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There was a gentle nudge at my elbow, and I turned my attention to Cameron. She lifted her brows in question, but I played dumb.
“What?” I mouthed to her, watching the tick of annoyance in her left eye.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You seem,” she paused, looking for the right word, “out of it.”
“You and Vinny are both mother hens.” I chuckled quietly, looking back at Alex. But she’d gone silent, her attention on me. Taylor’s and Reid’s as well. “What?”
“Cam is right,” Alex said, her expression mirroring Cameron’s. “You’re not as loud as you usually are.”
“Uh, ouch?”
“You know what I mean,” Alex said, and I did. But I didn’t have any words for what I felt. I was just… off.
“It’s just this business deal that has me a little frazzled,” I lied, reaching for the glass of iced water in front of me. “Derek and his sharks are on my back about signing off but I’m a little hesitant. There’s a lot riding on this contract and I don’t want anything to slip through the cracks.”
“There’s more to it than that,” Cameron said, eyeing me closely. “Is everything okay with Vincent?”
A laugh slipped through my teeth.
“Vinny is fine,” I said flippantly. “He’s just fun; strictly casual.”
“We tell you this all the time, but Hayden, you’re really not this kind of person.” Taylor frowned. “Messing around with some guy who’s twenty years younger than you? Is it really making you happy?”
“Jesus, guys, you really want to get deep this early in the morning?” I chuckled, forcing some mirth into my voice. “I haven’t even thought about drinking yet but you’re obviously a few shots ahead of me.”
“We’re not kidding,” Reid said quietly, her hand squeezing my forearm supportively. But I didn’t want to hear it. Not again.
“Look, I’m just hung up on this deal, okay?” I insisted, heat sitting in my throat. I hated lying to my friends, but I’d already heard their opinions on my dating life. I didn’t want to think about it. “I could really use a distraction right now.”
There was a beat of silence around the table before Cameron spoke. “You only need a distraction when you’ve been spooked, Hayden.”
And, God damn it, she was right. As usual.
“Fine!” I conceded, my heart squeezing painfully. “Fine, okay? I- ugh, I met someone last night.”
“And?” Cameron pushed, her eyes hopeful.
“She was funny and beautiful and nothing,” I said. “She was in a tight spot and I helped her out of it. But it’s nothing more than that.”
“Hayden,” Cameron deadpanned, “it obviously is a lot more than that. What’s her name?”
“Frankie.”
“Does Frankie not have a last name?” Taylor pressed.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure she does, but I didn’t ask.” I scowled. “It’s not like I’m going to see her again.”
“But you want to.”
I glared at Cameron, at her knowing grin and the familiarity twinkling in her dark eyes.
“Yes, Cameron, I want to see her again,” I admitted, my chest aching at the confession. “But I’m not going to, and even if I did, it would mean nothing. I don’t do serious relationships. I am strictly casual.”
“She could be casual, too,” Reid pointed out and I scoffed, just a little salty.
