“You know when you see someone you haven’t seen in forever, and you remember enjoying their company and having a great impression of them. That’s Darren. I haven’t seen him in over a year…. But then it all starts to click, and you remember the circumstances of how you met. In this case, mutual friends introduced me to Darren's roommate, who I started dating, and then the conversation of extracurricular activities came up, and Darren explained he works part time in this club, and me and his roommate started going. And it was weird at first, but Darren made me feel all comfortable, while my boyfriend treated me like shit. Darren moved out because he was tired of my then-boyfriend always leaving half-eaten yogurt containers near the sink—and quite frankly, that should have been a red flag. Who doesn’t finish their yogurt? It’s not like there’s all that much in a container. But when Darren moved out, it made me super sad because then I could only see him at the club. When I broke up with my now ex, I stopped going, which was doubly sad because I couldn’t watch Darren get all nervous and flirty with Jade, and that’s a plot thread I never got any resolution to.”
The world around me blurs as I replay the memories in my head, and when I finally stop to breathe, I see Joey, eyes narrowed and a deep frown spread across his face. Darren is waving his hands in a frantic way that screams please for the love of everything holy, stop speaking. Cam is straight up horrified.
Oh no…
A new sense of dread hits me. “And of course you know who he is because you’re his boss, and I said all of that out loud instead of in my head where no one else can hear me.”
This! This is why I don’t like to let the Narrator Lady speak. Every one of my worst nightmares is coming true. God, why didn’t I google the closest cliff yet? Maybe I could hurl myself over the ledge and onto the dance floor. Probably not high enough to kill me, and it would be terrible press for Cam’s opening, and he seems like such a nice guy.
I focus back on Darren, who is now a million shades of red, and I can’t tell if he’s embarrassed for me or him, or kinda pissed. Behind me there’s a series of rapid huffs of air on the back of my neck. What the hell?
I turn back to see Joey smiling and trying, but failing, to hold back his laughter. “Sorry,” I whisper. “We good?”
His lips curl up and he nods. “We’re good.”
But there’s a plot thread I’ve got to tie up, and my little hyperfixated brain won’t let me move forward until I know. I turn back to Darren, hoping he’s still standing where I left him. “Are you and Jade finally dating?”
Grae steps in and throws his hands up in the air. “Noooooo. And I don’t understand why. They would be fucking cute together.”
“I know, right!” Finally, someone else agrees.
Grae nudges his bodyguard on his arm. “And she works with my favorite tattoo artist. I could get some fresh ink, and you could have a chat with Jade. It would be easy.”
Darren scrubs his face and exhales. “I’ve got to keep you alive.”
“I’m a grown-ass man, and I only almost died twice… three times.” Darren skewers him with an ‘are you serious right now’ look. “Okay, no more than ten times. But you can’t use me as an excuse to run away from your happiness.”
I cross my arms and shake my head. “I told him that a year ago. Unless it’s some club policy…” I turn my attention to Joey, who is full on smirking.
“No, it’s not policy. I think Darren’s being a chicken shit,” Joey says flatly.
Now Grae is basically giddy. “I think that’s something we can all agree on.” He motions with his hand like he’s holding up a giant billboard. “Darren: will take a bullet for you but is too scared to ask the woman he’s been crushing on for years now on a date.”
I shake my head. “That’s a long title. ‘Chicken Shit Darren’ it is.”
“Yes! That’s the winner,” Grae says and gives me a high five.
Our skin makes contact, and here’s the thing—I thought I would be swooning. An absolute sex puddle. But no. Nothing. He’s pretty, sweet and funny. But no fun flutters in my belly. The contact was friendly, benign. Platonic. I’m not attracted to him.
But when I turn around, I see the vein pulsing in Joey’s head. And that does more for me than all my demon smut books combined.
Chapter Twelve
Joey
Un-fucking-believable. Who does this guy think he is? This man who I am definitely not intimated by because he looks like a final draft of a Roman god of hotness and sexuality. Nope, not intimated at all. But he sure as shit shouldn’t be hitting on my girlfriend. No, wrong word. My… date? My dog walker? The label doesn’t fucking matter, she’s mine.
Hmm. Has anyone ever been mine? I can’t think straight, and I have zero time to ponder that question, but I don't want this guy talking to her anymore.
My hand is at war with itself. Should I pull out my gun and shoot him, or yank her back to my side and grab her ass?
“Joey, a word,” Darren says and steps to the side.
Fuckboy over there takes this moment to offer his hand to Cam. “Hi, I’m Grae. I wanted to thank you for the invitation to your opening. You’ve got one hell of a place here.”
Vaguely I think I hear Cam say, “Oh everyone knows who you are.”
First of all, no. I do not. And second, Cam never ever gushes over anyone, but he looks like he's about to drop to his knees for whoever this Grae guy is.
