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Reed: I’m a rule breaker, babe, gonna have to get used to it.
Reed: Plus, Evan specifically asked for Ollie to come, so…
Me: Fine. Only because Evan asked and I know he’s going to be so excited to see an octopus in person.
Reed: He’s going to Ma’s for a sleepover, so… I’ll pick you up at eight in the morning?
Me:Thumbs up emoji with a kissy face
Perks of living next door to his mom and Emery, I guess.I think to myself.
I swipe the message away and set my phone down on the table before going to Emery’s room to start getting ready. Now, I just have to make it through tonight.
"Don’t kill me.”
Three words you don’t want to hear when your best friend drags you to a bar after midnight and all you want to do is be at home in your pajamas stuffing your face.
My eyes narrow. “Okayyyyy.” I drag the last syllable out, already suspicious of what’s about to come out of her mouth.
“Uh, so remember that guy I told you about? The paralegal I went out with?” Emery says, squinting her nose. “And the guy I said I was going to hook you up with?”
Oh no, I don’t like where this is going. Not at all.
“Well, they were in the neighborhood, so they’re going to stop by.”
“Emery,” I groan, “no. Please do not do this to me tonight. We’re celebrating remember?”
I hold up my drink and shake the ice around, wishing I hadn’t agreed to come out tonight in the first place. But, I miss Em. I miss being able to spend every day with her and make charcuterie boards and binge watch trashy tv.
“It’ll be fine. It’s almost like fate, right?”
“Except you texted them and told them we were here, Em. I do not want you to try and matchmake me with this guy.” My eyes roll. I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly more self-conscious of tonight’s outfit choice. If I would’ve known she was going to trap me in a blind date, I would have worn something more conservative. Less Emery, more me. This is what I get for trying to be brazen and live in the moment.
Emery sips on her mojito. “Babe, you’re stressing. Don’t. It’s a total laid back, no pressure kind of thing. Now drink up and get your sweet ass on the dance floor so we can shake it.”
There’s no sense in arguing with her. She means well, she does. I know she has a heart of gold. We’re just complete and total opposites, and honestly, looking at the two of us, you’d think we would never be friends. She's always been the fun, outgoing, energetic one of our friendship, with me being the shy and reserved one. When we go to parties or anything social, Em is the one that never meets a stranger. The kind of person you’re drawn to. She has this ability to make anyone feel comfortable. A gift I definitely do not possess.
I finish off my drink and set it on the table before standing shakily on the heels she insisted I wear.
“You have got to wear these; they make your legs look even hotter with that dress.”
Me: Remind me to never let Emery talk me into anything, literally ever again.
I send the message to Reed before I can change my mind then tuck my phone back into my purse just as Emery walks up. And she’s not alone. There’s a tall guy who looks like he probably has more fashion sense than I do, wearing a crisp polo tucked into slacks with a black sports jacket.
Country club, Range Rover driving, golf on the weekends, frat boy alumni.
Totally Emery’s type.
Love her to death, but the girl has a type.
He’s got dark eyes and a kind smile. Even though I didn’t want to meet anyone tonight, I get a good vibe from him.
“Hi, I’m Landon. I work with Emery. Holland, I’m assuming?”
He holds out his hand, and I shake it quickly then nod. “I am. Nice to meet you.”
Then I drag my eyes to the guy next to him: my “blind date” for the night. He’s a little shorter than Landon, and his complete opposite. Almost like Emery and me. His blond hair is messy and sticking up in every direction, and he’s wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white t-shirt. Simple, but put-together.
