I force myself not to laugh. I know a bit about Jamie and Ryan’s sex life, and she’s not exaggerating. “Is that the problem? You think things will become too tame?”
She opens her mouth, then closes it again, then shrugs. “Hell, Nicholas, I don’t know. Maybe? Or maybe it’s my career, you know? I’m finally starting to land decent roles.”
Finally is right. Jamie struggled for years to get on the screen, ending up as an entertainment reporter before finally getting her break into film and television. Now, her career is hopping, so it makes sense that she’s not ready to start a family. Except I know her well—and I know that she’s scared. What I don’t know is why.
“Jamie…”
“Nope. No deep talks today,” she says. “If we can’t talk about that video, then we can’t talk about my neuroses.” I roll my eyes. Jamie and Ryan had been the first to arrive, and I’d pulled her aside to tell her about the threat and the video. Then, after getting that off my chest, I told her that the topic was verboten for the day.
Now, she lifts her glass, her expression firm. “I’m drinking and celebrating and there will be no deep talks or speculation about babies or scary assholes, right?”
“Right,” I agree, amused.
“And you should be mingling anyway.”
I grimace, but agree. “You’ve hostess guilted me. Want to go make the rounds?”
“Only if we can go see Ollie first. I thought he’d bring a date, but he came totally alone.” Ollie’s dated sporadically since he broke up with his longtime girlfriend, Courtney, but he hasn’t gotten serious about anyone since things ended between them.
“I’m worried about him,” I admit.
“Me, too,” Jamie says. “I think he needs to get over you before he can move on.”
We’d been walking toward the taco stand by which Ollie is lingering, but now I stop cold. “He is. He has been for a long time.” For years, Ollie had a huge crush on me, and while I know that he will always love me as a friend, I truly believe that we’ve moved past that.
Jamie just shrugs. “Probably. Maybe. But I don’t know. I think he holds you up as the standard, you know? I mean, you’re perfect. What other woman can match perfect?”
“Hello? Have we met? I’m a hell of a long way from perfect.”
“Well, sure. I know that.” She flashes a mischievous grin. “Come on, Nik, he’s not that far off. You’re smart and you’re strong. And do not mention the cutting. You got past that, and one relapse doesn’t change anything. You know I’m right. You’d have to be strong to match a guy like Damien. And you do match him.”
My heart stutters in my chest, because she’s right. Damien and I match each other perfectly.
“But Ollie?” Jamie continues, “he needs … well, honestly, I don’t know what Ollie needs.”
“Love,” I say. “He had it with Courtney, and he blew it, and I don’t understand why.”
Jamie gives me the look. “Hello? He couldn’t keep it in his pants, remember? And yes,” she adds, holding up her hands. “Guilty. But that was a mistake. I’m reformed now. A blissfully married woman. And,” she adds, “thank God for that.”
“I just worry about him,” I say as we continue toward him. He glances up, sees us, then says something to the server manning the taco station, a cute guy who I assume is an actor wannabe.
Alaine has several established restaurants around town, plus the catering service he’s currently beta-testing for select clients. Which is fortunate for us, as the serving stations smell absolutely delish.
The server at the taco station grins, then passes Ollie a plate. He takes it, then heads our way. “I come bearing food.” He offers us the plate, now topped with six small tacos. The aroma alone makes my stomach growl, and I realize I’ve been so busy today that I’ve barely eaten anything.
“How goes the secret agenting?” I ask him, making him roll his eyes. Ollie left the practice of law not long ago to work for the FBI. He’s hardly James Bond, but he seems to like the work.
“Screw that,” Jamie says. “Why didn’t you bring a date?”
“Too many women in my life,” he retorts. “All of them wouldn’t fit on the patio, and how could I choose just one?”
“Not seeing anyone at the moment, huh?”
Ollie runs his fingers through his wavy hair. He used to wear it long, but it’s short now and makes his cheekbones, the kind that any woman would die for, stand out even more. “The well is completely dry,” he admits. His shoulders rise and fall. “It’s fine, though. I’m swamped at work. I don’t have time for a relationship, and I haven’t met anyone that I’d want to go there with anyway.” His gaze moves between me and Jamie. “You two set a high bar.”
“You should make time,” Jamie says. “Or at least make time to get laid.”
Ollie and I exchange glances, then burst out laughing.
“What?” Jamie asks as Ollie hooks an arm around both our shoulders.
“Nice to know some things never change,” Ollie says. “Right now, you two are the only women in my life. Except actually, no. I see two beautiful girls over there, and I need to go claim a dance.”
“What?” Jamie asks as Ollie kisses her cheek. “Who?”
But he just grins, kisses me, too, then heads off across the patio to my two little girls, now barreling toward him and squealing for their uncle Ollie.
“He’s a sucker for younger women,” Jamie says, and I laugh.
“Honestly, I don’t know who Ollie’s type is anymore.” I glance back at him once more. “But I hope he figures it out soon.”
“Who are we gossiping about?” Sylvia asks, as she slips past Charles and his wife, both of whom are standing a few yards away. They’re chatting with Carson Donnelly and Matthew Holt, two powerhouses in the entertainment industry. Considering Charles’ firm does a significant amount of entertainment law, I have a feeling they’re talking business despite the party atmosphere.
“Ollie,” Jamie and I say in unison.
“What’s up?”
“Just want to see him settled,” I tell her.
She skims the patio until she finds him. “There’s a new woman at Stark Real Estate Development,” she says. “I could probably manage a blind date.”
I shake my head. “Ask him if you want, but I think he’s in a funk. He’ll figure it out,” I add, with more certainty in my voice than I feel. “Ollie’s an amazing guy, and he deserves an amazing relationship. But I don’t think we can matchmake him into that situation.”
“Matchmake who?” Evelyn asks, coming to join us.
“Ollie,” I tell her, then give her a hug. “Feel different now that you’re married?”
“I do and I don’t. I already loved your father, so nothing’s changed there. But it’s nice to put it out there in the world. You three know what I mean, don’t you?”
I exchange glances with Jamie and Sylvia, who are both smiling and nodding. “Yeah,” I answer for all of us. “We definitely do.”