“Sounds terrible so far.”
“Trust me, he’s great.”
Billie swings her stool around, kicking her long legs out in front of her and sharing a sweet smile with a few onlookers. Like I said, they all look. “So you think he’s great and hang out all the time, but you’re not screwing him. He’s hideous, isn’t he?”
“Not even close.”
“Help me out, cuz. What’s the issue?”
Seems she’s not going to let this go. Time to releaseallthefacts so we can move on to the next part of this evening—drinking and perhaps some dancing, if the buzz holds.
I smack the bar with my palms. “Want the truth? Fine. He’s perfect. Honestly, the most perfect man I’ve ever met. But he’s also too young.Waytoo young. Let’s not forget, I’m the pariah of Sparkwood. No one wants to hitch themselves to my train wreck of a life.” I take another swallow of my radioactive cocktail, feeling the warm buzz seep through my insides. “Although he’s gorgeous. Stupidly hot. Like… the kind of guy you dream about.”
Shit. Didnotmean to let that detail slip. Hopefully, Billie doesn’t catch on.
But of course she does. Nothing gets past this woman.
She spins my stool round to face her, resting her hands on my knees and fixing me with a stern navy blue stare. “First, I’m assuming he’s at least twenty-one, right?”
“He’s thirty.”
My cousin rolls her eyes. “Oh, so he’s an actual full-on adult? For fuck’s sake, Kiki. Next, the whole pariah pity party? Total crap because Eddie hangs with you all the time. It’s obviously not an issue for him. Now, on to the really interesting part of your claim. You’re dreaming about him?”
I bury my face in my hands, desperate to hide my flaming cheeks. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Oh, it’s exactly what you meant. You know how I know? You’re seventy shades of pink and you’re the worst liar on the planet.” She smacks my leg. “Tell me all the details. Don’t you dare leave out a single bit.”
“It’s my birthday. I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.”
“Sounds like you want to dohim.” Her eyes narrow. “Odd that he’s such a great guy but he didn’t take you anywhere for your birthday.”
Yay, she’s off the Eddie dream topic and onto the next worst topic—my fortieth birthday.
Universe, just once let me play this off as cool and nonchalant and let Billie change the subject. Hell, let some gorgeous man sweep into the bar and scoop her up. I’ll sit here alone the rest of the night, no problem. Deal?
Apparently the universe hates me.
Billie drums the bar with her nails. “He doesn’t know it’s your birthday, does he?”
I groan, dropping my head back and staring at the ceiling. “No, okay? I didn’t feel like crowing about how I’m not onlywayolder, but I’m now in a different damn decade. He doesn’t need to know.”
“Bullshit. He sure as hell does.” With the speed of a cheetah, Billie snatches my phone off the bar, holding it just out of reach. “Here’s the deal, birthday bitch. You either text him right now, or I will go through your phone, find his number, and text him myself.”
“You wouldn’t.” I press my palms together in mock prayer, giving her my best sad puppy-dog face.
No dice.
“Oh, trust me. I would.” To drive home her point, she unlocks my phone, damned if I know how she figured out the passcode, and flips to my contacts. “Eddie Landry, I presume?”
“Give me that,” I growl, snatching my phone from her hands. “I’ll text him, okay? But that’s the end of it. No more embarrassing moments for me tonight. Deal?”
“Who? Me? I’m just trying to help.”
She’s also not giving me any privacy, watching my screen as I type.
Me: Hey. Hope you had a good day. What are you up to tonight?
Almost instantly, he responds, which earns an approving nod from my cousin.
