Romancing the Nerd (18 page)

Epilogue

Zelda

February 13th

I’ve always thought Valentine’s Day was just a corporate scheme to get us to buy more crap, but I kind of get it now. It’s nice to look forward to that special day when you’re supposed to let those whom you love know it. Then again, we should be doing that every day, right?

Whatever. I like chocolate.

I wasn’t expecting Dan to want to go tonight. Hell, I didn’t expect to want to go myself, but when he asked me, I grinned and got a silly zing in my stomach. I couldn’t say no.

I’ve never been to a school dance before and I’m trying to do this one up right. Cara designed and sewed my dress. It’s black and white polka-dotted with a sweetheart neckline and a butt-ton of red toile under the skirt. I made my own pair of ruby slippers using some cheap satin shoes, spray glue, and an entire bottle of red glitter. Don’t judge me. I’m a big
Wizard of Oz
fan, okay?

My mom did my makeup, giving me sleek black eyeliner and a classic red lip. My nails are a sparkly red to match my shoes and my hair is very mermaid-ish, down and perfectly wavy.

“If Daniel doesn’t pass out due to your beauty, he’s insane,” Mom says as we look in a full-length mirror in the bathroom.

I glance over my shoulder at her. “Sounds like someone’s been working on her latest novel.”

She shrugs and smiles. “It’s a nice way to pass the time.”

I’m super proud of her. She’s been writing like a madwoman these past few weeks. She loves it and she’s really good at it. “Those chapters you gave me the other day didn’t seem like just a pastime. I might have to take back some of the things I’ve said about those books. Just do me a favor and keep the sex stuff to yourself, okay? I’d rather not be scarred for life.”

She shivers dramatically. “Yeah, there’s no way you’re reading that.”

I put on the final touch, which is a spritz of perfume, and all I need now is my date.

Dan

“
This is pitiful. You realize this, right, Dad?” I ask.

He concentrates on the video playing on his tablet, which he’s watched about five times. “We can do this. It can’t be that difficult.”

“Why don’t we just call Mom? I bet—”

He holds up a hand and gives me a stern look. “Absolutely not. Let me try again.”

Mom comes into my room then, and I let out a relieved sigh. “Give it to me,” she says.

“I’ve got this, Layla.” Dad holds the object of our frustration out of her reach.

She shakes her head. “Why don’t you just borrow one of your dad’s ties, Daniel? I’m sure you can tie one of those.”

“Nope,” I say for millionth time. “It has to be a bowtie.”

“Why?” Dad whines.

“Because bowties are cool.”

After a couple more tries, we finally get it perfect. The red bowtie looks great with my black suit and, from what Beth told me, Zelda and I should match. I mean, that’s what couples are supposed to do at these things, right?

Couple. The word still throws me for a loop when I think about it in connection to Zelda and me. We’ve been together a little over a month and it’s been kind of the best month of my life. I know it sounds cliché, something I’ve strived to never be, but I gave up that ghost the second I saw her reaction to the belated Christmas present I got her.

She was a little confused when we drove to my MeeMaw’s house, which is farther out in the country. I’d spent hours at Kaffie-Fredricks general store looking for the right one, so I wanted to have as much space as possible for the first time she used it. When she pulled the glossy, wooden slingshot out of the zombie-themed bag, the smile that lit up her face was a freaking vision. I instantly regretted all that time I’d spent trying to rile her up just so I could see vibrant fury in her eyes. This smile was glorious, a million times better. We spent the day practicing shooting bottles and cans. I’m almost ashamed to admit that by the time we left, she had better aim than I did.

That day super confirmed that making her happy made me happy, and when I find something that makes me happy, be it video games or comics or being the cause of Zelda’s smile, then I go at it full force. And that’s why I’m attending this dance. Plus, there are still a few girls who won’t leave me alone. I have to pull Zelda close every time we’re together at school in hopes of sending a message to Carrie Danvers that I am off the market.

Okay, maybe I don’t
have
to pull Z close. A simple arm around the shoulders or holding her hand might do the trick, but I like to hear her soft sigh when I plant a kiss on the top of her head.

Zelda

Dan’s parents arrive at my house before he does. Normally, I’d be pretty uncomfortable with all this fuss, but I’m getting used to receiving positive attention. That’s all Dan’s doing. Maddie was so right when she said that he’d be a great boyfriend because he doesn’t do anything half-ass.

I see his “go big or go home” attitude hasn’t slacked at all when he gets here. He looks super handsome in a black suit and red bowtie. He’s even styled his wavy hair. His dad is straightening his bowtie when I step out onto the lawn and he turns in my direction. I don’t think I’ve ever been ogled before. If I have been, I didn’t know it. Now, I feel completely and utterly ogled. In a good way.

He smiles and offers me his arm. When I take it, he whispers, “‘Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service.’”

My mouth drops open. He finally got a quote right. “How long have you been planning to say that?”

“Can’t get anything past you, can I? One of these days, you’re going to have to give me some slack.”

I let out an evil chuckle. “Never. So, how long?”

He goes to run a hand through his hair, but I stop him so he doesn’t mess up the perfect disheveled-ness of it. “Since the day after I asked you, okay? People talk about how romantic Shakespeare was, but most of his comments on love and beauty are pretty depressing.”

I nod in agreement.

We can’t say much else because the parents want their photoshoot. We do all the standard poses, then he runs to the monstrosity. When he comes back, he has a couple of props in hand.

“Now we can do a couple of shots that I will actually frame and put up in my room.” He hands me a purple lightsaber and he brandishes his own blue one.

We do combat pose after combat pose, but I think my favorite one will be where we’re pretending that I’m pulling a Darth Vader force-choke on him.

When we’re done, Mom stops me before we leave. She does those mom things like patting my shoulders and fixing my hair even though it probably doesn’t need fixing. “Have fun, honey. Be safe. I trust you. Be good.”

I stop her just as tears well up in her eyes. “Mom, it’s just a Valentine’s dance. This isn’t prom or my wedding day or anything.”

“I know. Just… Be careful, okay?”

I ease up on her. “We will, Mom. I’ll call you. Love you.”

I hop in the car with Dan, he turns on the heated seats, and we’re off.

If you loved Romancing the Nerd, you won’t want to miss Logan and Maddie’s story in

The Summer I Became a Nerd

Available in stores and online now!

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the entire Entangled crew. Thanks to Heather Howland for liking Dan enough to want to hear more of his crazy. Thanks to Stacy Abrams for her wisdom and patience, especially the patience. Thanks to my agent, Jenny Bent, for taking me on and for being all-around awesome.

Thanks to my family for all the advice and for putting up with me during the process. Mom, thanks for cooking for me when I was feeling down and always being there to listen to me rant. Brian, thanks for the same reason. Caleb, thanks for never letting me go without seeing actual people for too long.

Thanks to Stefanie Gaither, who is the best JHFP critique partner, but an even better friend. Thanks to Kayti McGee for the midnight chats and the constant encouragement. Thanks to Ashley Fuller for having beautiful hair and for being awesomely noir. Thanks to Lauralin Paige and Bethany Hagan for that great reading in Savannah; it really helped me see things in a new way. Thanks to Melinda Beatty, Nicole Zoltack, HE Griffin, Amber Tuscan-Clites, Melanie Harlow, and Gennifer Albin for being such lovely retreat buddies.

A huge thank-you to the fans of
The Summer I Became a Nerd.
Your frequent emails, tweets, and other posts got me through so many hard days. This book would never have happened without you guys.

Thanks to my sons, Tommy and Lucas, for the constant reminders to “do work” and the always available cuddles.

Finally, thank you to my husband, Shane Miller. You never let me give up, you were always there with a pep talk, and you listened to me babble even when you’d heard it all before. I’m the luckiest wife in the world, basically. I love you.

About the Author

Born and raised in Northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller lives on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, trivia games, crocheting, Cherry Coke, and Harry Potter. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like.

www.leahraemiller.com

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