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Eva shrugged. “You can try, but it wouldn’t be effective. Besides, we might actually find your love match, and then you’ll have to be grateful to me for all of eternity.”
“A scary thought,” Tara muttered and took another sip of her drink.
“What about you, Mara? You want to sign up for Time for Love?”
She shook her head so furiously her long blond hair nearly caused a typhoon. “No thanks. I don’t date.”
“Not ever?” Eva asked.
“Not for a long time,” she said ominously, but I noticed her glaze slid over her left shoulder to where Xander stood near the dartboards. When she turned back, Mara caught my eye. “I though you were full of it about you and Stone, but I guess you’re right.”
Her words made my brows dip and I turned back to Xander, noticing he was with Chris and Oliver. And Stone, who was talking and laughing with a gorgeous blond with a knockout body.
“Stone and I are friends.” Even as I said the words, they felt like bile on my tongue as the proverbial green eyed monster tore through me. The woman Stone was talking to was just like me. Only the best possible version of me. She was stylish and thin, no, not thin, she was fit, exactly like Stone. She managed to wear revealing clothes without looking slutty, she laughed easily and her friendly touches didn’t appear desperate.
“Uh-huh. Friends.” Mara grabbed the rack and organized the balls, her expression impassive.
“It’s true,” I insisted even as my gaze slid to the beautiful couple once again. Stone liked her, smiled easily with her. I couldn’t say if he wanted to date her or sleep with her, but he definitely liked her. They were laughing and joking, obviously familiar with each other. “Who is she?”
“He’s your best friend,” Eva said with a smile in her voice. “You don’t know?”
I shook my head, suddenly bothered by the fact that Stone didn’t share parts of his life with me. I mean, did I really want to know about the women he slept with? Absolutely not. But if he was dating someone, I would like to meet her.
“No, but it looks like he’s having a good time and that’s what matters.” I tried my best to sound casual, but I was hurt. And mad. “Another round?”
“I won’t say no,” Mara growled, making me wonder if there was something going on with her and Xander, since apparently everybody had secrets suddenly.
“I’ll get this round,” I told them and hurried up to the bar, taking every effort not to look over at Stone and Super Barbie. Thankfully the bar was busy and I got lost in the shuffle, eavesdropping on half a dozen conversations, but not paying much attention to any of them. “Thanks.” I grabbed the new pitcher and turned to head to the back of the bar, and stopped dead in my tracks.
The men and the gorgeous blond had descended on the pool table. Our pool table. I pasted a smile on my face and headed back, because running out of The Mayflower would be too suspicious. Send too many tongues wagging.
Kill me now.Stone“I’m Babs and you must be Sophie.” Babs struck out her hand with a friendly smile, daring my best friend to make good on the steaming pile of mad look on her face.
Though she had nothing to do with them anymore, Sophie was a Worthington down to her bones, and she schooled her expression into a bland smile and accepted Babs’ hand.
“I am, and it’s nice to meet you Babs. How do you and Stone know each other.”
Babs giggled and turned to me with a mischievous wink. “You mean you don’t talk about me nonstop? And here I thought I was your favorite client.”
Was it me or did Sophie’s shoulders relax just a bit at the news that Babs was a client? It’s just you, the cynical devil on my shoulder warned. “I don’t know about favorite, but you’re definitely my most memorable client, Babs.”
“Charmer,” she said and gave my bicep a sexy little squeeze. “And you guys have been friends since, like, forever right?”
“That’s right,” Sophie said tightly, her lips pulled so tense they turned white. “We met in first grade.”
“How about we play a game and get to know each other?” Babs motioned to the now empty pool table with a smile.
Sophie nodded and stood, her movements stiff, almost wooden. “Sure.” Every part of me wanted to believe it was jealousy that had stolen her usual good manners, but I couldn’t let myself go there. Yet.
“Having a guy for a best friend must be hell on relationships? Most of the guys I date are so jealous they’d never go for it.” She laughed and shook her head as she leaned over the table. “Men and their fragile egos, am I right?”
