Page 98 of My So-Called Perfect Life

Evan has been taking me around, showing me available listings as he finds ones that fit what I’m looking for. “I think I’m still stuck on the first one he showed me back in July when this was all just an idea. But, unless their lease falls through, I’m out of luck on that one.”

Things didn’t line up in time for me to get into the place Evan had thought was perfect for me. I didn’t want to jump into something before I was sure it made sense financially. By the time everything got worked out, the place was under contract.

“You’ll know it when you see it,” she says, ever the optimist. “You’ll find a place even better than that one.”

She fiddles with Evan’s empty beer bottle. “Listen, I know you’re probably still upset about last night.”

I don’t want to hash this out at work. Or even at all right now. So, I stop her before she even gets started. “No worries. Like you said we can always reschedule.”

“But you said something about a party—”

She’s cut off as Brooke approaches the bar. “Hi Ryan.”

“Hi Brooke.” I welcome the distraction. “What can I get for you guys?”

“Can we have a pitcher of the draft IPA and two baskets of sliders?”

“You got it.” I nod. “I’ll have Joel bring it over.”

She smiles. “Thanks, Ryan.”

Brooke shuffles off to the far corner of the bar, where the rest of the group sits, and I jerk my chin toward them. “Go, hang out with your friends. We’re okay.”

She looks skeptical. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

I relay their drink order to Roxy and head back to Bob.

“Bob,” I call out to my cook. “Can I get two baskets of sliders?”

He nods. “Sure thing, boss.”

There’s a plate in the window, so I grab it and deliver it to the bar just as another man joins Danielle’s group. I watch as she stands and greets the man with serious enthusiasm. The man looks delighted to see her as he wraps her in a big hug.

“How the hell can you stand here and watch this?” Evan says, startling me as he comes back to sit at the bar. “And what’s with the Herpes for your birthday shit?

“She was talking about keychains. We have this thing we do with keychains we buy on Amazon.”

“The two of you are weird and make no sense,” he says, glancing back over his shoulder at Danielle. “She’s totally flirting and touching some guy and you’re letting it happen.”

The last thing I need right now is Evan fueling the doubt fire in my head.

“Knock it off. I’m not doing this with you again,” I scold. “She’s just saying hello.”

I watch as she lays a hand on the new guy’s arm and laughs at what he said. When he winks at her and a blush blossoms on her face, I look away.

“You know who else says hello with so much banter and touching? Hookers.”

“You’re a moron,” Roxy interjects. “This is why you’re still single.”

Evan’s kink might just be women who hate him because he gets a kick out of fucking with Roxy every chance he gets. “I’m single because I’m waiting for you, Rox.”

“You’re going to die with your dick in your hand, waiting,” she retorts. “Because you’re an idiot who knows nothing about women. Like, right now, for instance. You’re so clueless that you can’t tell my hatred for you isn’t really foreplay for some grand night we’re going to spend together, and you also can’t see that she isn’t flirting. She’s being nice. Having a conversation.”

“We’re having a conversation. Saying hello,” Evan points out. “There’s no touching going on.”

“Because I’d beat you with the bat I keep stashed under the register if I even thought you were about to touch me,” she says. “Danielle, on the other hand, probably enjoys the company of those people—unlike me with you.”