Millie chucked a hanger at him. He ducked as it sailed a foot too far to his right.

“I guess pregnancy hasn’t improved your aim, Millie.”

She glared at him, trying her best to look intimidating, but she just ended up looking adorable. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

“Don’t listen to him,” Millie said, ushering me back into the dressing room.

“I never do.” I made my way back behind the curtain, winking at Drew over my shoulder. He just stuck his tongue out at me. So mature.

I quickly changed out of the dress and handed it to Millie. She hurried out of the dressing room to bag it up. After I got dressed, I took a look in the mirror. It was amazing what a difference the dress made. Yeesh! I don’t think I even glanced at the mirror this morning before I left the house.

Like most women faced with a mirror, I started pointing out the flaws. I needed a haircut, and my God, my thighs. I’m pretty enough, but I have a mouth that gets me into trouble sometimes, though it’s usually nothing I can’t get myself out of.

I stepped out of the dressing room and joined Drew and Millie at the counter. I pulled out my credit card from my back pocket and handed it to Millie, but she just batted my hand away.

“No, no, you’re all set.”

I looked up at Drew. “I told you, you are not buying me a dress.”

He held his hands up in defense and took a step back. “I swear, I didn’t.”

Millie came around the counter and handed me the garment bag with a smile. “This dress was made for you, Alex. I want you to have it.”

“Millie, I can’t.”

She shoved the garment bag at me.

“Nope.” She shook her head. “You cannot refuse a gift from a pregnant woman. Just say thank you.”

“You know the pregnant thing will only work for another month, but thank you.” Drew grabbed my arm and ushered me out of the store. I waved goodbye to Millie over his shoulder.

Drew took the garment bag from me and laid it carefully in the back seat. Then he opened the door and waited for me to get in.

“Drew, I can’t just take the dress,” I said. He sighed and leaned on the open car door.

“Would it help if I offered for us to babysit after he’s born?”

I stepped into the car. “Ugh, I don’t do diapers.”

He rolled his eyes, shutting my door harder than was necessary. I laughed to myself as he walked around to get in the car. It was so easy to get under his skin.

“The lengths I have to go to make you happy,” he said as he put the car in drive.

“Yeah, but I’m worth it.”

Chapter 3

Drew (Then)

I shot Red a text as I headed to class on Thursday.

Drew: Admit it I’m growing on you.

Alex: Like a weed.

I laughed. This girl was something else. She called me on all of my shit and brushed off every pass I made at her. Despite all my efforts to get her naked, she and I remained just friends. The weird part was—I kind of liked it. I had never really had a girl that was just a friend before, but Alex was different. Don’t get me wrong, I was still seriously attracted to her, but I was actually enjoying just getting to know her.

Drew: I knew it.

Drew: What are you doing tonight?

“Hey, Drew.”

I looked up from my phone as some hot girl from my psych class wiggled her fingers at me. I nodded my head and smiled at her, but kept on walking, watching my phone for Red’s response.

Alex: Avoiding Kerri and Sean.

I laughed.

Drew: Catch them again?

Alex: They were fighting this time. I got out before the makeup sex started.

Drew: Why don’t you hang out at my place tonight?

Alex: Nice try. Drew.

Drew: What?

Drew: We can watch a movie or something. I will be good. I promise.

She didn’t respond right away. I sat down on the wall outside the science building and waited.

Drew: Come on, Red.

Alex: Fine, I will be there at 6.

Alex: I get to pick the movie.

***

At six on the dot, there was a knock on the door. I pulled it open to let Red in. She looked effortlessly beautiful, as usual. I was used to girls coming over all made up, short skirt, boobs spilling out of their top. Not my Red. She showed up in jeans and an oversized hoodie with her hair pulled up and her black-framed glasses perched on the end of her nose. She still looked gorgeous, but not in an artificial kind of way. She was so different from any girl I had been with that half the time I didn’t know how to act around her.

I must have been staring like an idiot, because she asked. “You going to let me in?”

“Yeah,” I choked out, stepping to the side.

She walked in, looked around the apartment, and turned to face me. “Did you clean?”

I just shrugged my shoulders and headed into the kitchen. After I talked to her earlier, I raced home to straighten up the apartment, but I was not going to tell her that. “I’m not a total slob. You want a beer?”

“Yeah.” I grabbed two beers from the fridge, turned to hand her one, and almost ran right into her. I handed her the beer. With a smile, she headed toward the living room. I took a deep breath and followed, dropping down on the couch beside her.

“So, what are we watching?” I asked, watching her fold her long legs under her.

“What have you got?”

“I thought you were bringing something.”

“I said I was picking, not bringing.”

“Well, I don’t have any movies here.” I shrugged. I thought breaking into Sean’s porn collection was a bad idea.

“Who invites someone over to watch a movie with no movies to watch?”

“Hey, I thought you were going to bring it.” I chuckled.

Red sighed. “Well, how are you going to entertain me?”

I raised my eyebrows, a grin spreading across my face as I thought of all the things I could do to entertain her.

“Not going to happen, pumpkin.” She reached out and patted my cheek.

“Then what do you suggest?” I chuckled, taking a swig of my beer.

“I guess we can talk.”

“Talk?” I scoffed.

“You know, exchange words and ideas,” she said. “Tell me something.”

“Like what?” I wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for.

“I don’t know. What’s your major?”

I laughed. “And I’m the one with the lame pick-up lines.”

“We’re in college, asshole. It’s a fair question.” She playfully pushed my shoulder. At least she was starting to lighten up.

“Graphic design.”

“Really?” She sounded a little surprised, and I tried not to be offended. “I never pegged you for the artistic type.”

“You don’t think very highly of me, do you?”

“I don’t really know you. I don’t know what to think.”

I smiled. “What do you want to know?”

“Depends on what you want to tell me.”

If I didn’t know better, I would’ve sworn she was flirting with me, but so far, all my instincts about this girl have been wrong, so I didn’t push. “Okay, I will make you a deal. I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine. And be honest.”

“Okay. Why graphic design?” She turned her body so she was facing me on the couch.

I shrugged. “I’ve always been good with computers. I kind of like the idea of creating something beautiful using something that is so analytical.”