The Starter Boyfriend by Tina Ferraro Read Free Book Online Page B

discount,” I continued with a playful nudge. “And for you, I could probably throw in the vest at no extra charge.”
    “Something tells me you’re getting commission.”
    “No comment.”
    “You’re going for some sales record or strategy you plan to include in your application essay for St. Ansgar’s?”
    I let out a laugh, mostly impressed he remembered the odd name of the college. “Not a bad idea. I’ll think on that. But really, we have some fantastic styles to help you pull off any look you want.
    “I mean, take a look at him.” I aimed my pointer finger toward the storefront window. At my gorgeous, darling guy, who, come to think of it, did have a little bit of the “Ocean’s 11” mystique going on, and was posed not only to break women’s hearts, but to grab men’s eyes, too. “Classic.”
    “ Him ? Not it?”
    I stared at Adam, my faux pas kicking in, then cleared my throat. “Yeah, I call him Tux. And I mean, you could be as cool as he is.”
    He blew out a laugh. “I’d challenge him to a twenty-footer any day. While I was shooting the curl, he’d sink like a log.”
    I was thisclose to correcting him, to telling him that Tux was one of the expensive models made of fiberglass, and that fiberglass floated. Even I knew that was a step past crazy.
    “Yeah, well,” I said, pausing in the shop’s doorway. “If you decide you want a tux for Homecoming, I’m your girl.”
    “My girl?” He reached out toward me, and for the longest, most electric moment, I thought he was going grab my face and pull it to his. Instead, he patted the top of my head, looked me long in the eye, then strolled off, his loose blond curls swaying, his hips slow and sexy again.
    I swallowed hard and turned toward the door, sneaking a look up at Tux. His face and line of vision was tilted away from mine, which was just as well. He was the perfect boyfriend who never judged or complained, and he could never hurt me. Still, it was just plain rude to check out some other guy’s walk in his presence.
    Even a guy of the confusing sort. Who’d been among the reasons I took up with my starter boyfriend in the first place.

 
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    Flea was babysitting her sister’s five-month old that night, and sent out an SOS for me to keep her company. Which I was more than happy to do since a) I was all about keeping things real with Flea, and b) the definite downside to “dating” a mannequin was no nights out. Of the store window, even.
    Plus, her family had a backyard Jacuzzi. So there I was, my capris rolled above my knees, dangling my tired, achy feet in the frothy water, while she cuddled her niece in a lounge chair, trying to get her to take a bottle. I was fairly certain I was getting the good end of the deal.
    “So you disappeared on us last night,” Flea said, then made some cutesy, kissy baby noises.
    “Yeah, I was cruising around, trying to find Adam.” I intended to finish with the truth, to give him back his beer , but a little voice in inside my head—which sounded a lot like Adam’s—put the brakes on that.
    She scrunched her face. “I was afraid it was something like that. I mean, you’re doing a kick-ass job of making people think you’re okay with Adam and Saffron...”
    My hand shot up to my ear for a quick hair tuck. She had me there, and seeing as she was my best friend (at least, I was still hers), I felt an obligation to give her kudos. “Yeah, who likes seeing an ex—or even ex-crush—with someone else? Especially a friend. But nothing I can do about it, or want to.” I summoned my all my sincerity. “I really am over him.”
    “I’m glad.”
    Swishing my feet in big circles in the hot water, I considered taking the BFF moment to the next level and confiding how Adam secretly truly felt about Saffron. But strengthening our friendship was one thing; ratting him out was another. Better to return to the topic of why I’d disappeared. “I went looking for him to make sure he