Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige Read Free Book Online Page A

ourselves settled.” My dad glanced
at Drake’s hand, making it clear that he hadn’t missed anything that had
happened over the last half hour.

 
    “Right. I’ll try to come back before the party
starts. I’m sure my mom will want both of you to join us tonight if you’d
like,” Drake offered.

 
    “I think I’ll be fine down here. I brought my book
with me, and I can probably catch some college football on the big-screen down
here. Alexa, you want to hang out with your good ol’ dad?”

 
    “Yes, yes I do! Thank you very much for the
invitation, Drake, but I wouldn’t feel right crashing your mom’s birthday
party. Besides, I didn’t pack anything that would be appropriate anyway. Go
spend some time with your family, and you can find me in the morning so we can
finish that conversation from earlier.”

 
    Drake leaned over and lightly kissed my cheek,
whispering in my ear. “We’ll just see about that.”

 
    As Drake left us alone, my dad turned to me. “I
thought you said Drake was just one of Jackson’s frat brothers. Looked to me
like he’s something more than that.”

 
    “I don’t know what to tell you, Dad. I met him last
night while I was at a party with Jackson. Saw him again this morning at the
grocery store, too. I barely know the guy.”

 
    “It certainly seems like he wants to get to know
you. He seems nice enough, but be careful, sweetie. I’d hate to have to hurt
him and lose his dad’s business if he breaks your heart. But a dad’s gotta do
what a dad’s gotta do, right?”

 
    “Geesh, Dad! You’re already threatening to beat him
up if he hurts me?” I walked over to my dad to give him a big hug. “You really
are the best dad ever, so you don’t need to run around threatening guys who
seem the least bit interested in your daughter just to prove yourself to me.”

 
    “You’re fooling yourself if you think that boy is
only a little bit interested, Alexa Marie.”

 
    “If you say so. Now I’m gonna head upstairs to get
settled in and maybe get some studying done.”

 
    I was able to get one of my papers done before I
heard a knock on the door downstairs. I hadn’t heard a peep out of my dad in
hours. Odds were that he’d fallen asleep watching football. I ran down the
steps so I could answer the door before he woke up.

 
    “Hello,” said the gorgeous brunette at the door in
greeting. Her baby face led me to believe that she was a couple years younger
than I was, but her clothing made me reconsider her age. Her outfit consisted
of skintight, dark blue jeans that looked like they had been custom made for
her tucked into knee-high brown leather boots and an oversized, dark green
cable-knit sweater that slipped slightly off her shoulder. She was carrying a
dry cleaner’s bag in one hand and a Louboutin shoe box in the other. “You must
be Alexa. I’m Drake’s sister, Drea. But you can call me your fairy godmother!”

 
    “Would that make me Cinderella? If so, I’m missing
the wicked stepmother and sisters.”

 
    “Ah, yes, but wouldn’t my brother make a perfect
Prince Charming?” Drea giggled, and her eyes twinkled with laughter. I could
definitely see the resemblance with her brother. Her parents had passed along
very good genes to their children.

 
    “I’m not sure that I’d use the word charming to
describe your brother. He hasn’t lived up to the title with me yet.”

 
    “Darn! Maybe you’ll change your mind when I tell
you that he let me know that you didn’t know about the party when you flew up
here with him. He’s so bad like that, never remembers to tell me anything.
Anyway, he asked if I could find you a few things so you would feel more
comfortable joining us tonight.”

 
    “There wasn’t any reason for me to know about the
party, so Drake didn’t forget to tell me.” I spoke quickly, trying to get a
word in edgewise while Drea took a breath.

 
    “No reason? You don’t need a reason to