After driving myself crazy with questions that held no discernible answers, I decided to distract myself by leaving the house to pick up some takeout from The Homestead. I wasn't in the mood to cook and the fresh air would help calm the queries that burned like an inferno through my mind.
Despite being a Monday, The Homestead still drew a decent amount of foot traffic, with most of the tables full of the after-work gang and regulars.
As I waited at the bar for my order, I heard a familiar voice call out my name.
Sofia waved at me from her table; a big, welcoming smile crowding her gorgeous face. Simon, her now fiance, was seated close by her side. His face wasn't as welcoming, but he still lifted his chin in a lukewarm greeting. I wasn't feeling very social, but I could never resist the temptation to rile Simon up.
"Hey, Sof," I grinned as I greeted her.
I recognized the other couple with them—Barron; Simon's cousin; and Eden; Sofia's close friend. I’d met them a few times through Sofia—usually when I bumped into them at The Homestead, which Barron owned.
They were newlyweds, and judging by the way Eden was practically on Barron's lap with his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, it was clear that they were still firmly in the honeymoon stage.
I reached down to hug Sofia, hiding a smirk when Simon refused to let go of her arm.
Though I lived to wind Simon up by flirting outrageously with Sofia, I ended the hug quickly before detaching myself.
A sudden vision of another man wrapped around Maria pounded through me. My throat felt strangled. Suddenly, it didn't seem so funny anymore.
"Simon." I reached out a hand, and we shook amicably.
Sofia and I had shared some wild nights, but I didn't feel anything more than friendship for her. There was no awkwardness or lingering threads of attraction.
Out of respect for Simon, she never texted or called me anymore for a chat, but we did bump into each other now and then and had a few drinks—with Simon always present, of course.
"Hey, Barron. Eden. Good to see ya." Eden gave me a sweet smile as I shook Barron's hand.
"Hey, Brian," Barron greeted. "What brings you by?" He looked behind me to see if I’d come with anyone.
"Just here to pick up some takeout. Had a craving for your chili chicken wings."
"Oooh!" Eden gushed. "They're my fav from the menu and the reason I have to add an extra hour to my workouts." She patted her stomach for emphasis.
Eden was a pretty well-known fashion model. Her whole world was outside my sphere of knowledge or interest, but even I knew who Eden Jamison was. The first time Sofia introduced us, my mind went to mush because I could've sworn I’d seen a full-sized ad of Eden down the side of a building when I was last in New York.
"You're perfect the way you are," Barron growled before planting a kiss on the side of her head. Eden rolled her eyes at me, but twin red circles appeared on her high cheekbones. Yep, definitely in the loved-up honeymoon stage.
I rubbed at the ache in my chest.
"Are you eating alone?" Sofia asked.
"Yeah. Well, I planned on taking my order home to eat alone." And probably stay up late, torturing myself.
A server approached with my food, and I resisted the urge to open the bag and inhale. I could smell the sweet and sticky sauce, which reminded my stomach that I hadn't eaten anything since mid-morning. I’d been too nervous about today's session. With good reason, it seemed.
"No, don't do that. Come join us," Sofia urged.
I raised a brow. I didn't mind joining them but didn't want to intrude on their socializing. After all, I only really knew Sofia and Simon. "Uh –"
"Yeah, man, come on." Simon tacked on, surprising me.
I eyed him suspiciously as he stared at the brown paper bag I held with something akin to desire. The paper scrunched under my hand as I tightened my hold on my goods.
Ultimately, the decision was taken out of my hands when Eden stood and collected another chair from an empty table. "That chicken's best eaten hot. It's all about the crunch!" she enthused as she gestured to the spare chair.
I wouldn't have it said that I turned down an invite from Eden Jamison, so I sat my ass down—careful to hold my food away from Simon's grubby fingers. I didn't mind if Eden wanted some of my food, of course. Or anyone else.
Seeing that his wife was staring forlornly at my wings, Barron decided to order a few tasters from the kitchen.
