I decide to help Jared out by diverting attention away from him.
“What about you guys? How did you two meet?” I ask Cody and Ryan.
Ryan suddenly becomes interested in peeling the label off his beer bottle. “Um… we met when we were little.”
Jared raises his eyebrows. “That’s not quite the full tale.”
Ryan rolls his eyes as he stops harassing his bottle. “Okay, yeah, it’s a bit complicated. The story basically goes: once upon a time, my mother was married to Cody’s dad. They had our sisters Kate and Mel, and then they divorced. My mum went on to marry my dad and have me, and Cody’s dad married his mum and had him. So we’ve never been stepbrothers, but we do have sisters in common. And we saw each other at stuff like our sisters’ birthday parties and music recitals when we were kids.”
“You’re missing the part in the fairy tale about how our parents loathed each other for years, so we hardly knew each other growing up,” Cody says.
“Oh yeah, and I also forgot to mention how our sisters constantly told me they wished I’d be more like their other brother when I was a kid. But they weren’t exactly pleased one summer when we got to know each other and I decided to adopt the motto, ‘If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,’” Ryan says.
“So, a simple, straightforward love story then,” I deadpan.
I love the look Jared gives me when Cody and Ryan laugh. It’s a combination of affection and pride. My stomach does this swooping thing in response.
The conversation moves on to paramedic stories, which is probably fitting for a Hero Awards banquet.
Although the focus of the stories is more about the funny shit that paramedics see rather than their heroic deeds.
Ryan launches into a tale about a man who got his head stuck in a fence trying to retrieve his toupee.
“At least animals have better excuses,” I say. “I’m training to be a vet nurse, and last week, I had a dog who needed stitches on his ear after getting stuck in a letterbox slot. But that’s just dogs being dogs. Humans should know better.”
“You’d think,” Jared agrees. “But last month, Ryan and I had to attend to someone who glued their fingers to their eyelids trying to apply false lashes while drunk.”
“And the difference is your patients can’t lie about what they’ve shoved where they shouldn’t have,” Ryan adds. “Our patients try to convince us that, somehow, a remote control just naturally migrated to places remotes really shouldn’t go.”
I’m busy laughing at Ryan’s words when I spot a familiar figure across the room. My stomach drops like an elevator with cut cables and my amusement dies a premature death.
It’s Carlos.
He’s here with a date who could be my ghost from two years ago. Platinum-blond hair styled to perfection, sharp cheekbones, designer clothes. The guy is young, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, with that polished look I used to have when I thought being beautiful was a career plan.
Carlos sees me at the same moment I notice him. His eyes widen slightly, then slide to Jared beside me. There’s a moment where I see him calculating before he steers his date toward us with the determination of someone who can’t resist poking at a bruise.
“Felix,” he says smoothly, stopping at our table. “What a surprise.”
His date sways slightly, pupils blown wide. Not drunk, but definitely on something. Molly maybe, or cocaine.
“Carlos.” I stand to face him, and I’m surprised to find I feel…nothing. Not anger, not hurt, just a deep-down realization that Carlos is not worth my time.
Carlos’s eyebrows rise. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Aren’t you working with animals now?” He manages to say those words with a hint of disdain.
“Yes, I’m still training to be a vet nurse. And I’m here with my date, Jared.” I turn to Jared. “Jared, I believe I’ve told you about Carlos.”
Even though Jared and I are only in the FWB category, I have no doubt Jared will have my back in this situation. Because Jared is the type of guy who protects people, whether they’re officially his or just his right now.
Sure enough, Jared stands, extending his hand for a handshake with perfect politeness The side-by-side matchup doesn’t do Carlos any favors. Jared’s got several inches on Carlos and is far more handsome than Carlos with his overly groomed ferret-like face.
I hide a smile when I see Carlos discreetly shaking out his hand after Jared lets go, and I catch the tiniest satisfied quirk at the corner of Jared’s mouth. He’s not usually the territorial type, but something about seeing him claim me, even in this small way, makes my chest warm.
“This is…” Carlos pauses, and I realize he might not actually remember his date’s name. “Tyler.”
“Ty,” the boy corrects softly, but Carlos is already talking over him.
“The bank sponsors these awards. You know how these charity things are, have to show face.” Carlos’s doing that thing where he makes everything sound like an exhausting obligation he’s too important to enjoy.
