Page 15 of Third Time Lucky

‘So, you don’t think he’s hot?’ Aaron asks, head cocked, eyebrows lifted, clearly confused.

I glance at Madi, but she’s no help, quietly admiring the man who defiled two of my friends in one night (she told me on the plane ride home).

‘No,’ I say without thought.

Aaron frowns.

‘I mean, yes, he is… very. I just didn’t expect it. See in my head I’m struggling because I’ve always remembered him as eighteen and my boyfriend’s best friend. Making that transition in Vegas was mind-boggling. But now, seeing him again, I… My eyes don’t hate it.’

My biggest question is, why didn’t I notice him like this at the wedding? Brandon certainly had no problem noticing beautiful women. Where was my head? Wholly consumed in that cheating bastard.

Aaron laughs. ‘Women gotta be so damn complicated.’

‘What I’m trying to say is, you can’t tell him I’m attracted to him because I never intended to be attracted to him. It hit me out of nowhere, and if I have to explain it, it’ll just make things more awkward and, trust me, I’ve already made that bed.’

‘What did you do?’ Madi asks, a beaming, goofy, wide smile plastered on her face.

‘I—’ Should probably shut up already. My nervous chatter is making this so much worse. ‘You know what? For this conversation, I need a drink,’ I say, my gaze landing on Aaron, who has his chin on his fist as he listens intently.

I can guarantee that no matter how much I ask him not to tell Ash my words, he’s saying them – as soon as possible.

‘Would you be a dear and grab us one?’

‘Yeah!’ he says with a nod, not waiting for Madi to move, just crawling right up over the back of the booth and hopping onto the floor enthusiastically as he makes his way to the bar.

‘Did you invite him too?’ I ask sarcastically but sincerely wondering.

‘No,’ she says, her gaze following him. ‘He’s a happy surprise. I haven’t seen him since Vegas. We’ve texted a time or two, but I just couldn’t fit him into my schedule.’

‘Oh,’ I say, pretty much to myself because her eyes are on him. ‘I’m guessing your schedule just opened up?’

She nods but never looks my way, so I reach across the table and poke her shoulder hard.

‘Ow!’ she says, turning to me. ‘What was that for?’

‘Tanner, firstly – I’m gonna have to change my number. But also, yes , I am attracted to Asher. When I saw him yesterday, my head shut down, so imagine that scene. I had to call him in the middle of the night and explain that it wasn’t him, but all me.’

‘You called him in the middle of the night?’ she asks, her attention now on me.

‘I’ve got to face this guy every day now that Mitzi’s hired him. I had to.’

‘How late?’

I shrug. ‘I dunno. After midnight.’

‘Were you drunk?’

I hit my fist on the table. ‘Damn it,’ I moan. ‘How do you know me this well?!’

She laughs. ‘Because you only make late-night phone calls when wine suggests it. Did you booty call him, Luce?’

‘No!’ I insist. ‘I just apologized for being a psycho. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m perfectly happy on my new man ban and now my eyes are deceiving me. What do I even see in him? Sure, the outside is pretty, but so was Tanner’s and Brandon’s and look at the twatsicles those two are.’

‘Oh, Luce. My na?ve, sweet little Lucy. What do you see in him? Well, he is adorably handsome, can cook, stole flowers for you to soften bad news, and he pretty much saved you from a life of sharing your husband with multiple mistresses.’

‘Madi, that is the problem; he’s beautiful in every way – his outside and his heart. Not to mention the fact that he’s tall, talented, sweet and tattooed.’

‘He’s tattooed?’

I laugh at the speed of her response. Tattooed is usually her type, not mine.

‘Yep. He was wearing a T-shirt, and has sleeves of colorful tattoos on both arms, shoulder to wrist. My mind nearly melted. Then I ate his chicken and swear my soul left my body. My palate adores him. I want him to cook for me every day. And I want to watch him do it.’

‘Then do that,’ she says.

I groan, dropping my head before sending her a stare she can’t look away from.

‘I can’t do that because we have history. A weird, tragic, history.’

She presses her lips into a flat line as she nods her head. ‘Right… hmmmm.’

‘We were only ever friends. It’s weird to have my body react to him this way.’

‘In that case, maybe remind yourself that you can’t date him because not only does he work for you, but you’re on the man ban. Which I am assuming is why you sent Tanner away so quickly?’

‘No, Tanner left because he’s a horny psychic weirdo. But that’s a story for another day. For now, when Aaron gets back, change the subject to anything else. Make him forget I said the word hot. I can’t have that thrown into the ring right now. I’m not ready.’

Madi smiles softly, resting her hand on mine. ‘Are we ever ready to meet someone who might turn our world upside down and make us vulnerable?’

‘ What ?!’

She only shrugs.

Whose side is she on here? I thought we agreed that a dating pause was the right thing to do at this point in my life.

I need to clear my head, heal my heart and evaluate what I want out of love.

She’s supposed to give me good advice, and instead, she’s setting up booty call interviews and suggesting I be vulnerable.

‘Ladies… if I remember right, you two were cocktail drinkers? They don’t sell those here, but I pulled some strings,’ Aaron says, setting two tangerine-colored drinks before us. ‘Screwdrivers in fancy glasses. Because you’re pretty.’

Madi giggles. Seriously, like a schoolgirl.

‘That is adorable!’ she coos, snuggling into his side once he slides in beside her again. ‘You’re cute.’

Aaron lifts a shoulder, smirking my way. ‘That’s what my mom says, too.’

The way Madi looks at him explains her statement earlier.

She likes him. And not just one-night-stand likes him either.

She’s been thinking about him since Vegas, has him on the back burner by keeping him interested via text, and seems to be sincerely happy to see him.

My God, have I lost her? Am I going to have to figure this out on my own?