I wasn’t usually one to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t block out the conversation next to me. Especially when the brunette said, “Oh, damn it, he’s here. I’ll wait for you at the bar. You tell me if you want me to intervene or something.”
“I’m sure that’s not going to be necessary, but I am grateful that you’re here. Thanks.”
I watched the blonde as she slid off her chair and walked to one of the tables. Then I focused my attention on the bartender and asked for a scotch on the rocks. It was my favorite drink.
The brunette kept her eyes on her friend and the guy who’d just arrived. She didn’t order anything.
The bartender handed me the scotch, and while taking a few sips, I kept replaying the meeting with Jude over and over in my mind.
“Oh no,” the brunette murmured a few minutes later. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Want help?” I asked. I couldn’t help myself. And besides, thinking about the issue with Jude was pointless right now. I needed a solid strategy, and I wasn’t going to develop it while drinking scotch. I was still a bit pissed about him calling me out. Really, what did someone’s dating record have to do with anything?
The brunette turned to look at me, narrowing her eyes, obviously annoyed that I’d been listening. “You’ve been sitting here a while, huh? I wasn’t sure if you were eavesdropping or not.”
“Hey, you weren’t exactly keeping your voice down.”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s true.”
She turned to look at her friend and groaned. “Oh, that fucker. I always knew he wasn’t good for her, you know. He jerked Phoebe around for years, and then he broke her heart. Crap! I should have hired someone to pretend to be her boyfriend this evening or something.”
I looked at her incredulously, but she seemed completely serious.
Eh, why not?
“You know what? I’ll do it. No need to pay me.”
I had no idea what possessed me to do it. I was impulsive, but even for me, this was insane. The truth was, I was simply looking for an excuse to meet the blonde.
What a strange evening this was. It kept taking unexpected turns.
CHAPTER 4
PHOEBE
I was a mess.I ordered a glass of pinot noir to calm my nerves and stupidly didn’t even check the prices beforehand. God, I hoped Marshall picked up the tab. I couldn’t afford twenty-eight bucks for a glass of wine. I didn’t even know it could cost that much.
I sat straighter on my chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Veronica smiling at me from the bar.
Marshall hadn’t seen her yet, but I didn’t care if he did. I wouldn’t apologize for needing the support of my best friend after what he put me through.
“You look great,” he said once the waiter left with our drink orders. He was tan, and his hair had blond streaks from the sun, presumably from what was to have been our vacation.
I opened my mouth and realized I didn’t even know how to start a conversation with him. I didn’t know how to make small talk. What was I supposed to say? Ask him if he had fun on what was supposed to beourtrip?
I rolled my shoulders back. “So, what was so important that you didn’t want to tell me over the phone? Why did you need to meet me?”
He grimaced. “Look, I don’t think there’s any good way totell you this, so I’m just going to rip off the Band-Aid. I’m getting married.”
I felt as if someone had just hit me with a ton of bricks. For a few seconds, my vision blurred, and my mouth went dry. I was about to fall out of my chair.
“I wanted you to find out from me, not from anyone else.”
I grabbed my throat, but no words came out. Finally, I croaked, “How is that possible?”
He winced. “Do you really want details?”
Did I? I was trying not to scream or cry. But for some reason, I needed to know, even though I wasn’t sure it would make me feel better.
