Page 41 of Stanton Unconditional

I swallow nervously. “No, it’s nice to hear from you.”

“I was wondering if you wanted to catch up for a drink tonight,” he asks.

Cameron throws a piece of ice at me from the ice bucket sitting next to him. It hits me hard in the face. I hold my hand up in a fist to him as he and Joshua break into laughter.

“Are you in LA?” I ask, wide-eyed, as I rub my face. “Yes, I’m here for business. How about that drink?”

Holy shit. “Um, look, I’m not sure I can make it tonight,” I answer. Joshua hits me hard in the stomach.

“You’re fucking going,” he mouths at me.

I shake my head as I cover the phone with my hand. I stand to get away from my two idiot friends.

“Ok. Fine. Never mind, at least I tried,” he snaps. Oh shit, he’s pissed. What will I say?

I scrunch my eyes up as the next words escape my mouth. “I’m staying with friends. Why don’t you come here for dinner? Cameron can cook.” I bite my lip to stifle my smile. This time Cameron holds out his hand in a fist to me. “Joshua makes a mean cocktail,” I add. Joshua rolls his eyes at me as he takes another sip of his shake.

“Who are the friends?” he asks.

“Joshua, the man you met at the restaurant with me and my other friend Cameron.” I can hear him thinking through the phone. “They are nice guys. Fun. Cam is an amazing cook.” Cameron walks past to the bar and gives me a shove, hoping I will fall into the pool. Joshua smirks.

“Okay. What time?” he asks.

Oh fuck. Now I’ve done it. I start to shake my arm around in the air as I freak out.

“About seven. I will text you the address,” I answer nervously. His deep velvety voice rasps through the phone. “I look forward to it, Adrian.” He hangs up and I put my head in my hands. “Oh my fucking God. He’s coming here.” I start to panic.

“Who?” Cameron frowns.

“That dude we met in Australia. Psychologist, author,” Joshua replies.

“Oh, yeah, that one. You went on about him for a week, looks like you might be getting some head tonight after all.” Cameron smiles, making Joshua laugh.

“This is not funny. Does everything come back to head with you?” I stammer, exasperated.

Cameron smiles and shrugs his shoulders. “Basically,” he replies.

“How did I rope myself into this? I don’t want him to come over here. What was I thinking?”

Joshua’s eyes light up. “You were thinking that Cameron and I needed some comedy entertainment tonight.” He smiles broadly as he winks.

“Stop it,” I snap. “You two had better be on your best behavior. Or I fucking mean it, you are both dead.”

Cameron laughs. “We will be on our best behavior.

Naked, but well behaved.”

I roll my eyes. “Great, something to look forward to,” I say deadpan. “I don’t even remember what he looks like.”

“I do. He’s hot.” Joshua smirks. “Give me your phone.” He takes my phone off me and starts to google him.

“Why did you say I would cook, asshole? Why don’t you fucking cook?” Cameron throws me a dirty look.

“Because that’s just too try hardish. What, so he sits at the bench while I cook in the kitchen? I’m not fucking Nigella Lawson.”

“Why didn’t you say I would cook?” Joshua smirks as he scrolls through my phone.

“Probably because you can’t cook, dumbass.”