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The guy has dark skin and beautiful eyes that sparkle with mirth. He’s about my height but, like, twice as stocky. Even through his jeans and T-shirt I can see his sculpted, lickable muscles. I’d guess he’s in his mid-to-late thirties, so about a decade older than me.
A perfect Daddy age.
Yeah, sue me, lol. I’m so lovesick over my best friend that lusting after a stranger is, quite frankly, a welcome distraction. Colby isn’t so sure, but I’m convinced we both need handsome Daddies to look after us. I was into that scene when I briefly lived in LA. In my fantasies, our Daddies are also best friends so that Colby and I can still see each other all the time as well.
“Hi,” the guy says with a sheepish smile that I swear to god could stop traffic. “I hope this isn’t weird, me turning up like this unannounced, but I’m looking for Sunshine_Dino or JayBirdQueen94.”
“You’re British,” I say, playing with the feathers on my collar. If I had long hair, you can bet I’d be twirling it. “Wow, that’s so cool. Oh! Yeah, I’m JayBirdQueen94. I don’t know who…” I blink. Actually, Idoknow who the other person is. “Sunshine_Dino? That’s the jerk who outbid me on eBay! Wait?” My brain is working extremely slowly. I blame the half a mimosa I drank. But I finally register the box Mr. Handsome is holding in his hands. “Are you andylad2000?”
He chuckles as Colby appears at my elbow. He’s shorter than me, even when I’m not wearing fluffy heeled slippers, so he comes up to my shoulder. “Did you say Sunshine_Dino?”
“Yes, I did,” the guy says, looking relieved. He turns his gaze back to me. “And yes, I’m andylad2000.”
I blink and look at my best friend. “How did you know that…? No!” I shriek and bat his arm. “Is that you? How did I not know your eBay handle?”
Colby frowns at me. “What are you talking about?”
I drop my head back and laugh, feeling weirdly relieved. “Christina on a cracker, does that mean you won the Jurassic Galaxy set that I was trying to buy for you?”
His eyes go impossibly wide.“You’reJayBirdQueen94?” he cries. Then he blinks and probably thinks about the name some more. “Of course you are. Oh my god.”
I wave my hands with a flourish. “The one and only.” I look at andylad2000 again. “Did you know?”
“I worked it out from your messages, yes.” He looks at us both with such warmth it makes my skin tingle. “I wanted to deliver the collection in person and surprise you, seeing as it’s a Christmas present for the both of you.”
Tears pool in my eyes as Colby and I share an incredulous look. “I can’t believe we were trying to buy it for each other,” he whispers faintly.
I grab his shoulders. “And now we can SHARE it! Eeekkk! This is amazing!” I start dancing on the spot before remembering that we have a guest. “That’s so sweet you came out to deliver it in person! Would you like to come in?”
“I’d love to,” he says, and we make room for him to step inside. “I’m Andreas, by the way.”
“I’m Jalen, and this is Colby,” I tell him, hugging my bestie to my side as Andreas closes the door behind him. “This is like a Christmas miracle! Come in, come in. Would you like a drink? We have lemonade or iced tea, or a beer if you like?”
“Iced tea would be lovely,” Andreas says as we make our way back into the living room. I shove Colby into the armchair that I was previously lounging on and shoo Andreas onto the sofa. I don’t mind playing host and getting us drinks, and then I can sit on the beanbag.
“Did you take the train?” I ask as I bustle into the kitchen, grabbing glasses.
“Uh, no, I drove,” Andreas calls after me. “I’m out in Mosman, so it only took about forty minutes.”
Mosman? Jesus, this guy must be rich. For a second, embarrassment flashes through me at him being in our shabby little apartment out in Mount Druitt. But then I remember what my mama always said. “Good manners are the greatest wealth of all, mijo.It costs nothing to be kind and polite.”
In no time at all, I sweep back into the living room with an iced tea for Andreas and a mimosa for Colby. If he’s half as shocked as I am, he’s going to need it.
He’s got the box Andreas was carrying in his lap. As I sit down, he looks between me and our guest. “Shall I…?”
“Gaga on a go-kart,yes, girl!Open that pretty baby!” I blink and turn to Andreas. “Oh, if that’s okay with you?”
He laughs. It’s a beautiful, low, rumbling sound that makes me shiver. “Of course. Why don’t you boys open it together?”
I giggle and wiggle my fingers. “I guess we could?”
Colby looks at me with such affection. “Yeah, let’s open it together, Jay.”
I know he just sees me as a friend—and that’s ABSOLUTELY for the best. But damn it, if doesn’t make my heart stutter.
I gleefully crawl over to him and attack one end while he tears into the other. My false nails aren’t very useful in this situation, but before I can ping one off, Andreas is by my side, offering me his pen knife.
“What a Boy Scout,” I purr, flicking my eyes over him and making him laugh. I might seem confident and flirty on the outside, but in reality, I’m glad I’m already kneeing down because he’s turned my legs to jelly. Seriously, where did this British hottie come from?
