“Remember that chick who followed you around for the whole of college?” he asked.
Aiden rolled his eyes. “Enough,” he said. “I don’t like this bit where you all make fun of me.”
“She was crazy,” Caleb laughed, apparently ignoring him. “You slept with her, what, once?”
“Parents at the table,” Aiden said, covering his face with his hands. “And yes, it was just once.”
I glanced at his parents, who seemed to be enjoying the story just as much as everyone else.
“And then she just wouldn’t let it go,” Davies or David or Davey laughed. “What was her name, Tara or something? She just wasobsessedwith you, man. I don’t know what she saw in you, but she wouldn’t stop.”
“I have an idea,” Cade said with a shy grin. “I kind of feel the same way.”
“Only kind of?” Aiden asked, peeking out from behind his hands to give him an indignant look.
I went back to eating my food. I didn’t need all of these reminders of how single I was and how no one wanted me to the extent that I had to pay for company. I didn’t need to listen to any of this.
Maybe I just shouldn’t have come.
“So, where did you two meet?” Keaton asked. I looked over at him and realized that he was talking to me and Rowe; the rest of the table was back to normal conversation again, the best man's speech apparently over.
“Work,” I said briefly. The fewer details, the better.
“We’re in the same office,” Rowe explained. “Actually, we sit back to back. Which is a shame, because I only get to see the back of his head for most of the day.”
I blinked. Wasn’t that what I had always thought of him?
I looked at him. There was no way he wanted to look at me all day, too, was there?
“How long have you been together?” Keaton asked. “Xavi surprised me when he said he was bringing his boyfriend along. I didn’t even know you two had…” He made a gesture in the air with his fork which I figured was supposed to be a polite way to say hooked up.
“It’s pretty new,” I said, jumping in before we could have some embarrassing situation where Rowe said one thing and I said something else. “I, uh. I didn’t want to jinx it. I couldn’t believe my luck, really. Someone like Rowe…”
Rowe nudged me. “Don’t say that,” he said. “You’re a catch, too.”
I snorted and shook my head. Now, he was definitely going to give the game away. No one who really knew me would ever think that.
“It’s a lot, to be thrown in at the deep end with his friends,” Keaton said sympathetically. “Sorry we made you answer those couples’ questions. It’s all in good spirit, I promise.”
I wasn’t convinced about that – at least on Ace’s side – but I didn’t say a thing.
“It’s okay,” Rowe said. He smiled and looked at me. He looked at me like he was the only thing he was seeing. Damn, he was a much better actor than I had expected. I was getting my money’s worth. “This is new, like Xavi said. There’s a lot of time for us to get to know each other even better. And I’m glad to be able to meet the people who matter the most to him.”
His gaze lingered on me until he was sure I had registered the message under what he was saying.There’s a lot of time for us to get to know each other. He was telling me not to feel bad about getting the questions wrong.
I still felt bad.
But he’d tried. I reached out on impulse, finding his hand where it rested on top of his own lap, taking it and threading my fingers around his own. He watched me in surprise. I was looking into his eyes when I squeezed gently, trying to tell himthank youandI’m sorryandI don’t deserve you, and I never will, and that’s why this has to be fake.
I saw Keaton’s head move in our direction and I let go of Rowe’s hand. That was a gesture just for him, not for the others, not for show. I wanted him to know that.
I looked at my plate. It was still half full, but I’d had no appetite from the start. Everyone else around us was almost done, and soon they would bring out dessert menus. I didn’t know how I was going to stomach it.
Rowe touched me gently on the side of my arm.
“Can we go?” he asked, his voice so low I could only just hear him.
I nodded gratefully. Exactly what I needed. I made to stand up, throwing my napkin on the table.
