“Why would I?”
“So your license doesn’t look like a mug shot.” I laughed.
“Excuse me for not ‘smizing.’ Not all of us are hot models.” He jerked his chin at my photo.
I grinned. “Aw, you think I’m hot. See, it pays to have the bouncer like your ID. That’s probably half of why you let me into that New Year’s Eve party.” The other half was pity. Or Shelby. But at least I knew he wasn’t inclined to smile in most photos now, even ones we weren’t faking.
Harvey narrowed his gaze. “I thought you two met at Fancee’s.”
“They first met in high school.” Shelby propped her chin up with her hands, her eyes aglow with hanging bar lights. “Do youthink you’d have dated each other back then if the other person asked you out?”
“What?” Something tight banded around my lungs. I uncrossed my legs and bumped my knee into the table. The napkin dispenser rattled. I shot my palm out to steady it.
Zack spread his legs and warmed mine from the contact. “I would have, from what I remember.”
I gaped at him. “You would’ve?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his ear on his shoulder. “You were cute and nice and actually did work in group projects.”
“Why didn’t you ask me out then?”
“I don’t know.” He stiffened and glanced at all of us. Was he looking for an exit?
Harvey stifled a chuckle and twirled the ends of Shelby’s hair around his finger. “You starting trouble, sugar?”
“No.” She pouted.
Zack scrunched down in his seat. “I thought you were too quiet, I guess.”
“Too quiet?” I bristled.
“I bet he doesn’t think that now,” Harvey told Shelby.
I fixed him with a hard stare. “You want to chill on the commentary, Mr. Bean?”
He snorted.
Shelby tilted her head. “Mr. Bean?”
“Because he sells coffee.” Zack smirked like he loved that I’d been feisty.
Wasn’t I supposed to be classy though? Wasn’tthatthe character he needed from me? The girlfriend with a steady, respectable job and health insurance. The one who could deflect from invasive questions with grace. Not someone who snapped over stupid comments from his cousin’s boyfriend. Definitely not someone who sold feet pics.
The server came over with our drinks, so we all sat back and thanked her. She had an extra-wide smile for Zack. He didn’t seem to notice, thankfully. He wasn’t the type to flirt for free refills.
I posted a pic of my drink and tried to untangle the knot in my chest. Whatever Zack and I thought of each other in high school didn’t matter. He’d gone from the gruff quarterback shoulder-checking people in hallways to a gentle, bold giant. But if he was telling the truth, and he really would’ve dated my wallflower self in high school, that meant he’d probably date me as I was now: confident, chaotic, and loud.
Shelby patted Harvey’s knee. “You know, I thought Harvey was a real grinch when we first met, and he thought I was—”
“Bubbly.” He hugged her close, and she giggled.
“Annoying,” she clarified.
Zack arched his eyebrow. “And hedoesn’tthink that now?”
I nudged his knee for Shelby’s sake.
She snuggled in toward her boyfriend and tucked her chin down. “I’m just glad you two were able to see the real person underneath, like me and Harvey.”
