Her Best Friend's Brother by T. Dell (read the beginning after the end novel .TXT) 📕

took about two minutes for Mel to look as though she had stepped out of one of her fashion magazines. Libby on the other hand had subjected herself to over an hour of fidgeting while Mel tucked, and pinned, and puled her curls until they looked to be gathered effortlessly away from her face save for a few carefree strands that had escaped. Mel had also done her make up for her. The finished product looking back at her from the mirror was far more dramatic than Libby had envisioned, but she realy did look fantastic.

At 5’7” Libby tended to avoid heels, but she was glad Mel had insisted on the cute little spiky heels, and anyway Tony was pretty tal— definitely over six feet.

“It isn’t too much. And Tony is going to flip.” Mel’s reflection appeared behind her in the mirror. She had always been a little too good at reading Libby’s expressions.

“No. I was just making sure everything was in place.” Libby denied uselessly as she backed away from the mirror. Further discussion was made blessedly impossible as there was someone knocking on the door.

“Are you two ready yet? For crying out loud if we don’t leave now we’l be late!” Tony’s exasperated voice sounded from the other side of the door. Mel was supposed to be early for bridal party photos and Tony was driving them over so that Mel could ride with the other girls in the limo after the ceremony. So while they weren’t exactly late they probably did need to leave.

“Hold onto your shirt brother!” Mel holered back as she handed Libby a beaded purse, and tucked her own clutch under her arm. “We have plenty of time, but let’s go.” Mel puled open the door and stroled down the stairs to the front door. Libby staled before the doorway. She had never seen Tony in a suit and tie before. His normaly shaggy hair had been trimmed short, and while she loved to watch him habitualy brush his hair out of his eyes this new style made him look … wel like an adult. An incredibly hot adult. Libby took a moment to concentrate on not alowing her tongue to hang out of her mouth.

Tony took one look at her and let out a soft whistle. “Libby McKay… al grown up.” Had he realy just whistled at her? What should she say? Why was he staring at her that way? “Are you ready Lib?” Tony crooked his elbow towards her and Libby realized that of course—he was waiting for her to move forward. Silently, since she couldn’t trust her voice, Libby tucked her hand under his arm and alowed herself to be led to the car.

At the church Mel was whisked away for photos leaving Libby and Tony with 45 minutes until the ceremony.

He looked questioningly down at her feet. “Are those shoes okay for walking? Main Street is only one block that way.

I thought we could take a walk and check out the Christmas window displays.”

Ridiculously pleased that Tony had given any thought to spending time with her— even just a walk down Main Street Libby replied. “The shoes are fine, but this Main Street Libby replied. “The shoes are fine, but this wrap isn’t exactly December appropriate.” Libby puled the thin wrap closer around her body emphasizing that despite that it was a mild evening there was stil quite a chil in the air.

Tony nodded thoughtfuly for half a moment and then wordlessly shrugged out of his wool pea coat and draped it over her shoulders. “Let’s go.” He touched his hand to her back and nudged her towards Main Street.

They walked quietly at first. Not touching because Libby was just about swalowed up in Tony’s coat, but stil they walked side by side close enough for Libby to smel his cologne. After a few minutes of comfortable silence Tony said. “So, stil thinking about Track and Field in the spring?”

“Try outs are right after winter break. I have been running most days at the indoor track at the Y. I like the distance runs the best. I’m working on my mile, but I am practicing sprints too.”

“Does Mel go with you? Or someone else? It would probably help to have a coach with a stopwatch. I know Sam Tucker was pretty big into track back when I went to school there.”

Sam Tucker was a senior, and he was on the track team. It surprised Libby that Tony would remember him since he would have been a sophomore when Tony was a senior. Sam and Libby had gone out a few times including the homecoming dance a couple months earlier. They had a good time, but had both agreed that they weren’t seriously interested in each other.

“I usualy go pretty early, and you know Mel only wakes up early for important things… like sales. But I have an old stop watch and can time myself and I do okay.”

“So Sam doesn’t take you running?”

“Umm… no.” Why were they talking about Sam Tucker? Talking about Sam was sort of kiling the nice pseudo-date buzz Libby had going a moment ago.

Tony nodded and checked his watch. “We should probably start back if we want good seats.” Tony slipped one arm around her waist and turned her around to head back towards the church.

“Hey Kid! Look up!” A man a coming out of a shop door grinned and pointed up. Sure enough hanging just over their heads from the awning in front of a consignment shop was a sprig of mistletoe.

The arm that Tony had innocently rested around her waist the moment before was now heavy and warm as he drew Libby closely into his chest. Tony dipped his face down to hers and whispered “Merry Christmas Lib” against her lips. Gently, he brushed his mouth against hers and then slowly and tenderly he was moving his lips with hers. As kisses went it was relatively innocent. Not that Libby had a lot of