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That’s because I was too busy sneaking around with Cole. I never really noticed anyone else in town. Not that I can tell them that. That would mean telling them I’ve been lying to them both for over a year. It’s times like this that I hate the lie Cole and I have been keeping for all this time. Not being able to tell Piper and Harlow about our arrangement has led to even more lies while I’ve tried to justify my lack of interest in the male species. It would be so much simpler if I could just tell them why I haven’t been pursuing anyone. But telling them the truth would just lead to a whole lot more questions. Not to mention some awkward attempts at matchmaking. I don’t know if either of them would believe that Cole and I are just friends with benefits. I doubt they’d let it go without at least trying to get us to date. And I don’t need to hear Cole say it again to know that he’s not interested in settling down for good.
I shrug. “I was settling into a new town and a new job. Finding my rhythm. Now, I think I’m ready.”
Piper drops the subject, but part of me wonders if she fully buys my excuse. If not, she doesn’t press the issue. Instead, she starts peppering me with questions about my date. By the time the food arrives, I’m already exhausted from fielding a million questions while maintaining my huge secret. Sometimes I wonder if all the rules Cole and I came up with are even worth it. There are times like tonight when it would be easier if everyone knew about our little fling.
“Do you think he could be the one?” Harlow asks.
For a split second I worry that my face betrayed some of my thoughts. Then I realize she’s asking about my date. I push aside thoughts of Cole Prescott and tell them all about the guy I’m having dinner with on Friday.
“It’s way too early for that,” I say. “He’s cute. But not like over-the-top. He’s funny and has a nice smile. He works in finance, I think.”
“Finance?” Piper says. “Like accounting?”
Her tone makes it clear how she feels about that. I roll my eyes. Piper worked as an accountant before she decided to move to some small town no one had ever heard of and open a coffee shop. She’d secretly hated her career as an accountant and probably still harbors some ill will toward the profession. She’s much happier now than she was before. Looking back, I’m surprised I never noticed it before. Or maybe it wasn’t that she was unhappy back then. It’s just that she’s so much happier now that the difference is impossible not to see.
I shake my head. “Like investments, I think. I don’t know all the details.”
“Sounds boring as hell,” Harlow says.
I laugh. “It’s notmyjob. If he likes it, I don’t care.”
“Yeah, but if you date him, he’s going to want to tell you about his day,” Piper says. “All the exciting investments he’s making.”
It's obvious how she feels about the idea of listening to someone talk about investments. She’s not wrong, though. I really don’t know if I can pretend to be interested in investment talk. But that’s what the date is for, right? To see if Dillon and I are compatible.
“It’s a first date,” I say. “It’s not like we’re making plans to spend our lives together. I’ll worry about how boring his job is once I figure out if I even like the guy.”
“Makes sense,” Harlow says. “You can’t tell much about someone from the first meeting, anyway.”
“That’s true,” Piper agrees. “When I first met Luke, I was convinced he was a womanizing jerk.”
“I think he was before he met you,” I joke.
She shakes her head, smiling. “I don’t care about his past. As long as I’m his future.”
“Aw,” Harlow gushes. “You two are sickeningly adorable.”
“You’re one to talk,” I say. “You and Linc can’t keep your hands off one another.”
She just grins. “I can’t help it if the man is madly in love with me.”
“The feeling is clearly mutual,” I say drily.
She sighs. “It really is.”
We spend the next hour laughing and talking while we demolish a pitcher of margaritas and three different plates of appetizers. By the time we’re ready to call it a night, I feel a strong urge to open the top button on my jeans. I love these nights with Piper and Harlow, but my waistline has noticed the effects of so much delicious food. Not that I’m complaining. I love my body the way it is. And so has every man I’ve ever been with. I know Cole never had any complaints.
I wince internally. Why am I thinking about Cole right now? I should be thinking about my upcoming date. Or my heavy caseload. Or my sister’s wedding. Anything but the man I stopped sleeping with only 48 hours ago. I can’t seem to help myself, though. I wonder if he’s upset that I ended things. If so, he didn’t show it. Maybe I should talk to him. I could clear the air and make sure there are no hard feelings. But what would I even say?Hey Cole, sorry I decided we can’t have toe-curling sex anymore. We cool?
“Earth to Layna,” Piper says, pulling me out of my musings and back to the present.
From the looks on the faces of the two women, I’m guessing they’ve been trying to get my attention for a while now.
“What’s up?” I ask, pasting on a smile.
Piper’s brow furrows. “We were talking about wedding hair. Do you want your hair up or down?”
“Oh,” I say, thinking quickly. How long had I been zoned out? “I think down would be more comfortable. But up definitely looks more elegant. It’s your wedding, Pipes. How do you want your photos?”
