His arms relaxed, and I moved out of his grasp and turned to face him.
“I hate that guy,” he said. “I didn’t like the way he was talking about you. I thought if I told him those things, he’d leave you alone.”
“But you thought I was willingly going on a date with him?”
“Yes, that’s how he made it sound.”
“Yet you were trying to ruin my date?”
“Wait a minute. One minute you’re mad that I said those things to the biggest asshole in town, and now you’re mad that I was trying to ruin your date?” He threw his hands in the air.
“Well, if you thought I wanted to go out with him, and you told him what you told him—that was a dick move. Either way, you’re the asshole.”
“I’m the asshole?”
I glared at him. “You’re definitely the asshole.”
“You can twist this however you want, Firefly, I was trying to help you out.”
“Well, that’s a funny way of helping someone out.”
“Did you get the car?”
“I did not. After he talked about my virginity and tried to woo me with a glass of wine, I got the hell out of there.” I shook my head with disgust and then glanced over at his sandwich and reached for it. “I haven’t had lunch yet, so I’ll be taking this with me. I would suggest you watch your back, Charles.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he grumped.
“I’m just saying ... karma is a patient gangster. And this mother of five will be waiting for the right moment to strike.”
He groaned as I stormed out the door.
But I had a big smile on my face when I reached the guys who were all sitting around the large card table eating.
Will looked up at me, his lips turning up on one side. “Everyone alive in there?”
I glanced at the empty chair that I assumed was for Charlie, and I made my way over and sat down. “He’s alive for now. But I can’t promise that will last long.”
They laughed as Charlie walked out of the kitchen, his gaze moving to each of us.
“I’ll be back. I’m going to grab a sandwich,” he growled as he walked past the table. “You’re all a bunch of traitors.”
The group erupted in laughter as I took a bite of the sandwich.
I wasn’t sure how I’d pay him back, but I was determined to think of something.
Chapter Eight
Charlie
“I think we should all take a shot,” Julia said to Benji when he stopped by our table to grab our order. The woman’s enthusiasm was giving me a headache, and we’d only been here for fifteen minutes.
She’d texted me half a dozen times today because Jeanne had taken it upon herself to give Julia my phone number, even though this was supposed to be a casual get-together with friends.
She’d asked what I was going to wear tonight, which was weird as fuck to ask a dude.
She’d asked if my babysitter could spend the night, which was not happening, and I’d made that clear.
She’d asked if I thought we should try to bail on Jeanne and Tim, so we could be alone.
