Not My Type (22 page)

Well . . . yeah.

Dang it.

That still didn’t make it a good idea. If I gave in to curiosity and got to know Tanner better, I would have to curb my attitude with him, big time. But if I had another buffer between us, a built-in reason that a relationship between us couldn’t fully develop, like say . . . a job writing a dating column, then . . . maybe that would be okay.

“I’ll go on a date with you,” I said.

“Thanks.” Tanner’s tone made me realize that I had sounded like I was doing him a favor.

“I’d love to go on a date with you,” I amended, and he smiled. “But I’m emotionally unavailable for anything past casual dating. So basically, I’m a real prize.”

He shrugged. “Like I said, right now I’d like to figure out what this connection is, period. I’m okay with taking it a day at a time. Or a date at a time.”

I thought about it. It really did come down to curiosity for him, the need to explore an attraction he hadn’t expected and didn’t quite understand. For me, the idea of spending time with someone I knew I would enjoy sweetened the deal. Maybe hanging out with Tanner in a low-pressure situation would be the antidote I needed for all the high-stress LDS Lookup dates. If we both walked into the situation with our eyes open, I couldn’t see the harm.

Unlike my relationship with Landon, where I’d acted on impulse and drifted wherever he’d nudged me, I’d approach this dating . . . thing . . . with Tanner from the opposite end of the spectrum. I’d use logic and resist any nudging. With a buffer like a new “Single in the City” date every week, there could be no danger of falling so far for him that I’d lose sight of my new goals. Which led me to my next dilemma. Should I say anything about the column or not? Did I owe him an explanation?

Yes. But it didn’t mean I owed him details. With my new full-time job, I had every intention of uncovering the unique parts of Salt Lake that stayed below radar and building a following for my feature reporting to rival Indie Girl’s. Then I’d be done with the column, and the whole thing would be irrelevant. But I still owed Tanner some kind of heads up.

“How casual is this?” I asked. “Is it casual, like we-can-date-other-people casual?”

This earned me a wary look. “Sure.”

“Every single week? Whenever we want?”

“Every single week?” He laughed. “That sounds like a counterintuitive approach to avoiding a relationship.”

Not if the relationship I’m trying to avoid is with you
, I countered. In my head. Out loud I said, “I think it’s a smart way to avoid getting stuck too much on one person.”

“Whatever,” he said, a smile playing around his lips. “But I retain the right to not go out every single week with someone else if I don’t feel like it.”

I mulled that over. “This conversation just reached ridiculous, didn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“Then let’s sum up. I’m emotionally damaged, and you’d be smart to avoid a relationship with me at all costs.”

“Check.”

“And I will go on one futile date after another to avoid any kind of reality in my love life.”

He rolled his eyes. “Check.”

He wasn’t taking me seriously, but at least I couldn’t be accused of hiding anything. My conscience eased.

“Now for my condition,” he said.

Wait, what? “You have conditions too?” I asked.

“One, yes.”

“Now who’s being demanding?”

He waited me out. Curiosity got the better of me. “All right,” I said. “Name your terms.”

“We reevaluate once a month, make sure this dating thing makes sense. If it isn’t working for one of us, we both walk away, no big deal.”

“Good idea.”

In fact, it was a pretty clinical approach, but . . . so was mine. Who was I to complain about him building in his own back door when I’d already installed multiple exits?

“Then we have a deal.”

“A deal? How business-y. I feel like we should shake on it.”

“No handshake.” Instead, he leaned over and brushed his lips against mine in a feather-light touch, and my eyes drifted close again. “There. Sealed with a kiss.”

“Tanner?”

“Yeah?”

“No jokes about sealing in front of the temple. It makes my stomach hurt.”

He laughed out loud. “It’s okay. We’re on the safe side of the doors.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

Dear Cory,

I hope Ukraine is still treating you well. Things here are pretty good. My job at Real Salt Lake is pretty fun most times. I’m hoping that after putting in a little more time learning the ropes there, I can move on to bigger things. Actually, just moving on from the dating column would be superfantastic. Fingers crossed.

Oh, and I should probably tell you before anyone else in this family gives you a wildly exaggerated version of events that I’m kind of dating someone on purpose and not for the stupid column. His name is Tanner, and he’s pretty cool. But we’re maybe only a half step past hanging out, so don’t believe the picture Rosemary drew. (The one of me in a wedding dress holding Prince Charming’s hand. The other one of Ginger with feathers in her hair is right on. It’s a thing now, but I just saw a middle-aged woman at the grocery store with feathers in her hair, so don’t worry. By the time you get home from your mission, that fad should be dead.)

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for breaking your arm that one time. I know I was super ticked when Mom and Dad got rid of the trampoline after that, but in hindsight, I’m pretty sure you saved me from death. Trampolines and I do not go together. You know how if you put two positive magnets together, they go shooting apart? Yeah, me and trampolines.

I love you, Elder Spicer. And I’m proud of what you’re doing. Keep up the hard work!

Love,

Pepper

Chapter 15

I snapped a leather cuff around my wrist and took it right back off. Too biker chick-ish. I fingered a wooden bangle but didn’t pick it up. Too hippie chick. A bracelet made of silver chain links? Maybe. I fastened it and shook my wrist to check the effect.

Courtney watched me from her perch on Strawberry Shortcake. “You have no reason to be nervous, you know. Can we make this about me for a minute?”

I turned from my dresser to face her and grinned. “Josh is going to take one look at you and breathe a sigh of relief that he dodged a bullet.” In a few minutes, we’d be climbing into Courtney’s Mazda and heading off to a trampoline center where two boys waited for us. Courtney, as cute as always in a striped purple T-shirt and denim capris, looked ready to jump out of her skin with nerves, so she was in the perfect frame of mind to take on trampolines.

I thought I looked calm, cool, and collected until she busted me. “It’s stupid that I’m nervous, right?”

She smiled. “Kinda, yes. You’ve hung out with Tanner a million times.”

I plopped down on my bed across from her. “I know. But not on a date. I don’t know what to expect.”

She pretended to think about it. “Hmm. Based on my observations, I’d say a bunch of stolen glances where you stare at each other longingly when you think the other one isn’t looking, a lot of insults to hide your true feelings, and a crackly energy in the air between you two that will make everyone else uncomfortable. Because that’s what usually happens.”

“No, it isn’t!”

She rolled her eyes. “It totally is.” She leaned forward and took my wrist, unfastening the bracelet I’d just put on. “I think it’s great. I’m so glad you guys are giving this dating thing a try. Tanner is different with you, and you’re great for him. But you really need to tell him about Indie Girl.”

I dropped my now-liberated wrist. “I can’t. I would evaporate in a cloud of humiliation if he knew I was behind that.” I hesitated. Courtney and I didn’t spend a lot of time talking about the particulars of me and Tanner. “Don’t get too caught up in this, okay? I like your brother, but we agreed to take it way easy.” I wondered if I was reminding her or myself. “This isn’t a thing. We’ve mainly just decided to call a truce.”

“Then why are you nervous for tonight?” She laughed when I blushed.

“I hate you a little bit right now,” I grumbled.

“You can’t. I need serious moral support.” The hint of panic in her eyes belied her joking tone.

I pushed thoughts of my impending first official date with Tanner aside and smiled at her. “I promise this is going to be a fun night. We picked an activity that will make everyone look like an idiot except for you; it’s perfect.” Courtney had years of gymnastic experience going into our trampoline date. I had urgent care on speed dial.

“What if Josh doesn’t like me?” she asked.

“First of all, so what if he doesn’t? You don’t have to like him either. Secondly, he’s totally going to like you. Your personalities are a great fit, and he thinks you’re cute.”

“But he asked you out first,” she said.

“Yeah, because he saw me first. He’s repented.” I jumped up and grabbed her hand to pull her toward the mirror hanging on the closet door. “Look at us,” I said, pointing to our reflection. “I look pretty good. You look
great.
Tanner and Josh are lucky guys, and of the two of them, Josh is the way luckier one. Trust me, he’ll know it.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay. We better get in the car before I chicken out completely.”

Twenty minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of Altitude Sports. I spotted Tanner’s car, and my stomach flipped like it was already on a trampoline. But it didn’t feel like nerves this time. It felt like . . . excitement. I squeezed Courtney’s hand. “Just have fun. That’s all this needs to be. If all else fails, you can entertain yourself by making fun of my face plants, but I really think you’re going to like Josh.”

She squeezed my hand back. “What if I do?” I saw pain flash in her eyes. “Maybe I would hate myself if I liked Josh.”

I opened my mouth to reassure her that Alex would want her to be happy, but she rushed ahead of me with her thought. “What’s worse is maybe I
won’t
like him because I can’t like anyone ever again. This was such a bad idea.”

My knuckles hurt from the pressure of her hand. “Courtney, stop. You don’t have to decide anything about the rest of your life based on a couple of hours on a goofy date. Look at it as a chance to get to know someone new. Focus on right now, this moment, and nothing else.” I repeated the advice my dad had given me when I asked him how I could help Courtney through the night. “Don’t try to extrapolate what it means for the future. Me, you, your brother, and some guy on a trampoline is just that: three people watching you be awesome at something the rest of us are going to look ridiculous doing. Have fun. Make fun of me. Make fun of Tanner. Maybe even make fun of Josh. I bet he can take it.”

She let that sink in before nodding. “All right.” She let go of my hand. “I think I’m okay now. Let’s bounce.”

I laughed at her pun and climbed out of the car, ready to face Tanner for the first time since he’d dropped me off and kissed me senseless after our talk at the temple. We’d e-mailed and texted back and forth all week, but I think all the funny messages from him were only making my butterflies worse. With every step I took toward the entrance, they fluttered more wildly. At the main door, I stopped, took a deep breath, and then pulled it open and stepped inside with Courtney on my heels.

Tanner and Josh sat next to each other on a bench just inside the door. As soon as he saw me, a huge grin broke over Tanner’s face, and he stood up with his arms open. I walked into them, and he wrapped me in a hug that quieted the butterflies. I’d have stood there soaking up his warmth and the scent of his spicy aftershave indefinitely, but Josh cleared his throat, and I slipped out of Tanner’s embrace to make introductions.

“Josh, I guess you’ve already talked to Tanner, so I don’t need to introduce him, but this is his sister, Courtney.”

“Hi,” Courtney said, her voice sounding hesitant.

“Hi,” he answered, an easy smile on his face. “I want to tell you up front that I’m not going to try to make a good impression because the second we get on the trampolines, I’m going to undo it. I’m surrendering my dignity right here and now.”

“Uh, me too,” Tanner said. “Please still be attracted to me when this is done.”

Courtney burst out laughing, and I slid my hand into Tanner’s. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about there.”

When Josh and Courtney rolled their eyes in unison, I knew the evening would shake out just fine.

An hour later, I laughed so hard I nearly cried as I watched Josh try to imitate Courtney’s soaring acrobatics. When Courtney goaded Tanner into attempting a flip awhile later, he landed on his back instead of his feet, and I really did lose it as tears of laughter streamed down my face. I couldn’t have escaped Tanner’s flying tackle if I’d tried. Which I didn’t.

Once he’d pinned me, I smiled up at him. “You win.” He leaned down and stole a quick kiss before pulling me to my feet. “Yes, I do.” He kept my hand in his and tugged on it to lead me on a gentle bounce over a few adjacent trampolines, each one taking us a little farther away from his sister and Josh.

“You don’t want to play her bodyguard anymore?” I teased him.

He dropped another kiss on my head. “You’re right. He’s a good guy. And she’s smiling. I thought it might be good to give them enough space for her to figure it out too.”

I watched as Courtney took an extra high bounce and then clutched Josh’s arm when she landed. He reached out to brace her against a fall.

“I think she knows,” I said. “It may not go anywhere, but I think that for now, she’s doing all right.” Turning to face him, I squeezed his hand and smiled. As my words echoed in my head, I realized that I was speaking about me and Tanner too, and the only drop in my stomach came from Tanner’s sudden bounce as it sent me soaring with a startled shriek of laughter. When I landed in a heap beside him, still laughing too hard to stand, he stared down at me with that insanely attractive half smile playing around his lips. “I guess I should have warned you that I meant to knock you off your feet.”

I reached for a hand up and when he took mine, I yanked, and he landed beside me. “Careful. I’ll take you down with me.”

But Tanner didn’t look as if he minded one bit.

Dear Denny,

Sorry for throwing stuff at you. I have two brothers, so you think I’d be better trained not to take the bait when you’re teasing me. I really didn’t mean to hit you . . . there. I’m learning I have ridiculously bad aim. It’s like all the passing grades I ever got in PE have all been a lie.

Also, I owe you a big thank you. I’m so grateful you caught my post before it went up under the wrong byline. It would have been confusing for the readers to have Indie Girl profiling a local chef and Pepper Spicer reviewing her latest Lookup date. It would have been absolutely disastrous for me. Thanks for making that save.

You and Chantelle have made it totally worth coming to the office. Thanks for that too.

Sincerely,

Pepper