Boys and Girls, Part II: Prince Charming

Chapter 2 - A Date



“So what’s Lani think about you and loverboy moving in together?”



Delaney rolled her eyes, but smiled at another one of Jacy’s nicknames for her fiancé, Jason.



“I talked to her, and she threw a fit at first, but after I calmed her down, she took it pretty well.”



Stephanie walked out of her bedroom and into the living room where Delaney and Jacy were lounging. She looked pissed.



“I’m not getting out of this one,” she grumbled.



Jacy sat up on Stephanie’s white leather sofa with an impish grin on her face. “You poor, poor little rich girl.”



Stephanie scowled. “Don’t start, Jacy.”



Delaney gave Stephanie a look of utter sympathy. “Why does your mother need to host, like, six hundred of these wine and cheese affairs a year?”



Stephanie sighed as she strode over to the sofa. “It’s in her job title. ‘Socialite – wear expensive clothes, ride in a limo, feed wine and cheese to other rich people.’”



Jacy scrunched her face. “Wine and cheese sounds gross together.” A look of dawning appeared on her face. “Hey…you guys should serve pizza rolls. You’d probably get much more interesting guests that way.”



Stephanie frowned at Jacy’s facetiousness.



“Wasn’t your dad supposed to make an appearance at this thing?”



“Oh,” Stephanie began in disbelief, “get this! He’s going to visit Inge this weekend.” Stephanie blew a raspberry. “What is it with my dad and Swedish women?”



“Isn’t your mom Swedish?” Delaney asked.



“My point exactly,” Stephanie deadpanned. She sighed again. “My dad is so exasperating. He always gets his way!”



Delaney and Jacy exchanged glances before cracking up. Stephanie didn’t see what was so funny. “What?”



“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Steph,” Delaney answered, still laughing her ass off.



“Yeah,” Jacy added. “You forget. You get your manipulative ways from Daddy lawyer.”



Stephanie scowled but continued anyway. “So, because he’s not going…” Stephanie fumed, “…Mom’s making me go. She said until the divorce is finalized, at least one member of the family should be with her at all times. And now that Dad’s got a new little ‘friend,’ guess who that family member’s going to be.”



Stephanie had been a little more moody the past few months after her parents announced their separation. Divorce proceedings had begun less than two weeks after, and Stephanie had been feeling it ever since. Her mother was still fighting for all of the family’s material possessions, while her father just wanted to get things over with so that he could begin life anew with his new leggy and stacked Swedish find. Caught in the middle, Stephanie was forced to realize that her parents and their inability to compromise were ruining her dream existence.



“I just hate going to these things,” Stephanie mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest like a petulant child. “Nothing but old farts who talk about boring crap for five hours.”



Delaney looked over at Stephanie sympathetically. “I wish I could go, but Jason and I –

“I know, I know,” Stephanie interrupted with a frown on her face. “You guys need to plan the rest of your happy, blissful lives together, congratulations, mazel tov, blah, blah, blah…”



Delaney sighed, while Stephanie’s frown lingered. Then, both girls slowly turned to face Jacy. Jacy was brushing some lint off of her shirt when she realized she was being watched. “What?”



Delaney and Stephanie continued to stare. Stephanie arched an eyebrow and realization dawned on Jacy. “Oh hell no! Uh-uh. Don’t even think about it!”



****



“You owe me big time, Steph,” Jacy grumbled as she stood toward the far end of Mrs. Kaelin’s living room.



“I owe you nothing!” Stephanie retorted in a hushed voice. “I bought you new clothes –



“Which I hate.”



“Paid for your manicure –



“I can’t even open a can of soda anymore.”



“And you get good, free food.”



“Yeah,” Jacy grumbled, “but I have yet to see a monkey in a tux walk around with a tray of pizza rolls.”



Stephanie rolled her eyes. Even though Jacy was proving to be a big pain in the butt, Stephanie was incredibly thankful for her company. Now, her mother’s alleged friends didn’t feel obligated to shoot the breeze with her for no apparent reason.



Jacy downed her fifth glass of white wine and set it on the nearest table. “Where’s the wash closet, Princess Stephanie?”



“You can’t leave me!” Stephanie responded indignantly.



“Uh, do you want me to pee on the floor?” Jacy paused briefly. “Actually, that might actually liven up this –



“Upstairs, third door to the left,” Stephanie interrupted unhappily. “Hurry back.”



Jacy made a show of walking as slowly as possible up the stairs just to annoy the hell out of Stephanie. Stephanie sighed and continued sipping on her first glass of wine. She was looking to her left at nothing in particular when she felt a warm presence over her.



“Your mom sure throws a hell of a party.”



Stephanie turned her head to glimpse the handsomest boy she had ever seen – and that was saying a lot when you had already met Jason Kent. He was handsome – in the really obvious way – and tall – maybe 6’2” – and looked like a strong guy. With a tanned face and a square jaw, the whole manly theme kept going. His blue eyes glistened with a sensuous aura, and his sandy blonde hair was only slightly darker than Stephanie’s own flaxen hair. After digesting the initial shock of his good looks, Stephanie quickly composed herself and gave him a questioning look.



“Please tell me you’re joking.”



He laughed at that. He held a glass of red wine in his large, strong-looking hand and drank from it. He nursed the alcohol like a seasoned expert – like a rich kid who had attended one-too-many wine and cheese functions and had finally perfected the art of drinking the vino like a true WASP. As he lowered his glass, he regarded her with those dreamy blue eyes. “So you’re in college right?”



“Yep.”



“What year?”



“Going into my last year,” Stephanie answered.



“Me too. Where at?”



“NMU.”



He sucked in his breath, which made Stephanie laugh. “Is that bad?”



“Only if you go to USC.”



“You’re a Trojan?” Stephanie asked.



“Yes, ma’am,” he answered proudly. He extended his free hand to Stephanie. “Jackson Whitaker. Everybody calls me Jack.”



“Stephanie,” she answered.



“I know.” That response set a chill up Stephanie’s spine. This hottie knew her? She decided that a little flirting was in order.



“Jackson? That’s an unusual name.”



“My mom and dad didn’t think so.”



“I keep expecting to hear ‘the third’ at the end of your name.”



“Fourth,” Jack added.



Stephanie’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”



Jack grinned and his straight, white teeth glinted. “I am.”



Stephanie giggled. Just then, their innocent little conversation was interrupted by a very rude clearing-of-the-throat. Stephanie glanced to the side of Jackson to find Jacy standing there, looking very unhappy.



“Ran out of toilet paper?” Stephanie asked.



Jacy frowned but plastered a fake smile on her face when Jack turned around. He instantly extended his hand, “Jack.”



“Jacy,” she answered, accepting his hand. As Jack and Jacy shook hands, Stephanie shot her friend a ‘get-out-of-here’ look. Jacy glared at Stephanie and continued to shake Jack’s hand, almost absentmindedly. When Jacy didn’t budge, Stephanie glared back and mouthed the words “get out.” Jacy mouthed back the words “no way” and continued to pump Jack’s hands.



Now it was Jack’s turn to clear his throat. “Uh, not that I’m not enjoying the company of both of you ladies…but I can see and hear everything you are doing and saying.”



Stephanie and Jacy’s heads snapped up to attention at the same time. Fake smiles soon graced both of their faces. Jack regarded them with a look of unease. “I…I think I’ll get something to drink. Anything for either of you?”



Both Stephanie and Jacy shook their heads, and Jack was off. As soon as he was out of sight, Stephanie and Jacy stared opposite each other, like two buzzards that had laid eyes on the same carcass. And although the analogy didn’t seem very flattering for Jack, it should be said that he was one very desirable piece of meat.



“I saw him first,” Stephanie gritted through her teeth.



“Good for you,” Jacy answered, like the smart aleck she was.



“Back off,” Stephanie spat out.



“Make me,” Jacy challenged.



Stephanie and Jacy continued to stare each other down. Sparks of chartreuse green and hazel aura shot out from their eyes as they decided to mentally outdo one another.



“Jacinda!”



Jacy’s head shot up. Who had the balls to call her by her full name? Suddenly, the form of Ilsa Johansson-Kaelin came into view. Clad in a white business suit, Stephanie’s mother was a slightly aged version of her daughter. She beckoned Jacy toward her. Jacy reluctantly walked over and Stephanie’s mother pulled her in. She faced the entire room. “Excuse me!”



All the attendees stopped their casual banter and faced their hostess. All eyes were on Stephanie’s mother and Jacy.



“Jacinda – my daughter, Stephanie’s, lovely friend – has agreed to grace us with her beautiful voice.”



Stephanie had to hold back the laughter when she saw Jacy’s face go a bright tomato red. She knew that Jacy had a beautiful voice, but she also knew how much Jacy hated to sing in front of an audience. Her mother should have known better…but Stephanie was thankful for the unexpected intervention all the same.



Just at that moment, Jack walked back to Stephanie’s side with another glass of red wine.



“What’d I miss?”



“Nothing. You made it back in time for the good stuff.”



Jack took note of an accompanist taking a seat at the piano and of Jacy awkwardly standing next to the piano. He put two and two together. “Is she bad?”



“No,” Stephanie answered nonchalantly. “But she gets really embarrassed. I’ve never seen this shade of red anywhere except on Jacy’s face when she has to sing in front of other people without having practiced beforehand.”



“Sweet,” Jack answered, taking a casual sip of his wine.



The twinkling of the piano keys as the accompanist played the opening bars to the song “Memory” from Cats provided a stark juxtaposition to the inner trauma that Jacy was experiencing at that moment. Stephanie was trying hard not to laugh. Jack had a wide grin on his face, but Stephanie knew it was because he was trying hard to keep it in as well.



“M-midnight…Not a sound from the pavement…Has the moon lost her memory…She is smiling alone…



Jacy really had the most beautiful voice. Just as Stephanie was beginning to ignore the crimson blush that tainted Jacy’s chubby cheeks and enjoy the beautiful music, she felt sudden warmth as Jack leaned his face next to her ear.



“What are you doing Friday night?”



He didn’t move his face right away. The heat of his breath stayed with Stephanie. She exhaled quietly, trying to suppress her excitement. “N-nothing.”



Even though Stephanie kept her eyes glued on Jacy, she could feel a grin spread across Jack’s visage. “Pick you up at eight then.”



Stephanie closed her eyes. Had this hot, hot guy just asked her out after having just met her? Stephanie wondered. She never had this luck before; usually Lani was the first one to attract a guy. For once, Stephanie was glad that Lani was far away in Hawaii. Maybe she should have attended her mom’s wine and cheese functions more often. “Okay.”



Stephanie felt the warmth disappear as Jack pulled his face away from her ear. It was simultaneously disappointing – because he had felt so good that close too her – and comforting – because she could finally take a breath again.



****



A/N: Dun-dun-dun! Anybody smell a love triangle brewing? Well, kinda weird considering our hero and heroine haven’t met yet. It’s coming up though…