AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Doubtful.” Barrett snorts and glances around the bar. “You should pick up someone new.”
My eyes snag on the hot redhead with the nose ring at the bar. My buddy notices.
“Grace is married to the suited guy sitting at the center of the bar.”
“Ah.” I notice now, the way she leans close to the guy and smiles, her eyes twinkling. “Yeah, I’m definitely not a suit.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. Neither am I, and I’ve worn plenty of suits. The clothes don’t make the man, my friend.” The TV catches his attention for a moment before he asks, “What about Allie?”
“What about her?” I shrug. Isn’t it obvious she’s a nonissue? Why do I find myself explaining that lately? First to Jules and now to Barrett.
“She’s single,” Fox reiterates.
“If you can believe a word out of Xavier McCormack’s mouth,” I practically spit his name.
“I met him once at a party in Miami.”
I lift my eyebrows, waiting. And?
“Douche,” Barrett confirms. I nod, justified in my assumptions.
“You and Beth dated in college and then tried again and again. You know how it goes.” I swipe the condensation from my beer bottle. It’s a muggy June day. I’m grateful that a majority of the Murphy remodel will be indoors. For years I spent workdays with Dad outside in whatever elements came our way. Granted, I still have a deck to build at the Murphy house…if the lumber order comes in correctly.
“It’s surreal to see her in person,” I continue. “I stayed the same. She went on to become a celebrity adored by the masses. It’s like the second she was away from me she became successful.”
“Jealous?” Barrett smirks.
“No.” I have a strange, albeit late, epiphany sitting across from my friend who’s a celebrity by most people’s standards. “That’s probably how Beth sees you.”
“As the one who got away? She doesn’t. Trust me.” Good-naturedly, he laughs. “The celebrity thing is a façade. Success is hard to measure. Years of being in the spotlight and behaving like the public expected did not a life make. I understand that now.”
“Deep.”
“That’s me.” He’s always been more than glad to let the press take chunks out of him, but he’s more complex than his outside persona lets on. Even still, I continue ribbing him.
“Tell me, Fox, have you finally arrived?”
Just when I think he’s going to spew bullshit about him being at his peak, he surprises me. “No. But I’m closer.”
He grins before tipping his beer bottle. See? Complex. He’s been smitten by Catarina. I noticed it when I ran into them at the beer garden last year, and he’s only gotten worse since. Poor bastard. Every smart guy knows not to fall for the smart, pretty, rich girl.
“Ready for some real advice?” Barrett asks, sobering abruptly.
“Hit me.”
“Get laid. Finish the job at the Murphy house. Let Allie roll off your back and settle into your past where she belongs. She’s not the girl you used to know. She’s changed. You’ve changed.”
It’s good advice.
“Are we done clucking like hens now? Can we play darts?”
“If you want to lose fifty bucks.” I stand, ready to do anything besides talk about Allie or my fumble with Kim. “Second thought, make it a hundred.”
He starts for the dartboard, beer in hand. “You’re on.”
