love me, I don’t deserve him—not anymore.”

“Last night, I was inclined to agree. But my opinion is subject to change. It all depends on what you do next.”

“But, it’s too late. I saw his face. I hurt him. He thinks... I mean, he knows he can’t trust me. He knows I lied to him. I don’t even think he likes me anymore, and I really can’t believe he loves me.”

“Oh, I think you’re partially right,” said Grace. “I don’t think he likes you right now. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.” She paused while her words sunk in. “So the question is... What are you going to do about it?”

Spencer came home from work and ate dinner while watching a movie. Then he took two Benadryl and went to bed early. He congratulated himself on finishing his Friday without thinking about Emily. Well, not too much. Maybe he did wonder a bit about how she was doing, but he refused to call her. He wouldn’t lower himself. If she needed someone to check on her, she could get Asher Denning to do it.

His phone rang, and he felt a flash of disappointment when he saw Grace’s name rather than Emily’s on the caller ID. He pushed that emotion down, concentrating on his anger.

“Hey, Gracie. How are you? Did you get some sleep?”

“I did. I slept ‘til eleven o’clock. What about you?”

“Nah. I couldn’t sleep, so I went to work.”

“You haven’t slept at all?”

“No, but I’m going to bed now. So, I’ll make up for it.”

“Now? At seven o’clock?”

“Yeah. I’m already in bed.”

“So, uhmm... I went up to the hospital this afternoon.”

His heart sped up. How was she? Was she in pain? Was she sorry? Did she even remember what had happened? He spoke slowly, careful to keep the emotion out of his voice. “Oh. That’s good, I guess.”

“Uhmm... Do you want to ask me anything? Or would you rather not know?”

Of course he wanted to know, but he needed to make a clean break. He couldn’t bear being hurt any more. No, it was better if he didn’t know anything. The less he knew about Emily, the better.

“No. I don’t think I want to know. It’s... It’s too hard to think about her. I can’t handle it—not anymore.”

“Okay. I understand. But, Spencer—”

“Look. You can still be friends. I just can’t.”

“So, it’s impossible now? I mean, what would it take for you to give her a second chance?”

“I don’t know. I guess...” He laughed harshly, “I guess if she suspended all of her rules and did something dangerous to be with me, like she did for that Asher Denning guy. Maybe that would mean something.”

“Spencer. You don’t really want her to do something stupid again. You know she’s really sorry—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Gracie. Look. I love you, but I don’t want to talk about her right now. I’m going to sleep, and I’m going on a really long overnight hike tomorrow. When I come back on Sunday, I hope I’ll be okay enough to stand seeing her at work on Monday. That’s about as good as it’s going to get for me.”

“Okay. I understand. Will I see you for Sunday night dinner?”

“Sure. I’ll be there. I told Momma we’d cook hamburgers on the grill.”

“See you, Spencer.”

“Bye, Gracie.”

Emily couldn’t hear what Spencer was saying to Grace, but she got the gist of it. Grace hung up the phone and turned wary eyes to Emily.

“He doesn’t want anything to do with me, does he? I told you, Grace. I hurt him too badly.”

“Emily, I think he just needs time. He said he’s going to bed early, and he’s going on an overnight hike. He’s a physical guy. He needs to work out his anger. He’ll probably be better by Monday.”

“Oh right. Earlier, you were telling me I should call and talk to him or go see him. Now you’re telling me he might be better by Monday.”

“He was angrier than I thought. I think it’d be better if I talk to him at family dinner on Sunday night. I can feel him out and help you plan a strategy for Monday.”

“What did he say, Grace?” Charlie asked. “What did he say when you asked him what it’d take to give her a second chance?”

“He was only spouting off.”

“It was something impossible, wasn’t it?” asked Emily.

“He didn’t mean it. He’s just mad about Asher. He said something about you breaking rules and doing something dangerous to be with him. But it doesn’t make any sense, and he knows it.”

“I would do it,” declared Emily. “I would do something dangerous for him.”

“Maybe we could stage something dangerous. Like, you could jump out and push him out of the way of a bus or something,” Charlie said.

“No, I’ve got a better idea,” laughed Grace. “What if we string up a tight rope between two buildings, and you could walk across and bring him some life-saving medicine?”

“I’m glad you two can laugh.” Emily pouted.

“Cheer up,” said Charlie. “You’re alive to fight another day. The Sister I know would never give up.”

“We’ll figure something out,” said Grace. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I’m beat. Someone kept me up really late last night.” She chuckled as she gave Emily a goodbye hug. “Hang in there, okay?”

“I’ll walk you out, Grace,” said Charlie. “Hopefully, Emily will get to go home tonight. And Steven promised to get us tickets to a play tomorrow night. Maybe you could come.”

“Actually, that sounds fun. As long as seeing me won’t be a sad reminder for Emily,” she teased, glancing her direction.

Emily forced the corners of her lips upward. “No. I’m so relieved you’re forgiving me for being stupid, I promise I’ll be happy to see you.”

“And you’ll try not to lose hope about Spencer?”

“I’ll try.” But in her heart, she was already fighting a sense of despair.

By the time Emily had been released from the hospital and returned to her apartment, she was already formulating a strategy. She couldn’t wait until Monday. Spencer would go on that hike and spend two days working her out of his system. She had to do something. He’d said he wanted her to break her rules and do something dangerous to be with him. If she went on that overnight hike, it would prove something. Wouldn’t it? He knew she didn’t like camping and sleeping on the ground. Hiking and camping weren’t really dangerous, but it was definitely way out of her comfort zone. Surely, he’d be at least slightly impressed, especially if she went the day after she got out of the hospital. Maybe he’d at least give her a chance to apologize.

She began to plan the details. She couldn’t show up at the beginning of the hike with the whole group. If he saw her, he might simply refuse to go on the hike. He might walk away, never giving her an opportunity to prove herself. She had to find out where they were camping and meet the group there. All she had to do was start an hour behind them. She’d call Becca. Becca would know where they were camping. It was summer, so it wouldn’t be very cold. She could get by with a lightweight blanket since she didn’t own a sleeping bag.

How to keep her family from worrying? Hmmm. She could convince Charlie to sleep upstairs with their parents, telling her she wanted to sleep as long as possible tomorrow—until noon. She could leave a note, telling them she was going to meet Spencer on the overnight camping trip. They’d be angry, but not too angry. They’d all be glad she was going to be with Spencer. And he’d be out of cell range, so they wouldn’t find out she hadn’t gone with the whole group. When she met up with Spencer at the top of the mountain, he’d have to listen to her. He’d see she was willing to do risky things for him. She could apologize. And maybe, just maybe he’d forgive her. It was her best chance and one she was willing to take. She picked up her phone and pushed a few buttons.

“Hey, Becca?”

“Emily? Why are yo
u
calling?” Her voice sounded a little hostile. Emily tried to remember her last conversation with Becca. She’d seemed fine. But she’d forgotten Becca liked Spencer and probably wouldn’t want her to go on the camping trip. She fumbled for something to say.

“Uhmm...”

“I’m not apologizing for the picture.”

“What picture?” She wracked her brain, trying to remember a picture.

“The one I...” Her voice trailed off. “Wait. You don’t remember the photo?”

“Uhmm. You mean the one in the tabloid? The one you told me about? I never actually saw it. But you told me Candace took the picture, so I wouldn’t expect you to apologize, anyway.”

“Oh. Right.” Her voice sounded happier. “Yes. That’s the picture I’m talking about. I thought you might be mad about it.”

“No, I’m not. But, uhmm, I need your help with something.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, uhmm. You know the camping trip tomorrow? The overnight trip? Are you going?”

“I am, but I don’t think you should go.”

“I... Well... I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to handle a trip like that.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Becca agreed.

“But, I wanted to know where y’all were going.”

“Why didn’t you ask Spencer where we’re going?”

“Uhmm, to tell you the truth, Spencer’s pretty mad at me.”

“He is? Sorry about that.” Her voice didn’t have the slightest hint of sincerity.

“Yes. He... He found out I lied about last night.”

“Oh, that’s right. You had a date with your art teacher. How did that go?”

“Not great. I doubt we’ll go out again.”

“But didn’t you say you and Spencer were only friends. Why should he be mad?”

“It’s... It’s because I lied to him.”

“Well, frankly, I think you’ve been leading him on. I think that’s why he always comes back to me, over and over again. Every time we’ve broken up for some reason, he always comes back to me. I think it’s because he knows he can count on me to be honest.”
At this revelation, Emily fought the urge to abandon her quest. But since she’d finally admitted to herself how much she liked Spencer, she wasn’t going to give up without trying.

“I don’t think I’ve been leading him on—at least I didn’t mean to. But you still haven’t told me where the hike is tomorrow.”

“Why do you want to know if you’re not planning to go?”

“Uhmm… well… my sister might want to go. She’s in town.”

“Your sister?”

“She likes outdoor stuff like that. Hiking and such. So, where is the hike? And where are y’all camping Saturday night?”

“We’re, uhmm... Let me think. We’re hiking a trail called Devil’s Path and camping at Devil’s Tombstone.”

Devil’s Tombstone sounded intimidating, but surely it couldn’t be too bad. After all, Becca had been more winded than her on the last hike. “Thanks, Becca. I... I hope you have a good time.”

“Sure... Whatever. I need to go.”

“Okay. Goodbye—“ A click sounded in her ear. It seemed Becca was no longer her friend, but then again, their friendship had been on shaky ground from the beginning. She didn’t have time to worry about Becca now—she had to concentrate on proving herself to Spencer.

Emily pulled out her laptop and located a website describing the Devil’s Tombstone hike. The more she read, the more discouraged she felt. It sounded incredibly complicated and difficult. As weak as she felt, she’d be better off starting an hour or two ahead of the group, instead of an hour behind. She’d probably make slow progress on the hike. If she started an hour late, it might be dark before she got to the campground. Starting ahead of them would be much safer. That way, if she were having trouble, the group would eventually catch up with her. A bus would take her to Tannersville, followed by Smiley’s taxi to the trailhead. She needed to leave at the crack of dawn.

She was a great planner, and she’d really thought this through. She started ticking off all the things she needed to pack—food, water, toothbrush, etc.

“Hey!” She jumped at Charlie’s voice behind her. When had she come back down from their parents’ apartment? “Wanna make popcorn and watch a movie?”

“Sure, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stay up too late. I was thinking you might sleep upstairs tonight…”

Spencer didn’t sleep well, despite taking two Benadryl. He couldn’t stop thinking about Emily. For the first time he was learning how much rejection hurt. He had no desire for friendship with her. Friendship was fine when he thought there was a chance for something more. But since he knew the truth, it hurt too much. He needed a clean break. In fact, he might try to end his internship with Gherring Inc. early. Steven Gherring would probably understand and help him find an alternate internship through his business connections. That might be the best alternative.

Spencer forced his mind back to the task at hand—packing all his gear for the hike. He looked forward to the physical exertion. It would be a great way to clear Emily from his mind. Forever.

At the bus station, he hauled his gear to join the hiking group. But he noticed something extremely unpleasant—Becca.

“Hi, Spencer.” She tugged his arm as she spoke. “I’m so excited you’re coming. Isn’t it going to be great? The weather is perfect. I wasn’t sure you were coming. You didn’t answer my calls.”

“Becca. After the little stunt you pulled Thursday night, I really don’t want to talk to you any more.” He pivoted and jerked his arm away.

“What stunt? I didn’t do anything. What do you mean?”

He spun to face her, holding his arms out of her reach. “You tricked me into going to the Green Scene by telling me Candace was going to be there. You knew she was in Mexico.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Becca, I talked to her. I know you knew. And that’s not all I found out from Candace. But I won’t even go into that discussion. You told me the hiking group was planning to go the Green Scene, and guess what? I found out that was a lie as well.” He glared at her. “I really don’t like it when people lie to me.”

“Well, what about your precious Emily? I guess you found out she lied to you.”

He ignored her bait. “And I really didn’t appreciate the picture you sent me.”

“I thought you needed to see the truth.” She pushed her lower lip into a pout and crossed her arms. “Emily’s a slut!”

Spencer raised his hand to slap her, stopping himself just in time. Acutely aware of his shaking hands, he clenched them into fists before stomping over to collar Landon in the crowd of interested onlookers.

“Hey Landon, I’m not going. Sorry to back out on you.”

“I totally get it, bro. If I were you, I’d make like a banana and split.” Landon shot wary eyes toward Becca. “See ya later.”

Spencer hailed a taxi and headed to Emily’s apartment.

Charlie listened while her mom chatted with excitement, but she was anxious for her sister to wake up and join them.

“So, Steven got all of us tickets to see
Let It Be
tonight. It’s all about The Beatles and has Beatles music. It should be so much fun. I’m hoping it’ll cheer up Emily.”

“It’s almost ten-thirty. Don’t you think we should wake her up? I’m only here for a few days.” Charlie spoke around bites of chocolate covered donut.

“I don’t know. She probably needs the sleep. We’ll wake her up by noon for sure.”

“But you’re not much fun, tethered to an IV pole.”

A hurt expression came across Anne’s face, so Charlie sprang from her seat to give her a chocolate-smudged kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean it. You’re always fun, but I wanted to do something with Emily.” She chuckled as she licked her fingers. “But we want you to come, too, because you have more money.”

“Do you want to go out for lunch?”

“Do you really think you could stomach a restaurant?”

“Probably not. I think I’ll just send you and Emily. Y’all can take pictures, and I’ll live vicariously through you.”

“Poor Mom. I know how much you love to eat. This must be torture for you.”

“It is.”

They both jumped at a trilling sound from the doorbell.

“It’s Emily! Yay!” Charlie ran to the door to fling it open. “Sister! Oh... Spencer. Come in. I thought you might be... uhmm...”

He stepped through the doorway and stood, shuffling his feet. “Hi, Charlie. Mrs. Gherring.”

“Hi Spencer. Your mom’s already come and gone today. She’s coming back for a while this afternoon.” Anne’s smile was full of sympathy.

“No, I didn’t come to see Mom. I came to see Emily. She didn’t answer her door, so I thought she might be up here with you. Is she here?”

“She’s still sleeping, I guess. Although you’d think she would have heard you knocking.” It was all the excuse she needed. Charlie was out the door, headed to rouse her sister from bed. Spencer followed behind with a worried expression.

“I don’t want to wake her up. I... uhmm...”

“Well, I want to wake her up. And I happen to know she would like to talk to you.” She grabbed Spencer’s arm and pulled him onto the elevator.

“No, really, don’t wake her up. It can wait.”

“Look, Spencer. If she found out you were here and I didn’t wake her up, she’d kill me.”

“Okay.” They stood in awkward silence watching the numbers flash above the elevator door.

“So... Are you going to give her another chance?”

She watched a red color creep up from his neck to envelop his entire face. “I really don’t know. I guess I just need to talk to her.”

“She likes you.”

“Well she has a funny way of showing it.”

“She likes to be in control of everything. She couldn’t control her feelings around you. It scared her.”

“And you know this because...?”

“I’m her sister... I know her. She can be a pain in the butt, but she’s worth it. I hope you’ll give her a chance.”

“Maybe.”

“Okay. Here we are. Let me go in first and wake her up. I know my sister, and she’s going to want to brush her hair and her teeth before she sees you.” Charlie unlocked the door and slipped inside, excited to wake her sister with the news of her early morning visitor. Discovering an empty bed, she hurried to the bathroom. But instead of Emily, she found a note.

Emily arrived at the trailhead at ten thirty, her travels devouring more time than anticipated, but she felt optimistic she was still ahead of the hiking club. Either way, she knew time was of the essence. She pulled out her printed directions and started hiking. The first mile and a half were relatively flat, with the worst encumbrance being the rocky crud she encountered on the footpath. But as promised, when she took a right turn up to Indian Head’s summit, the path became steeper. Her back protested the weight of her pack with a steady ache. Carrying a lot of water significantly increased the load, but all her research emphasized the necessity. Nothing to do but plunge ahead.

A few miles in, she encountered her first chute. Astounded, Emily checked her directions again. Surely people didn’t actually climb these things? It was nothing but a steep rocky slide. To her dismay, two guys whipped past her, attacking the chute with relish.

“This isn’t part of the Devil’s Path, is it?” she called out.

“Sure is.” One guy stopped, turning back to chuckle at her question. “Awesome views at the top, though. It’s worth it.”

Emily was thinking she didn’t care at all what the view was like. These hiker people were crazy.

“Are you hiking alone?” the other guy asked. “You can hang with us if you want.”

“I’m supposed to meet some friends at the Devil’s Tombstone.”

“That’s a long way to hike by yourself.”

“I’m pretty slow. I might not be able to keep up with you.”

“We’re in no hurry.” The guy with close-cropped hair and a goatee gave her an encouraging smile. “I’m Brad.”

“I’m Josh.” The blond guy winked at her. “Don’t worry, we’ll be glad to slow down and take breaks on this hike. If you’re along, we can use you as an excuse.”

“I’m grateful,” she said.

“Well, come along, Grateful.” Josh laughed.

“Emily. I’m Emily.” She let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps everything would work out after all.

“I can’t believe it!” Spencer repeated the words for probably the tenth time. Emily had gone on the stupid hike with the intention of talking to him, and he wouldn’t even be there. And she shouldn’t have gone when she’d just gotten out of the hospital. He had a panicky feeling in his chest.

“Read the note to me again,” Anne said.

He held it up with shaky hands. “I’m going on the overnight hike so I can talk to Spencer. I left early so I can take my time and meet him at the camping area. I knew he might not go if I showed up at the beginning. I did my research and packed everything I need, so I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back Sunday with the group. Sorry to leave you, Charlie, but you know this is the only way. He said he’d give me a second chance if I did something dangerous for him. I thought about it, and this is my best shot. Love you, Emily”