“Your girlfriend,” she says, her eyes narrowing slightly. “She couldn’t make it tonight?”
The truth is I didn’t even ask Shannon if she wanted to come.
This is not her speed, not our speed together.
And she’s not my damned girlfriend.
But we’re fucking exclusively, catching an occasional meal together (usually followed by fucking), and she mentioned her birthday, so now I’m throwing her a dinner party.
So, I mean…it’s girlfriend-esque, so I get that the guys—and girls—think that.
It’s just…not that.
“Shannon is busy.”
Luna’s eyes hold mine, and it’s as though she’s able to pluck those thoughts from my mind.
Or maybe I’m just imagining her disappointment.
“Faye,” she says, turning away from me in a clear dismissal, “do you remember if Harper said she was coming tonight?”
I go stiff, pulse suddenly speeding through my veins.
Fuck, I forgot the women hang out.
Forgot they have Girls’ Nights and Book Clubs and sit and drink and cackle and probably do shit like share their deepest, darkest secrets…like the fact that I slept with one of them, was an asshole, and now got one of their own pregnant.
I flick my gaze around the table, trying to gauge the guys.
Do they look ready to commit murder—e.g. do they know what I did?
Not really.
They’re just eating their food and shooting the shit.
Same as the girls are now that I’ve answered Luna’s sharp question.
“Are we ever going to read one of your books for Book Club?” Bri asks Faye as she butters a piece of crusty sourdough bread.
Faye’s cheeks go bright red. “Um, yeah, that’s a no.”
“Why not?” Kailey asks.
“Yeah, Red,” Gray murmurs, slinging his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close so he could press a kiss to her temple. “Why not?”
She shakes her head violently. “My books exist in their own world, one that doesn’t overlap with my real life.”
“Why?” Bri deadpans. “Because you write about titties?”
The girls all freeze.
Then start cackling.
Mostly because the word titties has Smitty demanding to know precisely what they’re talking about and when they don’t dish, just continue laughing and sharing knowing looks, he starts pouting.
Kailey snuggles close to his side, murmurs something in his ear that has him grinning.
“For the record, I’m not done pouting,” he tells the girls. “But I’m letting it go for now.”
