The Dating Tutor: Alec's Story (6 page)

Predictably, the paddle eventually slipped through her fingers and hit the floor. She gave a growl of frustration and bent in an outlandish struggle with her heels to pick it up.

Alec leaned back against the table and watched from beside her as she struggled. He laughed soundlessly, knowing he would receive a fist to the gut if she knew he was taking such pleasure in her clumsy nature. She really was hopeless. “Heaven forbid Jake throw something to you. You’ll make a fool of yourself, and the date will be over before it starts.” He’d been laughing as quietly as possible to avoid her wrath, but a snort finally escaped him. Thankfully it came off more scornful than humorous, so she wouldn’t know he was laughing at her. “Though I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. Jake wouldn’t want to dirty those pretty manicured fingernails of his with physical activity.”

“Be nice.”

At the warning note in her voice, Alec chuckled. “I don’t mean anything by it. Jake’s cool as far as I’m concerned. He’s just not…”

“He’s not a jock,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “He doesn’t enjoy pummeling other guys for icing the puck.”

Alec rolled his eyes at this. It was like she knew nothing about hockey. Whatsoever. “I’ve never started a fight over icing. Do you even pay attention to the games?”

With a warm laugh, she ran her thumb lightly along a cut over his eyebrow. “You’ve started fights because a player looked at you the wrong way. It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility for you to start a brawl over icing.”

Damn. Well, if that didn’t actually make a little bit of sense… Laughing, he pushed her hand away. “Yeah. Yeah.” Making his way around the far side of the table, he picked up his own paddle. “I’ll start a fight with your rich boy toy if he doesn’t keep his hands to himself next weekend.”

Ellie approached the table with a worried frown. “Don’t go getting all protective big brother on me.” Cautiously lining up her paddle, she tapped the ball across the table to him.

Protective big brother. Was that how he was behaving? He was an only child and used to only worrying about himself. It was odd, this uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He supposed he was just nervous for her, something he wasn’t used to. He was concerned Jake would take advantage of her compassionate, innocent nature and end up leaving her crushed.

He still couldn’t fathom why Jake Phillips had asked her out. Ellie was sweet and wholesome. Guys like Jake made their way through the popular crowd, breaking hearts as they went. He was worried Ellie was going to get hurt if she went through with this. She was too innocent, too trusting. “I just don’t like his type. Rich preppy boys always feel as if they’re entitled to whatever they want. Just be careful, okay?” He tapped the ball back to her, lining up an easy return.

She arched a brow as she returned the ball to his side of the table. “Jake isn’t like that. He’s a good guy.”

His fingers clenched around the handle of his paddle in irritation, and he sent the ball back toward her a little more roughly than intended. “I know what guys are like. More so than you. I’m just looking out for you.”

She had to lunge to the right to return the ball. “Well, if he turns out to be a creep, I’ll let you go all hockey jock on him. I promise.”

For some reason, that idea filled him with delightful anticipation. Though despite his eagerness, the thought of getting into a fight with Jake Phillips was laughable. Jake wouldn’t last two minutes if the two of them were to throw down. It would be a joke.

He gave a sniff of amusement as he smacked the ball roughly to her left corner after making her go right. “Pretty boy wouldn’t know what hit him.”

In her frantic attempt to get back to the ball, Ellie tripped. With a yelp, she latched onto the table with a vise-like grip to keep from falling to the floor. Her eyes squeezed tightly closed, and she let out a breath that stated her obvious relief at not colliding with the ground.

The ball hit the ground and skittered off.

He couldn’t hold in his laughter. She looked so ridiculous sprawled halfway across the table. “You are the worst girl ever,” he accused as she opened her eyes to glower at him. “You’re in way over your head.”

With an expression of pure stubbornness, Ellie righted herself, marched over to the fallen ball, and snatched it up. “Your serve,” she said, tossing the ball to him.

She wasn’t a quitter. He’d give her that. With a grin and a nod of appreciation at her conviction, he said, “Alright. First one to a hundred points wins?” At her annoyed look, he burst into laughter.

* * * *

Alec was just heading home for the evening when Ellie’s mother pulled into the driveway. He waited for her to park and made his way over to the car to help her with the bags of groceries. “Perfect timing. Let me help you get these inside.” He scooped three large paper bags full of food into his arms from the backseat.

“Thank you, Alec. You’re such a polite boy.”

He snorted at this. If anyone who knew him on the ice heard that, they wouldn’t believe it.

She grabbed a few bags of her own and led the way back into the house. Holding the door open for him with her hip, she asked, “So how was your evening?”

“Good,” he said as he placed his bags on the kitchen counter. “I was helping Ellie get ready for her date on Saturday.”

Cindy made a tsk sound. “Yes, the date. She’s nervous about that, huh?”

He chuckled. “Nervous enough to do a practice date with me.”

She snickered in amusement and turned to look at him after setting her own bags down. “A practice date?”

He nodded with a wry grin. “Yeah. She’s annoyed about it, but I’m making her go through the full drill with me. I’ll point out everything she does wrong so it won’t happen when she’s out with Jake.”

“That’s very sweet of you. She could use the confidence boost where dating is concerned.”

He nodded his agreement as he headed for the door. “Don’t I know it.” As an afterthought, he added, “If you could, make sure she takes our date Saturday seriously. If she doesn’t, she’s not going to learn anything.”

“I will,” she promised. “I’ll do the excited mom bit.” Laughing lightly, she added, “Surely that will annoy her as well.”

He grinned slyly, enjoying their camaraderie over harassing her daughter.  “No doubt it will. Thanks.” He nodded in parting. “Have a nice evening, Mrs. Harper.”

“You too.”

He waved and headed out the door. As he crossed over into his own driveway, he noticed the garage light on. The beam of light stretched out into the dusky driveway. The door was up, and he could hear a clanking noise coming from inside.

As he approached with a frown of confusion, his father came out holding two paper-wrapped bundles in his hands.

“Meatball sub?” Jerich asked, holding one of the foot-long sandwiches out to him.

Alec took it and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What are you doing out here?”

“I figured we’d fix up that car of yours, get it running.”

Alec knew his expression must have been one of astonishment. His father was asking to work on the car with him? His father was volunteering for the two of them to spend some quality time together? “Yeah?” he asked, almost afraid he’d heard wrong.

Unwrapping his sandwich, Jerich took a hearty bite. “Yeah. Figured it could be fun. I picked up all the parts we need earlier today. We’re good to go. So long as you’re up for it.”

Alec grinned. He couldn’t help himself. He peeled back the wrapping of his sub and took a bite. “Definitely. Let’s do it.”

Jerich swallowed and nodded toward his toolbox. “Grab that wrench. I’ll show you how to change some spark plugs.”

Chapter
Six

“Well, don’t you look all fancy.”

Alec shook his head with a wry smirk at his father’s comment as he adjusted the collar on his chocolate brown dress shirt. “It’s just dinner with Ellie.”

Jerich’s brows shot up at this. “That how you normally dress when you hang out with the neighbor girl?”

Alec rolled his eyes as he snatched up the keys to his newly fixed car. “I’m helping her practice for a date she has next weekend. It’s not a big deal.”

Jerich reached a hand out as if to ruffle his son’s hair, but Alec ducked out of his grip.

Digging into his pocket, Jerich pulled out his wallet and handed a fifty
-dollar bill to his son. “Here. Dinner is on me. Have a good time.”

Alec looked at the cash in surprise. His father wasn’t often the giving type. He’d never offered to pay for a date before, so the donation caught him off guard. “Wow. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Jerich said with a grin. He hesitated, then added, “Hair gel, earring, and cologne?” He whistled. “Seems to me like more than just some friendly assistance.”

“Don’t go there,” Alec warned. He grabbed the flowers he’d gotten for Ellie off the hall table and headed out the door. “I won’t be late,” he called out over his shoulder. There. That should prove his plans with Ellie weren’t romantic. It wasn’t often he was home early on a Saturday night.

“I’ll record the Rangers game for you.”

The Rangers game. Crap. How had he forgotten about that? Trying to cover up his carelessness, not wanting his father to think his mind was too preoccupied, he calmly said, “Thanks. Cool.” With that he was out the door.

Though it seemed silly, Alec climbed into his car and drove the few feet to park in front of Ellie’s house. He wanted to play the part to the fullest, and a real date would pick her up at the door.

Throwing his car in park, he hopped out and made his way up the walkway to her front door. Upon reaching it, he lifted a hand and tapped his knuckles lightly against the wood. He’d been inside her house more times than he could count, but tonight was a date. He couldn’t go barging in like usual.

He waited patiently on the porch, and a few minutes later, the door swung open. Ellie stood on the other side, and he was caught completely unaware by her appearance. Truth be told, she took his breath away. The dress looked even more fabulous on her now than it had in the store. The heels added to the very sexy, sophisticated look. They made her legs look…fantastic. She’d curled her hair, letting the blonde locks fall in loose waves around her shoulders. The ends curved against her breasts, drawing attention to the scooped neckline of the dress.

He suddenly felt very uncomfortable with the thoughts racing through his mind. In an attempt to cover this up, he stepped forward and shoved the bundle of flowers at her. “For you.”

Ellie reached for them before giving a cry of alarm and jumping back. “Get those horrid things away from me! Posies! Bleck!”  Her eyes narrowed in anger, and he could practically see her outrage in their depths. “I’m allergic to posies. They make me break out in hives. You know that.”

Now this was more of what he’d been expecting. It was the entire reason he’d gone out and purposely bought a bouquet of flowers she was allergic to. “Wrong answer,” he responded sharply. “You love them.”

“But I’m—”

“You’re nothing. You love them. Smile, thank me, and then go put those in water.” He could see frustration raging behind her eyes. He thought for a moment she might refuse, but then a stiff and very dishonest smile forced its way onto her lips. “Thank you,” she said with a voice containing little gratitude. She then reached forward and
gingerly took the flowers from him, being careful not to touch the petals. “They’re lovely. I should put them in water to keep them fresh.”

“You should smell them.”

“Don’t push it, Alec,” she warned.

He couldn’t help himself. He laughed as she clomped out of the room. If she was getting worked up over posies, she had a very rigorous night ahead of her.

While Ellie put her flowers in water…or perhaps the garbage disposal, he turned to Mrs. Harper, who’d been standing just beyond her daughter. “So did she take the preparation portion of this date seriously?” he asked with curiosity.

Cindy shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. She was very snide and sarcastic about the whole affair, but I think deep down, she’s nervous.”

He nodded. “Good. She should be. Let her get her nerves out tonight so next week goes easier for her. If I keep treating it like a date, maybe by the time the real one comes around she’ll be more at ease with the idea.”

“So does this mean I should be throwing out a few subtle threats?” Cindy asked with a playful smile. “Or asking for a background check?”

Alec laughed at this. “Quite possibly. But I can assure you my background is fairly boring.”

“Then how about a curfew?” she asked. “Should we discuss that perhaps?”

He grinned and snapped his fingers at her. “We should! That’s perfect.” An expression of mock seriousness spread across his face. “Is eleven too late, you think? I can have her home by ten if that seems more appropriate.”

Cindy snickered. “Eleven should be fine. Just take care of my baby.”

“Mom,” Ellie whined in protest from behind them.

The petulant tone of her voice drew a chuckle from him. Oh yeah, she was hating this. He placed a hand against her back, as he normally might on a real date. “Are you ready? We have six o’clock reservations.”