Megan

Megan ran into Sam in the bathroom the next morning. She looked like she hadn’t gotten much sleep, which made Megan fearful Devon might not have either.

“Rough night?” Megan asked.

“You could say that,” Sam admitted drying her face.

“How’s Devon taking things today?”

“Not well. He was up all night talking to Cara.”

“You let him call her?” Megan hissed.

“I didn’t have much choice. And it’s not like you were here to help.”

“I didn’t want to intrude.”

“Yeah right. I know you were with Zander. Devon told me all about running into you two dry-humping in the hall.”

“Nothing happened with Zander,” Megan argued. “He was actually really upset about Devon.”

Sam huffed. “I’m sure.”

Megan rolled her eyes, knowing better than to argue with Sam before coffee. “What did Cara say?” she asked changing tactics.

“Zander was right. She’s engaged to some hotshot client who lives in Cork. She said it was unexpected, but she’s happy and the kids are happy, and she’s hoping Devon can find a way to be happy for them.”

“What did he say?”

Sam shrugged. “What could he say? He was pissed she didn’t tell him, but it’s not like he can be mad at her for falling in love. Even if it is kinda soon.”

“I know,” Megan said. “But we can’t plan love. When it finds us we just have to jump in with both feet.”

“That’s a good way to drown,” Sam muttered.

“Or to get swept off your feet by Prince Charming,” Megan added with a winning smile.

Sam rolled her eyes, but a smirk escaped.

Megan took the opportunity to press the crack in Sam’s grumpy mood. “You know I’m right.”

“Fine, you can’t hate someone for falling in love,” Sam admitted. “But—”

“But nothing!” Megan interrupted. “Love wins. Discussion over.”

“You don’t fight fair,” Sam grumbled. “You and your hopeless romanticism.”

“Says the girl dating Prince Charming.”

Sam stuck out her tongue, but there was a smile in her eyes. “He is dreamy,” she admitted with a sigh.

“The dreamiest.”

They both erupted into a fit of laughter right as Devon happened to walk into the bathroom. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Sam and Megan sang in unison causing them to laugh harder.

“Just girl talk,” Megan added.

Devon’s face reddened and he backed out of the bathroom. “I don’t even want to know.”

Megan gave Sam a quick hug and whispered in her ear. “Devon will be okay. But let me know if I can do anything to cheer him up today.”

“Thanks,” Sam said, squeezing Megan tight. “Oh, we’re still getting ready for the gala together, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“And I want to see everything you got in Dublin yesterday.”

Megan was beaming. “Fashion show at lunch?”

“It’s a date.”

Zander

Zander was still on the phone with Cara when a knock rapped on his office door. Devon poked his head in and Zander waved him in.

“Cara, I’ve gotta go . . . I will . . . Love ye too.”

Zander hung up the phone while Devon shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “Cara sends her love,” Zander said.

Devon nodded.

“Look,” Zander started. “I’m sorry about last night.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Devon interrupted. “I shouldn’t have taken the piss outta ye for something that’s not yer fault.”

Zander blinked in surprise. “But I should’ve told ye about Cara. And I meant to, but there just never seemed to be the right time.” He sighed. “I just didn’t want to see ye broken up about it. I’m sorry I mucked it up, mate.”

Devon shrugged. “It’s alright. It was Cara’s news to share anyway.”

“Yer really alright with it?” Zander asked.

“It’s sooner than I expected, but it’s not like I thought she’d mourn my Da forever.” Devon sunk down into the chair across from Zander’s desk, the tension leaving his body. “And she sounds happy.”

“She told me ye spoke.”

Devon grinned sheepishly. “I sorta called her in a fit last night. Laid into her a bit before she could get a word in.”

Zander laughed. “I’d have paid to see that.”

“I can surely say piss and vinegar are a family trait,” Devon added.

“She dished it right back, did she?”

“And then some.” Devon smiled his easy smile and shrugged. “It was a bit of a shock, but Cara’s happy, and I’m happy for her. I know the past few years haven’t been easy on her. And it’ll be good for the kids to have a man about the house.”

“Did she tell ye she’s not able to make the gala tonight?”

“She did. Said the twins weren’t feeling well. But we made plans to get together next week. Sam and I are gonna drive over to Cork to spend some time with the kids and meet Cara’s new bloke.”

“That’s what she was calling to tell me,” Zander explained.

Devon smirked. “I figured she was calling to lay boots to ye for keeping me in the dark.”

Zander laughed. “She did that too.”

“So are we good?” Devon asked.

“I should be the one asking that.”

Devon held his hand out to Zander. “We’re good, mate.”

Zander felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders as he shook Devon’s hand.

“Speaking of good,” Devon said. “Seems like ye and Megs are getting on?”

Zander flinched recalling how Devon had found them last night. “We are,” Zander said hesitantly, “but maybe it’s not the best idea.”

Devon held his hands up. “Don’t think ye need to be sneaking about and snogging in the dark on my account, mate.”

“Ye don’t think I’m daft for pursuing her?”

Devon laughed. “Seems like she’s pursuing ye right back from what I saw.”

“Sorry about that,” Zander said sheepishly.

Devon waved him off. “Don’t worry about me. Sam’s the one who’ll take yer head off if ye muck this up.”

That didn’t make Zander feel any better. “Sam’s a real ball buster, isn’t she?”

Devon laughed. “Ye have no idea, mate.”

“Any advice how to win some points with her?”

Devon shrugged. “Sometimes I think I’m still figuring her out myself.”

Zander didn’t like the forlorn look that had settled over Devon. “Things alright with you two?”

“We’re grand. It’s just Uni that’s getting in the way. Sam’s taken on way too much with adding a double major and I think this study abroad semester might make her snap.”

“Why’d she agree to do it?”

“Megs,” Devon said matter-of-factly. “Megan is like a sister to Sam. She knew this trip meant a lot to Megs. They’ve been talking about coming to Ireland together for years. Sam just didn’t have the heart to let her down.”

Zander was starting to understand why Sam was being so hard on him. If she was making sacrifices to make sure Megan had an amazing time in Ireland, it made sense that she didn’t want Zander to mess it up by toying with Megan’s heart.

“I don’t have any plans to hurt Megan,” Zander said.

“I know. But Sam’s the one ye gotta convince. She’s like an overprotective badger mum when it comes to Megs, and rightly so.”

“What do ye mean, rightly so?”

Devon shrugged. “Megs doesn’t have the best track record with guys. She falls hard and gets crushed harder.”

Zander found that hard to believe. Megan was a continual ray of sunshine. He couldn’t imagine her letting a guy crush her. If anything Zander was worried he’d be the one who’d end up crushed.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zander said glancing at his watch. “Speaking of our troublesome lasses, shall we invite them to lunch?”

Devon laughed. “Last I saw them they were playing dress up in Megan’s room and ordering pizzas.”

Zander laughed. “I could go for pizza.”

Megan

“Megan! You can’t wear that to a black and white gala,” Sam scolded.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s pink and short!”

“So, I like it,” Megan protested.

“I’m sure it looks adorable on you,” Sam replied stroking the hot pink ruffles on the full skirt of the cocktail dress Megan was holding up. “But everyone is going to be wearing black-tie evening dresses.”

“What does that even mean?” Megan asked.

“It means full-length and black.”

Megan frowned looking at her dress in the mirror. “I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s a dress. I’ll wear it in the evening. Voilà! Evening dress,” she said stroking the satiny fabric.

“Where did you even get this?” Sam asked snatching the tag still on the dress.

“I found it at this really cute thrift shop in Dublin.”

“Thrift shop? What happened to Brown Thomas?”

“All the dresses there cost more money than my car!” Megan exclaimed.

“I thought Zander offered to pay?”

“He did. But he didn’t say I could only shop at the snobby posh stores you like.”

Sam groaned. “Why do I even try?”

“I can’t help it. You know I’m a vintage vixen. And since when did you become the fashion expert, anyway?” Megan scolded. “You live in scrubs. And as I recall, I was the one giving you fashion advice when Prince Charming was taking you to the ball the last time you were in Ireland.”

“That was a wedding,” Sam argued. “Not a black tie gala.”

“Whatever. I dressed you cute and you got the guy.”

“I’m not saying you’re not gonna look cute,” Sam said. “But this event has a dress code. And if you want to impress Lord Posh, like I know you do, you should stick to it.”

“Zander’s not as stuck up as you think,” Megan said defensively.

“Oh please. He probably has three wardrobe changes scheduled for tonight.”

“He does not!” Megan frowned. Did he? “But if he does it’s only because of the cameras. He has an image to uphold for your company, I might add.”

“My dad’s company,” Sam corrected.

Megan jumped at the chance to change the subject. “I wish your dad was coming tonight.”

Sam sighed. “Me too. I never see him anymore. Stupid Boston weather.”

Sam’s father had phoned earlier saying his flight had been cancelled because of another snowstorm in Boston.

“I was really hoping to run some more of my film ideas past him,” Megan admitted.

“Meg, he loved your proposal. You got the job, you don’t have to keep trying to dazzle him.”

“But dazzle is what I do best,” Megan said, holding up a sequin scarf she scored at another thrift store.

Sam laughed. “That’s the truth.”

“So what else did your dad say?” Megan asked, finally hanging up the dress and stripping down to her underwear so she could try on a different outfit.

“Not much,” Sam said, watching Megan toss clothes onto her bed.

Megan’s new sweater landed on Eggsy, who rolled onto his side, happy as a pig in slop to be sprawled out on Megan’s bed among her piles of soft sweaters and cozy scarves.

“Did your dad know about Cara?” Megan asked.

Sam’s cheeks pinked. “Yeah.”

“What?” Megan exclaimed. “And he didn’t tell you?”

“You know my dad. He only speaks computer.”

“Still! It’s kind of huge news.”

“I guess,” Sam said.

“I guess?” Megan put her hands on her hips. “You were ready to go all Avada Kedavra on Zander last night for not telling you and Devon about Cara, and now you’re all ‘I guess it’s not a big deal’?”

Sam shrugged. “My dad said he thought it was Cara’s news to share.”

“Sam, can’t you see how unfair that is to Zander? You should cut him some slack. He felt awful about how upset you guys were last night.”

Sam crossed her arms. “I know you believe in giving people a million chances, Megan, but I don’t.”

“Well I like Zander, so you’re gonna have to suck it up, sister.”

“Megan, I know you like him, and I know I sound like a broken record, but you can’t trust him.”

“Why? Because of Sophie?”

“Yes! Because of Sophie and the hundreds of other shady girls he’s dated since you two have been cyber flirting.”

“Sam, I know about Sophie and all the other girls. But I still like him. He’s not the guy everyone thinks he is, and if you’d give him a chance you’d see that.”

“Meg . . . I know you think he’s your dream guy—”

“No, Sam. I know he is. This is more than just me being a sappy romantic. Zander lets me be me. He likes all my weird quirks and makes me feel appreciated. I know I don’t look like the models he usually dates, but we connect on a different level. And when Zander’s not so worried about what everyone’s thinking about him, he’s actually pretty incredible. If you’d give him a chance you’d see that.”

Sam worried at her lip for a minute before sighing. “Fine. I’ll give him a chance for you. But I really hope you’re right about him.”

Megan hugged Sam. “I know I am.”

A knock at the door broke the girls apart. Sam went to answer it since Megan was still half dressed.

Devon’s voice rang through the room as he pushed open the door. “Hello, lovely. Got any pizza left to share with us?”

“Out!” Megan shrieked tossing a pillow at him.

She barely caught the red flush of Devon’s cheeks as he noticed Megan was only wearing a bra and leggings before he slammed the door shut. Sam and Megan collapsed into a fit of giggles.

“How does he seriously get embarrassed by bras after living with two girls all these years?” Megan asked between laughter.

“I’m not afraid of bras,” Devon called through the door, which only made Megan and Sam laugh harder.

“Watch this,” Sam said, pulling off her bra under her shirt. She cracked the door open and flung her lacey black bra at Devon.

Megan heard Zander’s laughter booming in the hall as Devon swore under his breath.

“Hey, where’s my lingerie?” Zander called through the door.

“Come in here and get it,” Megan taunted.

“Megan!” Sam hissed.

“Oh go back to your room and let me have some fun,” Megan teased. “And show Devon the panties that match that bra to cheer him up,” she said slapping Sam on the ass.

Sam yelped, but grinned devilishly. “Maybe I will.”

Megan pulled on a sweater as Eggsy followed Sam through the adjoining bathroom to her bedroom. When the doors were shut Megan peeked out into the hall. Both boys were standing there. Zander was grinning as Devon pretended to model Sam’s bra. His cheeks turned scarlet when he noticed Megan smirking at him.

“I-I was just messing about,” Devon stuttered dropping the bra.

Megan stifled a laugh. “Sam’s waiting for you in your room.”

“Right.” Devon gave them a salute and ran the short distance to his room.

When Megan and Zander were finally alone, she slipped fully into the hall and grinned at him. Zander looked even more handsome than usual today. He was wearing a gray suit with a navy tie. He hadn’t shaved and the shadow of stubble gave him a rugged edge that made Megan’s toes curl.

“I heard talks of a fashion show and pizza,” Zander said.

“You heard right.”

“Any chance I could get a sneak preview of tonight’s dress?” he asked with a sinful smirk playing on his gorgeous lips.

“And spoil the surprise? Never.”

Zander

Zander couldn’t help himself from flirting with Megan. She looked adorable in her oversized sweater, fuzzy socks and leggings that hugged her curves. “Awe come on. I bought the dress, the least ye could do is model it for me.”

“About that,” Megan said. “I’m going to pay you back for the dress and everything else I bought.”

Zander smiled. “That’s not necessary.”

“Maybe not, but I’m still paying you back. I didn’t come here to be a freeloader.”

Zander arched his eyebrow. “No?”

Megan swatted him. “No!”

“Why did ye come here?” he asked playfully.

“To spend time with you,” she said. All humor had left her sparkling blue eyes as she spoke, blinking up at him with trepidation.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he whispered.

Zander could no longer resist temptation. He leaned in and kissed Megan, winding his arms around her. She sighed into his mouth and he had to restrain himself from taking her right there in the hallway. Instead, Zander picked Megan up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his hips as he pressed her against the door, kissing her feverishly.

“You’re in a good mood today,” Megan panted between kisses.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I’m assuming you and Devon patched things up?”

“We did.”

“I knew it,” Megan said wrapping her arms tighter around him.

“It seems yer my lucky charm,” Zander said kissing her.

Megan kissed him back, then spoke against his lips. “I’ll be your lucky charm any day, Mr. O’Leary.”

“Is that so?” he murmured against her.

“It ‘tis,” she teased, in her mocking Irish accent.

“But ye still won’t show me yer dress?”

“Nope, but if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll let you take it off of me later.”

Zander barked a surprised laugh. “Ye always say just what yer thinking, don’t ye?”

“Life’s too short not to.”

“Well here’s to taking advantage of the time we have,” Zander said kissing her again.

Megan

When Megan floated back into her room she grabbed her inhaler and took two deep puffs to steady herself. When her breath finally came easier she slid down against the wall until she was resting on the floor. Zander had nearly kissed her senseless. If his cell phone hadn’t rung she’d probably have caught fire in his arms.

Where the hell had he learned to kiss like that? Was there some secret school that Irish boys went to that taught how to make panties catch fire with just a kiss?

Zander already had the advantage with his looks and adorable accent. It truly wasn’t fair that his lips were magical, too. Megan was defenseless against his charms. But she smiled giddily, realizing she didn’t care.

She was hopelessly smitten with Zander. She’d never felt this way about anyone before, and that was saying something, considering how many book boyfriends she’d had.

Megan looked at her pink party dress hanging on her closet door and grinned. There was no hope of keeping it on all night. Especially if Zander kissed her like that again.