Like its 1999, p.1
LIKE IT'S 1999, page 1
Like It's 1999
a nostalgic romantic comedy novella
Karen Grey
Praise
What I’m Looking For
“Such a lovely debut from one of my favorite audiobook narrators! I loved the 80s nostalgia, the answering machine message lead-ins to each chapter, and be still my Shakespeare loving heart--a theatre actor hero (named Will) who quotes from the bard!”—A.J. Pine author of The One That Got Away
“This is a fabulous read that’ll take you back in time, make you swoon, and serve you with a heavy dose of nostalgia. Smart escapism at its finest! Five bitchin’s stars for What I’m Looking For!”—The Rogue Reviews blog
Forget About Me
“Overall, Forget About Me was a fantastic read that gave me all the feels, and I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this book for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy and can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.” —Laurie Reads Romance
“This slow burn, second chance, brother’s best friend romance was perfect. It featured dogs, an entertaining and amazing host of supporting characters and two fantastic leads.” —Anna Reads Here
Like It’s 1999
“Like It’s 1999 is a special story that spans a decade. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but everything I needed. Steve and Alice are meant to be, but like Harry and Sally, it takes them a while to figure it out.” —That’s What I’m Talking About
“Karen Grey had me at the first film quote! This novella is smartly written, hysterically funny and has a romance too!” —Essential Romance Book Club
You Spin Me
"Readers who love the 80s/90s nostalgic era and maturing "broken" characters will be captivated with the characters, the plot, and the unforgettable era of the 80s/90s - the good, the bad, and even the ugly side of things. Jess and Cal's story is an indelible ink that seeped into my subconsciousness. I felt every cheer in their triumphs and shed every tear in their disappointments." —Currant7_Recommends
“…a well-crafted story, a story full of heart and soul as two people show themselves to be perfectly imperfect." —Words of Wisdom From the Scarf Princess
Content Guidance
The content notes below are meant to give readers a generalized view of potentially triggering subjects within this novel.
Use of expletives: frequent but not mean-spirited
Sex/Nudity: several sex scenes
Violence: none
Death: none
Other: discussion of main character’s miscarriages
If you’d like a more detailed list of content warnings (which may include spoilers) they are available at:
https://www.karengrey.com/contentguidance
Contents
I. December, 1988
II. December, 1989
III. December, 1994
IV. December, 1999
What I’m Looking For: Sneak Peek
You Spin Me: Sneak Peek
Also by Karen Grey
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Part I
December, 1988
“Marriage is a concept invented by people who were lucky to make it to 20 without being eaten by dinosaurs.”
Kevin, St. Elmo’s Fire
ALICE
On New Year’s Eve, a few hours before the clock will tick over to 1989, I race from the warmth of a cab to the promise of warmth inside a cozily lit old Victorian in Somerville. On my heels are my best friend Kate, her best guy friend Steve, and Kate’s boyfriend’s ex-roommate Pam. It’s Pam’s house, so I step aside to let her open the front door, but I’m first inside. “I can’t believe you guys talked me into traipsing around downtown in the cold for hours!” I whine, stamping the snow off my boots.
“Come on, those ice sculptures were the bomb,” Pam says as she picks up her dog. “Hush, Rufus.”
Kate, coat still on, hugs herself as she jumps up and down. “Can we build a fire?”
“When should Will and Deb be back?” I ask, rubbing my arms. “Or, more to the point, when can we start drinking?”
Kate’s boyfriend, Will, is performing in a holiday show tonight. Pam’s girlfriend, Deb, is on the same production as costumer… which was the argument behind going downtown to check out Boston’s famous First Night celebration. If we’d stayed in, we’d have been tempted to start partying early and we’d be wasted by the time the others got home. I’ll never admit it, but it was pretty cool seeing downtown all lit up and full of people. The bands were great and we saw some choice art exhibits. But it’s twenty-five degrees outside, and I’m a southern girl—born in South Korea, raised in the American South.
Pam checks the clock over the mantel. “They’ll be home from the show in an hour or so. But I say we need to warm up—inside and out.” She points at Steve and me. “You two, make the fire. Kate, you help me get the drinks since you know where everything is.”
Steve moves the screen away from the hearth. “Works for me.” He nods at the pile of newspapers nearby. “Can you ball those up and stick them under the grate?”
I salute him. “Yes, sir.”
We get the fire laid quickly, but every time he tries to light the kindling, the match blows out. “I can’t believe this. This has never happened to me before.” He shakes a finger at me. “Don’t tell anyone. ‘It would devastate my reputation as a dude.’”
“Sixteen Candles. Good quote,” I manage through chattering teeth. When he finally gets it lit, I stand as close as possible to the flames. “Is it just me, or do they keep the heat really low in this house?”
“It is a little drafty,” he says, putting an arm around my shoulder.
“Man, you’re like a furnace.” I’ve never actually been this close to Steve. Funnily enough, I’ve never spent a whole lot of time with him. Katie and I were college roommates. Kate met Steve at her first job after college. Even though we’re all in Boston, we live in different neighborhoods and work in different fields. Plus, while Kate’s close to him now, she complained an awful lot about him when she started traveling with him, said he was just another self-centered, self-involved, self-aggrandizing sales guy. She never really explained what made her change her mind about the man that the women at the firm dubbed “Hot Steve.”
I’m pretty sure the moniker refers to his preppy good looks, but from where I’m sitting, he’s literally toasty. The longer I’m up close and personal with him though, the more my shivers shift from full body to one particular location. Not sure if that’s a good idea or not. I mean, I’m always up for a sexual adventure. But maybe not with my best friend’s best friend.
“You just have to learn to dress for it.” He rubs my upper arm. “It’s all in the outerwear.”
“Yeah, I went for cute rather than comfortable, I guess.”
“Well, you were successful on that front.” He squeezes me once more and then steps away, clapping his hands. “Let’s go see what’s keeping those two.”
By the time Will and Deb get home, a cup of hot chocolate spiked with rum and flavored with cinnamon has me warmed right up. We’ve settled around the coffee table and I’m just about to deal the cards for another round of gin rummy when Will clears his throat.
Kate stills my hands. “We have some difficult news to share.”
Before she can continue, Pam leans over to whisper to Deb. “Shit, I told you something was up.”
Deb reaches across the table to grab Will’s hand. “Whatever it is, we’re here for you.”
Will’s head drops to his chest, and he heaves out a huge sigh. “It’s hard to know where to begin…”
Steve elbows me and gives me a look like, What the fuck is happening? I mouth back, I have no idea, before sending my own What the fuck is happening? to Kate.
Just as I start to get worried, a blush blooms on her cheeks. I know her too well; the news is going to be good. I lean over to Steve to whisper, “‘I think this party is about to become a historical fact.’” Before he can guess what movie that was from—Some Kind of Wonderful, duh—Kate squeals, “We’re getting married!”
“You asshole!” Deb whaps Will upside the head. “I thought somebody died!”
“Sorry.” His expression makes it clear that he’s not at all sorry. “It’s just too easy.”
Pam shrugs. “I knew it.”
“You did not,” Deb argues.
“Did too.”
“Did not.”
Steve leans over to whisper in my ear, “Are they always like this?”
I don’t even bother to keep my voice low. “Pretty sure.” Lifting my mug, I get to my feet. “Well, friends, I think a combination of congratulations and condolences are in order.” Facing Kate I say, “Farewell to your freedom and single girl status. And you young man,”—I turn to Will—“‘You break her heart, I break your face.’”
He bows. “Well said.” Then he grins. “Actually, someone else said it better—”
Pam groans. “Not a Shakespeare quote!”
“He can’t help it, you guys,” Kate says, throwing her arms around Will.
“And Alice did quote Some Kind of Wonderful. Twice.” Steve points out.
Despite the barrage of balled-up napkins we send his way, Will—whose ability to quote Shakespeare is way more freakish than my ability to quote popular movies—forges ahead. “‘When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I would live till I were married.’ Much Ado About Nothing.”
Kate shifts away from his embrace. “I’m not sure if that’s a good
“Mm, I guess out of context… How about ‘This is a way to kill a wife with kindness’?”
This doesn’t sound much better to me. But he punctuates the quote with an ellipsis of kisses, and she sighs—obviously totally in love—before turning to the rest of us, her cheeks still rosy with happiness. “Anyhoo, we wanted to tell you guys first because we’d like you to be our wedding party, along with our siblings.”
Deb claps her hands. “Yay! I love being a bridesmaid! Can I design the dresses?”
Kate holds up a hand. “Well, hang on. We have something a little different in mind. Deb and Pam, even though I love you guys, you were Will’s friends first”—she gestures to Steve—“whereas, Hot—um, Steve is my buddy.”
“She almost called you Hot Steve,” I say out of the corner of my mouth.
“That’s my name; don’t wear it out,” he shoots back.
“Alice and Steve, I’d love for you to stand up with me.”
Naturally, I’m up for the job. I’ve bridesmaided for lesser friends. But…“We’ll have a boy on our team?”
“What?” He sits up straighter. “You think I can’t handle being a bride’s man?”
Kate clears her throat. “I think you’re up for starting a new trend in wedding parties. The bigger challenge will be dealing with my sister, the third bridesmaid. She can get a little nutty at weddings.”
Will circles his hand with a dramatic flourish. “And Deb and Pam, I’d love for you to be my… uh, I don’t know what we’ll call it, but you are my best friends in the world, so I can’t imagine getting married without you at my back. And I’m sure you’ll have no problem at all keeping my brothers in line.”
“Aww,” I can’t help but say. “You guys are fucking adorable.”
“Here’s the thing, though,” Kate says. “We want to get married on New Year’s Eve next year, so your Christmas travel will have to work around that.”
I tap a finger on my lips and pretend to think hard. “What I’m hearing is that I’ll need to be back from Atlanta the day after Christmas.” I nod, willing Kate to nod along with me. “That will curtail my parents’ matchmaking opportunities in a delightful way. For me.”
“I guess I won’t be skiing next year,” Steve moans. When Kate’s expression shifts to worry, he says, “Kidding. Who goes skiing between Christmas and New Year’s? That’s when all the yahoos are there.” He shrugs. “I’m in. But”—he points at Deb—“I’m not wearing a dress.”
She sniffs. “I doubt you have the legs for it, anyway.”
“‘Unbelievable. You make someone a bridesmaid, and they shit all over you,’” Steve huffs.
I can’t help it. I lean into him with a sigh of my own. “Sixteen Candles. You know all my favorite movies.”
The rest of the evening is full of laugher, teasing and planning. Honestly, I couldn’t be happier for my best friend. She’s found a unicorn: a good guy who’s good looking and who adores her. Not that I’m planning to settle down anytime soon—if ever—but I have to admit that I am a wee bit jealous. They’re such a good match. Her parents even like him.
Nope, nope, nope, Alice. The only way you manage your current lifestyle—doing work that’s fun, wearing clothes that are fun, going out with guys that are fun—is staying far away from commitment as well as Atlanta. The clock will run out someday and you will have to go home and face the music, but as long as you keep everyone guessing—from your parents to your dates—no one can pin you down.
Suddenly aware of the heat emanating from the arm draped casually across the couch behind me, an arm that just happens to be attached to a blond, blue-eyed charmer of a man, I squelch the sexy thoughts zipping through me again. As tempting as he might be, I can’t go there.
One: As we’ve established, he’s my best friend’s best friend.
Two: His brand of sexy is one I could get addicted to.
Three: He’s not Korean.
STEVE
This may be the silliest New Year’s Eve party I’ve ever been to, but I think it might also be the most fun. In the past, it’s been either getting drunk at a bar with a bunch of frat brothers or work buddies—pretty much the same thing—and going home with some girl I picked up or going to some stuffy thing wherever my parents happen to be living at the time and spending the night being polite. And then going home with some girl I picked up.
Tonight, I’m pleasantly buzzed but I’m not drunk, we’ve been playing games all night, and I’m laughing my ass off. There is a girl, but she’s off-limits. Not because she’s with someone else—at least, I don’t think she is—but because… Well, I don’t really have a good reason. Except that I like her. The way I like Kate. Alice is hot—great legs, big brown eyes—but I could see us being friends the way Kate and I are. She’s wicked smart, too. Too smart for me, for sure.
Right now, I’ve got to focus to have a chance at beating her team at charades. I mean, they have the actor on their team. Kate, Pam and I hold our own until I get this clue: “No shirt, no shoes, no dice.” Of course, I know the quote, but while the girls get the first four words right away, nothing I do gets them to “no dice.” They just keep guessing “no service.”
When Will calls time, Kate groans. “What was the answer?”
I hold up the slip of paper. “No shirt, no shoes, no dice.”
Pam grabs it from me. “What the heck does that mean?”
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High?” Alice and I say at the same time.
I point to her. “Exactly.” Then I throw my hands in the air. “How do you guys not know that movie?”
“I’ve heard of it,” Kate huffs. “But I don’t have it memorized.”
“Dude! Spicoli!” Alice high-fives me.
Deb yawns and flops back on the couch. “All right, all right. Let’s start this New Year right and call it a draw. I need to go to bed.” She waves at Pam. “Sweetie, would you grab a pillow and a blanket for Steve from the closet?”
I wave their offer of hospitality down. “Guys, it’s fine. I’m not drunk. I don’t need to stay over.”
Deb makes a face. “But we want to have a sleepover. We have a yummy breakfast planned for the morning and everything.”
Kate nods. “Also, it’s the other drivers you have to worry about. Plus, the roads are totally icy.”
I could argue that I learned to drive the year my family lived in Buffalo—where you don’t see the ground from November to April—but this couch is pretty darn cozy. “You win,” I say over a yawn. “But wait, I didn’t bring my flannel nightgown with the tiny little flowers. We didn’t do makeovers. Nobody braided my hair. Isn’t that what you do at sleepovers?”
Alice shoves my shoulder. “We’ll do that as part of the wedding planning, don’t you worry.”
Despite the distraction of her waggling eyebrows, I manage to snag a flying pillow before it hits me in the face.
“Nice catch,” Pam says, following up with a blanket. “There are new toothbrushes in the hall bathroom.”
Deb points at Alice. “You get the guest bed, missy. It’s got fresh sheets.”
Kate pulls Will out of the chair they’ve been sharing. “I guess that means we get your old room.”
Alice waves lazily from the other end of the couch. “Goodnight, everybody. Love you, Katie Mae.”
As the two couples—Deb and Pam, Will and Kate—shuffle off to bed, I turn to Alice. “How come you get to call her Katie and I don’t?”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s Katie Mae. That’s her southern name.”
“Her southern name?”
She looks at me like I’m the weirdo here. “Yes.”
“And do you have a southern name?”
“Well, duh.”
“And it is… ?”
“Allie Mae.”
