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“It’s like you’re with them anyway.”
His last statement confused me, but only for a moment. Garth slunk through the doorway, his shoulders slumped in defeat. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost, but not quite.
“Goodnight Aria—”
The slam of the door swallowed anything else he had to say.
In the cold silence of my basement apartment I let out the heaviest of sighs. It wasn’t supposed to go like this.
No, it wasn’t.
I looked up and caught a glimpse of myself in the little foyer’s full-length mirror. I’d worn a cute new dress I’d bought just for the occasion, specifically because it matched my favorite pair of shoes. I’d done my makeup and hair and everything else, all with the highest of hopes.
And now here I was, home alone, drowning in bitter disappointment. My body still surging with the adrenaline of almost-sex, as my brain still hadn’t broken the news to it that I wasn’t getting laid.
“Ah, shit.”
Just then my phone buzzed in my loosely-clenched grasp. It tickled my fingers and startled me at the same time.
I glanced down just as a silly animated GIF showed up. In it, Garth from Wayne’s World was dancing wildly back and forth in a Motley Crüe T-shirt.
Exxxxcelleeeent?
The group message included the guys — all three of them. It was Axel who’d sent the image, however. Apparently he’d remembered my date.
No, not excellent. At all.
I typed back out of reflex more than anything else. Under normal circumstances the mid-date intrusion would’ve teed me off. But the animation of Dana Carvey was so cataclysmically stupid, it only made me laugh.
Men Suck.
Present company excluded, of course.
I set the phone down on the counter and picked up the coat I’d previously shrugged to the floor while in the heat of the moment. Then I went about kicking my heels off. My feet thanked me instantly.
No, I’m pretty sure we suck too.
The self-depreciating message was from Zane. The one that came immediately afterward was from Tyler:
Yeah, we definitely suck. No question.
I rolled my eyes and picked up the phone again. I was about to hammer out a response when Tyler added:
But if your date bombed,
you should come over.
We’re at the loft,
about to watch movies.
I bit my lip and read the message a second time. It was late, but not that late. I’d even said so myself. And if they were all at the loft, that meant they’d be hanging out late anyway.
Besides, the loft was fun, and warm, and spacious. The leather couch was soft and deep. There was wine there too; some of it I’d even brought over myself. Hell, I could even go for a movie.
Most of all, I knew I could use the company, especially after tonight. There might be a few “I told you so’s,” and I’d definitely be required to give up the sad details of my date with Garth. Even so, I was betting the guys would take pity on me. Maybe. Hopefully…
I’m in. Don’t start without me.
