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“You’re a great friend,” I say. “You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had, but it’s not worth talking about.”
“You’re sure?” she asks.
“Very sure.” I manage a small smile. “I’m glad you came over.”
“Me too.” She sets Dudley down at her feet. “Did you eat dinner yet?”
My stomach has been grumbling a reminder to do just that for the past hour. The last time I ate was this morning when I polished off the cold spaghetti. “Not yet.”
“Let’s go out and grab something,” she suggests, tucking a strand of her blonde hair back into the messy bun at the base of her neck. “My treat.”
“Don’t you need to get home to your handsome fiancé?” I wiggle my brows. “Isn’t he waiting for you?”
She lets out a soft sigh. “He’s working late. He’ll eat when he gets home.”
“You?” I laugh because talking about sex with Arietta always brings a blush to her cheeks.
It works its magic this time, just as it always does.
She runs her fingers over her reddened cheek. “He did that this morning.”
Surprised that she confessed that, I can’t hold in a giggle. “Seriously?”
Her head bobs up and down. “He’s kind of insatiable, Sinclair. I kind of love it.”
“You kind of love him.”
“I really love him,” she corrects me as her gaze falls to the engagement ring on her left hand. “I can’t wait to marry him.”
Between Berk’s upcoming nuptials and Arietta’s, I’m surrounded by soul mates.
She gives her head a little shake. “Enough about me. Let’s get some dinner. I’m starving.”
I glance down at the jeans and red blouse I’m wearing. “Will this do?”
“You look beautiful.” She smiles. “Grab your keys. Maybe your roommate will be home when you get back, and you two can work out your issues.”
If only it were that simple.
I keep that thought to myself and grin. “I needed this, Arietta. You can stop by whenever you want.”
She shoulders the strap of her oversized purse. “I’ll hold you to that. You know I love seeing you and…”
“Dudley,” I finish her sentence.
“I do love seeing Dudley too.” She smiles. “I was going to say that I love seeing you and can’t wait to meet Jameson Sheppard. I know there’s more to that story than you’re telling me.”
I don’t respond to that. Instead, I smile as I point at the door. “Let’s go to dinner. I’m in the mood for a steak and a glass of wine.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jameson
“Did you ask Sinclair to meet us here?” Kalon asks as he glances over my shoulder.
“What? No.” I turn to look in the direction he’s staring.
I spot Sinclair immediately because she’s always stood out in a crowd to me. Once, when we were sixteen, she asked me to meet her on the steps of the Museum of Natural History. It just happened to be when a group of middle school kids rushed out the doors to line up for their school buses after a field trip.
I didn’t have to scour the hordes of faces to find the one I was seeking.
I spotted her immediately in the crowd. I stood there, staring at her, taking in how incredibly beautiful she was.
I’m the first to admit that I lacked courage back then.
The crush I had on Sinclair was a secret to everyone but Kalon. He swore he’d never tell a soul I was crazy about her. To this day, he hasn’t uttered a word to anyone.
“Her friend looks familiar.” He leans forward in his chair before he settles back down. “I swear I’ve seen her before.”
I push back the temptation to grab another look at Sinclair and the woman she’s with. “I don’t know any of her current friends.”
“As opposed to her ex-friends?” Kalon points at me. “Like you?”
I flip my middle finger at him. It’s immature, but it’s a classic move between the two of us. We’ve been doing it for years, but it’s always in jest.
“Should I invite them to join us?” he asks with a chuckle. “There’s enough room at this table for all of us.”
My gaze falls to the small circular table we’re sharing. “There’s not.”
He glances down. “You’re right. You’ll have to admire Sinclair from afar.”
I will if she ends up at a table in my line of sight, but that’s unlikely. Axel Tribeca is packed tonight. We had to wait around at the bar for twenty minutes before the manager came over and directed us here. Before we took our seats, Kalon ordered a bottle of wine. We’re enjoying that now.
“Forget that she’s here,” I say the words, even though the concept is foreign to me. I’ve never been able to forget Sinclair, even when I didn’t see her for years.
Kalon takes a sip from his wine glass. “I’m not a rude fucker, James. If she spots me, I’ll say hello to her.”
Of course, he will. Kalon may be ruthless in the business world, but he’s a gentleman at his core.
