AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey. Don’t give her any ideas,” I warned, pointing at him.
“Too late. I’ll be calling tomorrow to see how it went.”
“You’re a nosy little thing,” I muttered. “I’ll be sure to turn my phone off.”
“Well, will you at least tell me how things have been in general? Is she nice?”
Layla seemed so genuinely interested that I couldn’t deny answering her. Her concern for my well-being was touching, if not sometimes annoying as fuck.
“It’s been great. I really like her,” I told her honestly. When a soft smile stretched at her lips, I felt a surge of gratitude. “And thanks. For pushing me to ask for her number.”
“Anytime. Have fun tonight.” Layla grabbed the bottle of scotch from Mason and waggled her eyebrows. “We sure will.”
Mason chuckled as she dragged him away and I watched as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair as they left. I grimaced when a memory suddenly sprang to mind—one of many nights where we all got drunk and Layla and my brother got so loud I had to sleep on the downstairs couch.
I was happy for them to be in Miami, but even more happy when they finally found a place and moved out.
I checked the time as soon as they left, cursing under my breath as I rushed back inside to finish getting ready. I was out the door within five minutes, unable to keep the grin off my face as I sped down the highway to Juliet’s house.
* * *
The grin didn’t fadeuntil I knocked on her door and found myself face-to-face with a guy. Even though I was straight, I could recognize when a man was attractive and the motherfucker who answered Juliet’s door looked like he stepped out of a cologne ad.
I hated him immediately.
“Hey, man. You Ethan?”
“Yeah. Who the fuck are you?”
So much for keeping things civil. His eyebrows ticked up a little at the hostility, but his grin told me he found it amusing. Little asshole.
“I’m Jamie. Juliet’s almost ready. Come on in.”
So this was Jamie. The best friend she lived with. The one she moved across the country with. The one she told all her secrets to. The one who was apparently a man with what I considered to be a feminine name.
When he offered me a beer as a friendly gesture, I hated him more.
“Was that Ethan at the door?” Juliet’s voice trickled through the apartment. “I’m almost ready, I promise!”
Jamie seemed to sense that I was done as fuck with him, so he shrugged and gestured to the couch before disappearing into another room. I gingerly sat down as I glanced around the room, noticing the massive amount of DVDs the two of them owned. I wondered how often they sat on this very couch and cuddled up together while watching them.
What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn’t recall ever feeling so envious of anyone. Especially not in regards to a woman.
Juliet emerged a few moments later, saving me from the sour turn of my mood. I smiled as soon as I saw her, relief washing over me when I realized how much work she had put into her appearance for our date. She was just as excited and nervous as I was.
Take that, Jamie. You motherfucker.
“You look beautiful.” I stood up to approach and realized I had to look down a little more than usual. “No heels?”
“Not tonight. I didn’t want my feet to be sore and I was kind of hoping there would be another walk on the beach,” she said hopefully as she pulled the floor length dress to the side to reveal her sandals.
“We can do anything you want.”
Juliet smiled and I nearly lost myself in it. Which was when her roommate burst back into the room and broke the spell.
“Damn. Looking good, girl,” Jamie said with a smirk as he leaned against the doorway. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Juliet nodded and led me to the door by my elbow while I scowled at her friend. I nearly growled when I saw him give me a mocking salute just as we stepped out the door.
