“Really? I thought it would be all about shopping sprees with a little dog sitting in your Louis Vuitton purse.”
He chuckled. “That’s exactly how it is. But my friends on that side of the spectrum are a bit snobbish. All they want to talk about is money, who’s made a deal recently, how to make more money, how to show off the wealth they already have. Even though they’re in the top one percent, they’re very insecure.”
“If you grew up in that world, why are you so down to earth?”
He turned back to me, a slight smile on his lips. “Did you just give me a compliment?”
“What are you talking about? I always give you compliments.”
“About how hot I am.”
“Well, you are really hot. You want me to lie?”
He faced forward again, his smile wider. “Never.”
“Come on, you’re great.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
We reached the pizza place and sat at a big table. Dax took a seat with his friends, so I sat on the other side with mine. We ordered a couple pizzas, wings, and beers all around.
Matt kept drumming his fingers as he watched the staff serve other tables. He looked at the kitchen, as if he expected to see our order being made.
“Drink your beer and chill.” Charlie grabbed the handle of his frosted mug and brought it to his lips for a drink.
“Why don’t you eat before a game?” Denise asked.
“I did,” he snapped. “I just have a fast metabolism.”
“You’re almost thirty, so I doubt it,” I countered.
“Look, I just get hungry more often than most people,” Matt said. “Jeremy thinks it’s cute.”
“Because Jeremy is getting sex from you,” Charlie said.
“How is that going anyway?” Denise asked.
“Great.” Now that Matt was distracted by the conversation, he stopped fidgeting. “We went to the movies the other night then went home and had sex. We kinda just fell into a relationship right away, which is new for me. I don’t really do that.”
“That’s great,” Charlie said. “I prefer you when you’re settled down. You’re calmer.”
“Psh,” Matt said. “I’m never—” He shut his mouth when he saw the wings being carried out. “Oh, thank god.”
Denise chuckled then turned to Charlie. “What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
Charlie had taken a sip of his beer right when she asked, so he continued to drink, like he needed a few seconds to compose himself after hearing the question. He drank his beer like water, and while he loved beer, he didn’t love it that much. He set it down and licked his lips. “No.”
I was starting to wonder if Denise was attracted to him, based on the limited interactions I witnessed. She and Kat were friends and I didn’t picture her going after a friend’s ex, but maybe she’d had a change of heart.
He cleared his throat. “You?”
“I went out with a doctor from the hospital, but it didn’t go anywhere.” She grabbed a few fries and wings and put them on her plate, looking dressed up to eat something so casual.
“Who wants to date a doctor anyway?” Matt asked. “Touching people all day long…”
“I touch people all day long,” she countered. “Probably more than a doctor.”
“Oh yeah, that’s true.” He devoured two wings in a few seconds then dunked his fries into his ketchup before scarfing those down too.
Dax watched him from his side of the table. “Feeling better, man?”
Matt had his mouth full, so he gave a thumbs-up.
Dax and his friends laughed.
I was eating as much as Matt, but I didn’t make it as obvious.
Denise turned to me. “So, this isn’t weird for you?”
“Meaning?” I took a bite of my fry, loving the crunch.
“You’re hanging out with Dax like nothing happened.” She kept her voice low so the guys on the other side of the table wouldn’t hear.
“You mean, being grown and mature adults?” I asked sarcastically. “Relationships don’t work out all the time, and the exes can be in the same room together. Look at Charlie and Kat. They’re fine.”
“Yeah, true,” she said with a nod. “But you guys broke up a few days ago.”
“We didn’t break up,” I corrected. “We were never really together in the first place. It was more of a fling.”
“Maybe.” She kept staring at me. “But you really liked him.”
“I never said that.” I just ate, keeping my cool.
“No,” my sister said. “But it was obvious that you really liked him.”
“Well, he ended up being a big fat liar, so that changed my feelings pretty quickly.” I grabbed more fries. “Can we talk about something else now? Something interesting, preferably.”
Five
Dax
I was on the phone in my office, talking to our overseas manufacturer. The worst part of my job was all the meetings. So much talking but so little productivity. If I said I was passionate about the software aspect of the company, I’d be lying. I was only passionate about my family’s legacy.
My assistant popped her head in.
I gave her a glare because I was on the phone.
“The reporter from the New York Press is here.”
I held up my finger to tell her I needed a few minutes.
She disappeared.
I finished up the meeting then picked up the phone to call her in. “Send her in.” I hung up then got out of my chair to walk around my desk. My hands slid into my pockets, and I felt my heart pick up just a little bit. Being friends with Carson was easier than I expected it to be, but nothing could change my attraction to her. Her humor, her candor, the selfless way she cared about her friends.
The door opened a moment later, and my assistant let Carson into the room.
She was in a black dress and heels, her badge around her neck to identify her status at the most prestigious paper in the country. She had her notebook with her, tucked under her arm. Her brown hair was straight, and her green eyes had never turned hostile again after the conversation we’d had in this very room.
My eyes took her in, and time slowed down a bit because everything about her was irresistible to me. It wasn’t just the way that tight dress fit her incredible body; it was the way she carried herself, the way she filled every room she stepped into with an undeniable presence. It was comforting but also authoritative, like she knew her worth and would never allow anyone to say otherwise.
Sometimes it was difficult to be around her because I suspected my feelings would never entirely go away. She would always be the one who got away, the woman who could have been something significant to me if the timing had been better, if I hadn’t fucked it up with my stream of lies.
But at least I had some of her…a piece of her.
I walked over to her and felt my lips rise in a slight smile. “That meeting ran longer than I expected. Hope you didn’t wait too long.”
“It’s fine. I know how it goes.” She came closer to me but didn’t embrace me. She would probably normally shake my hand if I were someone else, but that would feel out of place for us…since I’d kissed her everywhere. She moved to the couch and took a seat.