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CHAPTER ONE
Laura
“Again? Seriously?” Iglared at my phone, pissed off.
Pissed off, but not surprised.
Erin, my best friend from college and anew momma of twins, texted me to apologize for having to cancel last minute. Their babysitter had the flu, Erin’smom lived halfway across the country, Thomas’sparents were at the theater, and this was aSaturday night.
No chance in hell for areplacement.
Fuck my life.
Ididn’tmind the other times she’dblown me off. Iloved her to death and Itotally understood that sometimes your babysitters were sick, or had afamily emergency, or any other excuse. It wasn’ther fault.
What made that day oh so very special was the timing.
Because instead of being home to receive her text, Iwas already at Gwendoline’s, the bistro where we were set to meet, being led by the hostess toward our table. Icould’ve turned around and left, if not for Zach, Thomas’schildhood friend, waving me over. Exasperated, Idragged my feet to our table, where the four of us were supposed to have dinner together.
His light blue eyes glinted with amusement, and he gestured from his phone to me. “The perks of having friends with babies, am Iright?”
While Iused to find every word that came out of his mouth hilarious, today, Iwas far less amused. Over the last couple years, actually, nothing he said struck me as funny. “Yes, Zach, you’re right.”
“Think they did it on purpose.” His grin widened. Itried not to scowl harder.
The idea of us dating was something Iwanted long ago, and having it brought up as ajoke hit asoft spot for me. Especially from him. Especially since once upon atime when Iwas young and impressionable at twenty-three years of age, Erin and Thomas played matchmaker with us. It was the beginning of their relationship, and Iwanted what they had. Ialso wanted Zach. Ithought he wanted me too.
Until he didn’t. Whatever had been boiling between us for the first year we knew each other came to an abrupt halt when Erin and Thomas had their three-week break and Istood by her side, juggling her and my growing photography business. Instead of flirty texts, we went toIs Erin okay? Asking for afriendto me answeringShe’ll be fineor something like that.
We talked like friends did. Good friends, even. So friendly, actually, that when he dated other women, he shared it with me. It ticked me off, but then again, we never made it to afirst date, and Icouldn’tblame him for looking for arelationship when Iwas emotionally unavailable. And as much as Itried to stay this cool guy’sfriend, the little organ in my chest couldn’t.
From that point on, our friendship had dwindled to our meetings at Erin and Thomas’sand recently being godparents to their twins and not much else. It made sitting with him in that bistro alone extra weird. Unavoidable, but weird.
“What Ithink this couple needs is amore reliable babysitter agency,” Ianswered as Ityped Erin amessage, telling her not to worry about it.
“My eyes are up here,” he said in ateasing voice.
My head snapped up after hitting thesendbutton, not in the mood to be teased. “Yes, Zach, they are. And my work is at home, and Erin isn’there. Iknow all of that.”
Iplaced my phone back in my bag and stood up, ready to head to my apartment.
“Hey, Laura, wait aminute.” He jumped out of his chair, hands in the air in surrender. “I’msorry if Isaid anything out of line. Please stay.”
The prickling feeling of rejection from years ago whispered Ihad nothing in common with this man, no reason to stay, no reason to be nice. The sincere look he had in his eyes though…Dear grudge, go fuck yourself.
“Apology accepted.” Ismiled, reassuring him as well as myself. “Ireally have to go though.”
“All I’masking for is one beer. What’sthe harm?”
Itwisted my lips to the side, calculating when the last time was that Ihad gone out and had fun. It’dbeen awhile, and Zach could be fun, if Ilet him.
“One drink,” Iwarned him playfully.
“Make it two.”
“Zach…” Isighed. This guy was amaster exasperator.
Iused to stay out and drink for hours, and while Ithought these years would last forever, Ihad to put astop to them. At twenty-six, my one-woman business demanded Istay on top of things, so drunken nights and hungover mornings were tucked away as fond memories.
