I shake my head at the overprotective tone in his messages and toggle back to my feed. Hunter’s mom and younger brother fly in today. Based on the conversation we had at lunch on Wednesday, I know he’s stressed. In the past, I’ve been around to distract him, but this weekend he’s on his own.
Chase walks back into the office with his coworker, Trevor, in tow. Slipping a bud out of my ear, I thank him as he settles the ice on my pulsing ankle. “Hey, Trevor.” I smile at the towering, dimpled man leaning against the doorway. He folds his arms, which only accentuates the curves of his corded biceps as they stretch the short sleeves of his navy EdTechU polo.
“In San Francisco so soon?” Trevor teases with a smirk, referencing the line he tried on me at the engagement party. He’s got a great smile, and without the obstruction of a suit coat, my eyes take in the tattoo sleeve snaking its way up his left arm. Ilovemen with tattoos.
“What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes.”
“Speaking of toes, what happened to your foot?”
“I stopped a purse snatcher with my bare hands.” I make a karate chop motion with my arms for effect.
“Really?” His eyes widen as he straightens his back, arms falling to his sides as if my imaginary attacker is in the room with us. Keeping a straight face, I nod to sell the story. Chase laughs and claps him on the shoulder before walking to his desk.
“Yep,” I say. “If you replaced all those words with ‘fell down the stairs at the club.’”
It takes him a second, but the laughter that booms out of him as he puts together what I said makes me laugh too. “You’re prettyandfunny?” he asks, resuming his lean against the doorway.
Okay now, fine ass, flirty man. My eyes fall to my lap as heat creeps into my cheeks. That “new crush” tingle sparks to life, and I’m not mad about it one bit.
“Are you alright though?” His deep baritone skitters through me as I admire the ink on his sepia skin, fully appreciating his entire aesthetic.
“Pretty sure I’ll live. Chase came in clutch with the ice.”
“I hate to break up this cute little flirting session, but I’ve got to get these reports in before three…” Chase says, glancing at his watch.
Trevor nods and taps the door frame twice. “Welp, it was nice seeing you again so soon, Ashlie.” That smile is still plastered on his face as he walks away.
I squint at Chase. “You planned that, didn’t you?” I wouldn’t put it past him. It’s not the first time he’s tried to play matchmaker.
“Nope,” he says distractedly. “That was all Kayla.”
“Shewouldtry to set me up with the only single man she knows…”
“He’s a good guy, Ash.” He shrugs, glancing at me before turning back to his computer. “Might be worth it.”
Sliding my earbuds back in, I continue scrolling on my phone. Kaylawasright. I gravitate toward shitty men like they’re the center of the universe, and it bites me in the ass every time. Swallowing my nerves and dating a different type could be the thing I need to break out of my rut.
Or it could be even worse for you.
That’s where the hesitation lies. I don’t know what to expect. Shaking the worry from my head before it has the chance to grow, my eyes scan the room and land on a picture of Kayla and Chase from the summer they met. I smile at the memory of him trying to win her over. He’s one of the good ones. If he says Trevor is too, I believe him. Being set up by my best friends might not be the worst thing in the world since my radar isclearlybroken.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ASHLIE
Why the hell are there so many kinds of lace? I’ve been surrounded by itchy tulle and shiny taffeta for too many hours. My face hurts from laughing at all the frilly gowns, each comically wrong for Kayla. She decided which looks she absolutely hates, but other than that, our first dress shopping trip was a bust. The only upside has been spending an entire Saturday with my best friend.
The elevator doors clamp shut, jostling us as it climbs to her fourth-floor apartment. “I’m just saying, if we’re all in Bender for Thanksgiving, we could knock out a bunch of the planning. Shower Tree Lodge would be perfect.” I place a hand on Kayla’s arm to pacify the ensuing argument radiating from her. “It’s big enough for all of us, with a little room to spare. We could have a joint dinner with our families; make a vacation out of it. Just think, five days back home in the mountains.”
Kayla scrunches her face. “Oh, having everyone in the same place makes sense. I just don’t know about renting an entire lodge when we can stay at our parents’ houses for free.”
“Is it a money thing? You know your dad will take care of that.”
She slides a hand on her hip. “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I’m any more comfortable asking for money than I have been in the past.”
Kayla didn’t grow up with her dad—didn’t even know who he was until we all met that summer in Bender. She grew up having to scrimp and save for everything, and five years hasn’t been long enough to convince her that she has so much more support than she used to. Kayla’s dad, Kendall, and Chase’s dad, Russell, co-founded EdTechU. My best friends are technology royalty twice over, even though Kayla doesn’t see it that way. She still tries to rely on her own hard-earned money at all times. I understand her hesitation, but she’s not going to realize she has breathing room until she practices breathing.
“Let’s talk to Chase about it and see what he thinks,” I say, following her down the hallway. I’m 95 percent sure I’ll have to go over her head on this one.
