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“Sweet, huh?” Wren echoes my thoughts.
“Yes. We were alone together and one night, one thing ledto another and…” I shrug.
“And? That’s it? That’s all I get?”
“And… he was very sweet. Very attentive. Frankly, it was a mistake that I fucked him first because other guys were not nearly as attentive or thoughtful after him. Felt like I’d been ripped off, to be honest.”
“Oof. That sucks. I had the opposite. A lot of selfish jerks who I’d gotten used to before your brother. Then he was so sweet, I could barely believe it. Figured it was just part of his charm act.”
“Right. I wasn’t sure what to make of Quentin either.” I take another bite of ice cream off the spoon as I look around at the flowers. “Then or now, to be honest. I feel like I’m in over my head with him.”
“Because you still have feelings for him too?”
“No. He’s attractive. Very attractive. But all of that was years ago. I’ve changed. Grown up. I don’t need a train wreck in my life.”
“Well, it seems like you’ve got one whether you want it or not. It’s going to be an uphill battle to get him to stay in shape.” She smiles at the flowers. “And he has a pretty impressive charm offensive too.”
“Charm.” I huff. “More like rudeness. I mean, say I was really bothered about the Xander thing. All of this would just be salt in the wound.”
“Yes well, I think that’s what he’s trying to figure out.”
“Plus, I have a boyfriend.”
“Ah yes. How is A.J. doing? Still missing his ex-wife?” Wren knows this whole bit with A.J. is fake. She and Bea have to or they’d both think I was crazy and try to talk me out of it. Because the man is very obviously still in love with his ex-wife. Any woman really dating him could only have hopes of being a rebound, and even then, it’d be disappointing.
“Yes.”
“I’m sure she hates your guts.”
“If she does, she hasn’t said. But that is rather the point. Or part of it anyway.” I’m hoping that a bonus of our fake dating will be his ex-wife realizing what she could be losing.
“Has your dad said anything?”
“He’s made remarks in passing. He’s not happy about it. But not enough to start anything—which again, is the point. I mean, A.J. was his golden child before the championship game. Could do no wrong. He might have been excited about it in a different timeline.”
“But then he lost, and then he went looking for a job elsewhere.”
“Yes, well… We’re hoping he gets over that last part.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He’ll never fire his daughter’s boyfriend. The sports media world would have a field day. They already think Dad’s unhinged for constantly getting perfectly good quarterbacks fired. If they layer on family drama on top of that? It’s the one thing he can’t stand. He still wants to murder Tobias for the sex tape and the fact that he came out engaged to someone else after it.”
“I do appreciate that the two of you make everything Easton does look tame by comparison.” Wren grins at me, and we both laugh.
“Well, I think a lot of that is your doing. I think he would have been worse than Tobias if it wasn’t for you. If you’ve got any tips, I’d love to know.”
“Unfortunately, my tips only work if the guy in question happens to be in love with you. And you say Quentin’s not, so…” She gives me the side-eye and then puts the lid back on her empty pint.
“He’s not. I’m just an impediment. He wants me out of the way and not to have to do any of this reform stuff. Which is why I’m going to make the list even longer now.”
Wren shakes her head, smiling as she disposes of the container and puts the spoon in the sink.
“Well, I’m interested to see which one of you wins out.”
“Oh. It’ll be me. We already know he runs at the first sign of trouble.” I grin, putting my spoon in the sink next to hers.
“One last thing.”
