Page 64
Story: Love Fast
I shrug. “You want me to put on a Tom Ford suit?”
None of us are in suits. Worth, Fisher, and Jack are wearing what they’d normally wear on the weekend in New York. We’re not dressedsodifferently.
“I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Jack says. “This is Star Falls, Colorado.”
“I’m impressed you remembered,” I say. “I didn’t think your brain would retain anything outside the 212 area code.”
“Oh don’t worry,” he says. “As soon as I reach thirty thousand feet, I will have forgotten all about this trip.”
I chuckle. “Should we eat? You can give me your honest opinion on the food.”
We slide into one of the pink booths overlooking the valley, and a sense of pride rushes through me. I like showing my friends what I’ve built here. It’s so different from when I was growing up. The farm wasn’t a place I brought my friends. It was a place to work. A place that felt like home until it wasn’t.
“I’m guessing it’s not going to be as good as the wings we had at Grizzly’s.”
“They were heaven on a plate,” Jack says. “Almost worth living outside of Manhattan for.”
“We can try all the restaurants. This one is fine dining.”
“As long as we can go back to Grizzly’s tonight,” Fisher says. “I wonder if we can take some wings back to New York with us.”
“What about you?” Worth says from opposite me. “You think you’ll come back with us?”
I grin, sliding my hand over my stubble. “Not tomorrow. Not until after this place is open and settled.”
“Do you miss New York?” Jack asks.
Before I can answer, I see Rosey out of the corner of my eye, coming toward us.
Whenever we’ve seen each other at the Club, we’ve always given each other a small smile and carried on with whatever we’re doing. But I know that’s not how my friends roll.
Fisher is out of his seat as soon as he spots her.
Rosey’s eyes widen in shock before her gaze flits to me. I smile, trying to be reassuring, but I’m not sure if she sees it because Fisher envelops her in a hug.
“The pool hustler herself. Good to see you.”
Jack and Worth both stand and pull Rosey into a hug. I can see some members of staff behind us at the service station watching. We’re going to have to figure out an explanation. Rosey and the guys exchange greetings and promises to see each other later, Rosey says she has somewhere to be, and I push down my disappointment at her not being able to stay.
I stay seated and offer a wave, then chastise myself. Am I being a dick by pretending not to be happy to see her? Should I have hugged her? Kissed her cheek like Jack did?
“See you later, Rosey,” Fisher calls as he slides back into our booth next to me.
“Does she play a part in you being here?” Worth asks.
The question throws me for a loop. “What? I’ve known her for five minutes.”
“I knew the first moment I laid eyes on Sophia,” Worth says.
“Leo would probably say the same about Jules,” adds Jack.
“Hardly,” I scoff. “It took him years to realize what was right under his nose.”
“Not really,” Jack says. “You know he came home talking about Mystique that night after the party, saying how he might have met the love of his life.”
“So you’re asking if I’ve fallen in love with Rosey?” I mean to sound like it’s the most ridiculous question anyone’s ever asked me. But it doesn’t.
My three friends all look at me, waiting for an answer.
None of us are in suits. Worth, Fisher, and Jack are wearing what they’d normally wear on the weekend in New York. We’re not dressedsodifferently.
“I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Jack says. “This is Star Falls, Colorado.”
“I’m impressed you remembered,” I say. “I didn’t think your brain would retain anything outside the 212 area code.”
“Oh don’t worry,” he says. “As soon as I reach thirty thousand feet, I will have forgotten all about this trip.”
I chuckle. “Should we eat? You can give me your honest opinion on the food.”
We slide into one of the pink booths overlooking the valley, and a sense of pride rushes through me. I like showing my friends what I’ve built here. It’s so different from when I was growing up. The farm wasn’t a place I brought my friends. It was a place to work. A place that felt like home until it wasn’t.
“I’m guessing it’s not going to be as good as the wings we had at Grizzly’s.”
“They were heaven on a plate,” Jack says. “Almost worth living outside of Manhattan for.”
“We can try all the restaurants. This one is fine dining.”
“As long as we can go back to Grizzly’s tonight,” Fisher says. “I wonder if we can take some wings back to New York with us.”
“What about you?” Worth says from opposite me. “You think you’ll come back with us?”
I grin, sliding my hand over my stubble. “Not tomorrow. Not until after this place is open and settled.”
“Do you miss New York?” Jack asks.
Before I can answer, I see Rosey out of the corner of my eye, coming toward us.
Whenever we’ve seen each other at the Club, we’ve always given each other a small smile and carried on with whatever we’re doing. But I know that’s not how my friends roll.
Fisher is out of his seat as soon as he spots her.
Rosey’s eyes widen in shock before her gaze flits to me. I smile, trying to be reassuring, but I’m not sure if she sees it because Fisher envelops her in a hug.
“The pool hustler herself. Good to see you.”
Jack and Worth both stand and pull Rosey into a hug. I can see some members of staff behind us at the service station watching. We’re going to have to figure out an explanation. Rosey and the guys exchange greetings and promises to see each other later, Rosey says she has somewhere to be, and I push down my disappointment at her not being able to stay.
I stay seated and offer a wave, then chastise myself. Am I being a dick by pretending not to be happy to see her? Should I have hugged her? Kissed her cheek like Jack did?
“See you later, Rosey,” Fisher calls as he slides back into our booth next to me.
“Does she play a part in you being here?” Worth asks.
The question throws me for a loop. “What? I’ve known her for five minutes.”
“I knew the first moment I laid eyes on Sophia,” Worth says.
“Leo would probably say the same about Jules,” adds Jack.
“Hardly,” I scoff. “It took him years to realize what was right under his nose.”
“Not really,” Jack says. “You know he came home talking about Mystique that night after the party, saying how he might have met the love of his life.”
“So you’re asking if I’ve fallen in love with Rosey?” I mean to sound like it’s the most ridiculous question anyone’s ever asked me. But it doesn’t.
My three friends all look at me, waiting for an answer.
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