Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the canon book characters, and am making no monies from this story. Any Original Characters belong to the author(s).

Notes: This story was written around the year 2007, so technology is not as advanced as it is today. People still used landlines, and texting, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat were still in the future or in their infancy. It originally appeared on the HDA site, authors' names Aspen and Evergreen.

As always, many thanks to Jenn "Sparks" Hart, who graciously allowed us to use Bella Scarpetti in our story.

Thank you, Cherylann, Max2013 and Guest for the feedback and comments.

February Flirtations

By EvergreenDreamweaver and RokiaHDA

Chapter 7

Frank, comfortably sprawled in his father's favorite recliner chair, had just finished reading and making notes on an assigned chapter when he heard a knock on the front door. "Joe, there's somebody at the door!" he yelled, hoping his brother was closer, and would answer it so he wouldn't have to. He heard a deep, resigned sigh from the vicinity of the kitchen, and then Joe's footsteps tromping into the front hall.

When Joe opened the door he was surprised to find an anxious-looking Jeremy Isaacs on the threshold. "Hey, Jeremy! Come in!"

"Hi, Joe. I was driving by and I saw your cars, so I took a chance and stopped in. I need to talk to you guys!"

"Sure, no prob. What's on your mind?"

"Well, you know I asked Amber out for Valentine's Day, and she said 'yes,' right? And that's tomorrow night!" Jeremy sounded as if he wasn't sure whether to be excited or miserable. "But I also know she's gone out with another guy in the department lately – Corporal Ryan Hurley, he's a school liaison officer. He's better looking than me, he makes more money – he took her to Miracles Can Happen for dinner last night! I can't afford to take her places like that on a rookie cop's salary! What if Amber decides she likes him better?"

Joe blinked a little at this outburst. "Come on in and sit down," he advised, stalling for time. He led Jeremy into the family room and took his coat. "Sit down," he invited, "and let's go through this again."

Jeremy sat – for about five seconds. Then he was on his feet again, pacing nervously in front of the couch. "I don't know what I was thinking, asking her out in the first place! Obviously she's going to go for Hurley; he can offer her a lot more. And he likes her, I know that. I can't compete with him!"

Joe had perched on the arm of the couch, and was watching the distraught young policeman circumnavigate the room. "That's silly. Why would she automatically take Corporal Hurley over you? Look, she's just testing the waters, so to speak. Didn't you say she hadn't been dating anybody for a long time? That her last relationship was bad?"

"Yeah – or so station scuttlebutt has it," Jeremy admitted. "The breakup was bad, anyway. She's been unhappy for a long time. Months. Well, not unhappy – I mean, I don't mean she was obviously depressed at work, or anything, but sometimes she looked awfully sad, you know?"

"Has she talked about it to you?" Joe probed.

"No...well, not really. She just mentioned that she hadn't dated for awhile, when we went out for coffee that first time. She said she knew the story was pretty well-known down at the precinct. Well, I didn't know it!" Jeremy paced frantically again, and Joe was tempted to reach out a hand and physically halt him.

"Jer, I'm sure she's just nervous about dating anyone again, if the last time was as traumatic as it sounds."

"What if she thinks I might be like her ex?" Isaacs demanded. "What if Ryan Hurley doesn't remind her of him and I do?"

Frank, who had remained in the recliner chair through all this, lowered the footrest and got up. "I'll be right back," he told Jeremy and Joe. "I'm going to get us something to drink."

Joe had hoped his older brother was going to offer words of wisdom, not hightail it for the sanctuary of the kitchen. "Make it snappy," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth as Frank passed him. "Jeremy, you're doing it again," he went on, once Frank had departed. "You're making a whole lot of assumptions without anything to back them up, and you're driving yourself crazy." And me too, he admitted to himself. "So let's just back up a little bit and look at this calmly, okay?"

"Okay," Jeremy said, looking rather embarrassed. He sat down in one of the chairs, obviously trying to stifle the urge to pace.

Frank returned in just a few minutes, balancing three mugs of hot cocoa on a small tray. "Here," he said, offering them to Joe and Jeremy. "Instant, but not too bad. Drink it up, Jer, before you say anything else." He seated himself beside Joe on the couch.

Obediently, Jeremy drank the hot chocolate. Frank and Joe sipped theirs, and also remained quiet, hoping that the silence might calm their agitated visitor. When at last Jeremy put his empty cup down on an end table, he appeared much more composed.

Frank set his mug down on the floor next to the couch. "Joe's right, you know," he said conversationally. "Amber's not abandoning you, she's just having some fun. No one said she was going to commit to a lifelong relationship with you after a couple of dates, did they?"

"No," Jeremy admitted glumly.

"Is there any reason she shouldn't date Corporal Hurley as well as you?"

"No." Even more glumly.

"Who did she agree to go out with on Valentine's Day? A not-insignificant holiday for romance, I might add."

"Um...that would be me," Jeremy conceded, smiling a little now.

"So she's probably interested – right? If not in an exclusive relationship, at least she wants to keep dating you?"

"Um...yeah, I guess so." The young policeman grinned sheepishly. "You're right, of course. I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

"Well...not stupid," Frank hedged, "but maybe your expectations were a little high."

"Don't worry about taking Amber places like Miracles Can Happen," Joe put in. "That's a place for really special times – like marriage proposals," he added with a sly look at his older brother. "If you want to take Amber there sometime, start saving now, and schedule it six months down the road!"

"Think of some other places," Frank counseled. "Nice and romantic but not sky-high prices. I know of a few; I'll make you a list, and you can check if they've got room. One of them doesn't take reservations, even on holidays, so you might luck out if you can get there early."

"What about...presents?" Jeremy asked wistfully. "Even if we've only gone out a couple of times, I'd like to get her a Valentine's gift."

Frank smiled at that. "Girls – and this is just about a universal truth – love flowers. They might not like a particular kind, but they like receiving flowers. Trust me on this. Get Amber flowers. It doesn't have to be a huge bouquet of roses, that's kind of cliché anyway, it can be just a few rosebuds, or a wrist corsage, or a little bouquet of carnations. And maybe a small piece of jewelry, like a locket or a bracelet. And if you can swing it without staying out all night, find someplace to take her dancing after dinner. Joe and I are taking Vanessa and Megan to the Valentine's Day dance at school."

"Um...I don't...dancing's not...oh, crap." All Jeremy's enthusiasm seemed to deflate at this suggestion.

"Not a good idea?" Joe asked. Jeremy shook his head silently. "Suggest it and ask if she'd teach you some moves," Joe advised. "It couldn't hurt." He grinned reminiscently. "Girls like to feel superior and teach guys things. And you want to ask her to the Policemen's Ball – doesn't that include dancing?"

"Maybe," Jeremy said uncertainly. "But I can't help being nervous. When I stop by Records, Ryan's there too – a lot. And Amber always looks happy to see him. HE probably knows how to dance," he added gloomily.

"Doesn't she look happy to see you, too?"

"Well, yes."

"She wouldn't have gone out with you to begin with if she wasn't at least a little interested," Frank pointed out. "She's not mean enough to do something like that – right?"

"No, of course she isn't!" Jeremy fired up in defense. "Okay, okay," he went on, "I get it. Stop being so...paranoid, right?"

"Right," Joe nodded. "Now – we don't need to advise you on what to wear, do we?"

Jeremy chuckled. "No, I think I can manage that all right on my own. It's not like I've never gone out to dinner before."

"You know all the little gestures?" Frank asked. Jeremy looked blank. "You know, offer her your arm – especially if she's wearing heels – so that she doesn't slip if it's icy. Help her on and off with her coat. Hold her chair. Open the car door for her and help her out."

"I'll probably offer her my arm and fall down myself," Jeremy predicted, but his eyes were twinkling. He got to his feet. "Thanks again, guys. I'd better go. Frank, I'll take that list of restaurants if you can jot it down quick. How's your dad, by the way?"

"He had to go back out of town, after the plumbing problems," Joe offered, as Frank was hastily scribbling on a piece of paper. "He's supposed to be back in a day or two."

"Tell him hello for me," Jeremy requested, and took the list Frank offered him. "Goodnight – and thanks again!"

After Jeremy was gone, the Hardys stared at each other in mild dismay.

"If Amber is just playing with him, it's going to kill him – and he'll blame US!" Joe prophesied.

#####

Valentine's Day – which had the misfortune to fall on a Thursday this year – was cold, but clear. No snow had fallen recently, and the streets were dry. The wintry sun had shone all day, but did little to warm up the air, and now, after the sun had set, the chill was biting.

Since it was a school and work day, the dance was scheduled from eight to eleven o'clock, giving Frank, Joe and their girlfriends plenty of time to have dinner beforehand, attend the dance and still get some sleep that night. They decided to carpool in Frank's Saturn, since it was slightly roomier than the used metallic-silver BMW M-3 convertible Joe had purchased with the insurance payment from the Aztek's untimely demise.

"This is like old times," Frank commented as they drove to Vanessa's home first. "When we used to have to share a vehicle all the time."

"Well, fun as the van was, I think I like this a little better," Joe said, glancing into the back seat where two long florist boxes reposed. "It wouldn't be very classy to take the girls to a college dance in a surveillance van!"

"We're growing up," Frank said seriously, and sighed a little. "But as you say, the old van was fun."

Remembering all their instructions to Jeremy, Joe was punctilious in his attentions to Vanessa when they picked her up. She already had her coat on when they arrived, so all he had to do was take her arm to guide her steps to the car, and help her in.

"I didn't get to see what you're wearing," he protested as he slid into the back seat beside her. "All I can tell is that you've got your hair up!"

"You'll see it at the restaurant," she assured him. "I want to burst upon your vision so you'll be totally impressed!"

"Babe, I am ALWAYS totally impressed with you," he assured her, and pulled her into his arms for a brief, careful kiss, mindful of the cascades of curls pinned in place. Then, "Here," he said, and picked up one of the florist boxes. "Happy Valentine's Day." In front, Frank obligingly switched on the interior lights so that she could see what she was opening.

"Ooooh!" Vanessa breathed in a gasp. "Joe, they're BEAUTIFUL!" She touched one of the velvety red roses tenderly. "Thank you, thank you!" She kissed his cheek. "Won't they need water, though? We're going to be out all evening."

Joe shook his head, smiling. "They have little tiny test-tube things with water in 'em," he said. "They'll keep just fine."

Megan, too, was ready and waiting, although she had not yet put on her coat. Frank was gratified to see that she was wearing the outfit that would always be his favorite: the tawny gold velvet mini-dress she had worn to her birthday dinner. Her jewelry consisted of golden topaz earrings, a matching necklace – and of course the blue topaz ring.

"Baby, you look...fabulous," he breathed as he took her in his arms for a quick embrace. "I love you in that dress. I love you all the time, but...I really, really like that dress!"

Her rippling laugh chimed. "I know the effect velvet has on you," she admitted. "But let's not make Joe and Vanessa wait."

"They're not bored, waiting," Frank told her. "They're necking in the back of the car." He dived in for one more kiss, then helped her on with her coat. When they reached the Saturn, Megan's box of flowers was waiting for her in the front passenger seat; when she opened it gleefully she found a mixture of red and pink roses nestled inside.

"Oh, Frank, darling, they are just exquisite!" She leaned over the console to kiss him, a gesture he returned enthusiastically. "I love them – and you," she added in a whisper.

###

When they arrived at American Bistro for dinner, Vanessa took off her long coat. "Well, my lad, what do you think?" she asked Joe, who was eyeing her with unconcealed delight. She revolved slowly, displaying her floor-length red skirt and shimmering silver top to best advantage.

"I think," Joe said fervently, "that you look...edible! To heck with dinner!" He caught her in his arms and kissed her.

Frank and Megan were left to hang up all the coats themselves.

###

Their dinner was quiet and intimate, with candles on the table and soft conversation. The place was full – it was Valentine's Day, after all – but not overcrowded, and the wait staff had been augmented for the evening. Hearts and flowers decorated the whole place, adding to the festive atmosphere. Service was swift, the food was excellent. It wasn't Miracles Can Happen – but it was good enough.

Bayport Community College's Valentine's Day dance was held in the college gymnasium, and had been organized and put together by the girls' varsity softball team, who had more time in the winter to work on such things. Scorning the traditional pink, white and red colors, the decorating committee had opted to go with scarlet and deep blue, with silver accents scattered like stars in a midnight sky. Glittery disco balls, revolving in the gleams of tiny spotlights, hung at each end of the gym, suspended from the basketball backboards which had been raised out of the way for the occasion. The theme of the dance was 'February Flirtations' and silhouettes of kissing couples being shot with a mischievous Cupid's arrows adorned the walls. A small fountain on a pedestal near the refreshment table, surrounded by masses of roses, added a soft plashing and gurgling note.

"Oh, so pretty!" Megan marveled as she removed her coat and handed it to Frank. "You'd never think the gym could look this good, would you? So much not like a gymnasium, I mean."

"At least they managed to get the smell of sweat and sneakers covered up," Vanessa observed dryly.

"C'mon, babe – we're here to dance. Let's dance!" Joe caught her in his arms and swept her onto the dance floor. Vanessa's giggles floated back to them clearly as she was spun away.

Megan laughed too. "Those two," she chuckled, and turned to Frank, holding out her hands. "Dance with me!"

###

It was nearly eleven, and the evening was coming to an end. The music had been an eclectic mix of soft rock, pop, swing, and old standards, but now the band was playing nothing but slow, romantic tunes. Couples swayed to the music, closely embraced, avoiding the spotlights to claim kisses in secluded corners.

"I hate for this to end," Megan murmured, nestling against Frank's suede sport coat happily. "It's probably the nicest dance I've ever been to."

Frank bent his head and brushed his lips over her hair. "Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered. "I love you."

Joe and Vanessa strolled by hand-in-hand, leaving the dance floor. "One last glass of punch," Joe explained as they passed Frank and Megan. "And there's only about fifteen minutes—"

His words – and the romantic atmosphere – were rudely interrupted, as from the vicinity of the stage came an extremely loud BANG!