“My birthday? What the fuck? He wasn’t listening at all then.”
“Apparently not.”
“The way he just fanboyed over Xander, I think that might have been all he heard.”
“The dangers of a bestie with a pro-football player boyfriend.” I manage a small laugh even though my throat is scratchy from holding back tears. “I’m just gonna go home. We can do a raincheck. You guys have fun though. Okay?”
“No. No way. I have your cake for later at my place, and then we have reservations in the VIP section at that club we talked about. You can’t go home. I don’t want to spend the night with Carter and his girlfriend.”
“Harper. I love you, but I can eat the cake tomorrow. I can’t do it tonight. Always being the sad spinster one now with you all coupled up is rough enough without having to do it on my birthday. Like there’s a neon sign on my back.”
“I understand. I just wish there was another way. Stupid fanboys not listening… Oh shit! I have an idea. Hold on.”
I frown at her. “What?”
She starts texting fast and furious and smirking at her phone. I hear the little dings in response to several of her messages and my frown deepens.
“What are you doing? Who are you talking to?”
“A solution to the problem. Xander’s just making sure they can put us at a bigger table.”
“What solution? Please don’t invite more people to witness my humiliation. I just want to sneak out of here quietly, unnoticed.” My stomach knots as I think about Carter figuring out that I thought he was going to be my date and how awkward that would be.
Her phone dings again and she grins. “Problem solved.”
“What do you mean, problem solved?” I can’t think of a single fathomable way this problem could be solved without me just leaving.
“Tobias is coming. He’s going to be your date for the night. Fanboy can eat his heart out.”
I love Harper. I really do. But right now? I want to murder her.
TWO
Tobias
I’min the middle of getting ready to go out for the night with a brunette I met at a party a couple of weeks ago. She’d been eager to give me her number and even more eager when I finally texted to see if she wanted to grab drinks somewhere.
She’s currently texting to hint at how hungry she is and how something in her stomach might be a good idea before drinks. While I have no doubt she’s right, I also know this is just her attempt to angle her way into a longer evening. Something I have zero interest in. I thought I’d made it pretty clear in my original offer. If drinks aren’t enough for her, I’m out. I don’t have the energy for more.
There’s really only one thing we have in common, and I don’t want to waste my time pretending there might be more. Our having dinner would just be one long slog of me pretending to give a fuck about anything she’s saying, and her pretending she knows enough about football to care about what I do for a living.
I’m in the middle of typing out my drinks-only offer again when a text pops up from Xander, my best friend and teammate.
Xander:
What are you doing right now?
Trying to keep drinks just drinks instead of dinner with the hot one from Adam’s party a couple of weeks ago. Why?
No dinner plans then?
You inviting me on a date?
Yeah. An accidental triple one. Want to come rescue Scarlett on her birthday?
Obviously. Give me the address and time.
Time is now, and I’ll send you the address. For all intents and purposes - you’re dating her and you just happen to be running late.
