I glance over at Julie, still standing by the bar with her friends. I wonder how she feels about the change in Hallie and Ben’s relationship, almost certain that it had to have been hard for her. Julie doesn’t seem like the kind of person to handle it well when life doesn’t go according to her plans. Perhaps sensing my gaze on her, she turns. A beat after our eyes meet, she turns back around but I keep staring at the back of her head, my heart speeding up in my chest. Jesus fucking Christ I have to get a grip. If this is what attraction feels like, I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.
“Well, this is an interesting development.”
The smirk in Jeremy’s voice has me turning back around.
“That was way more than friendly eye contact, pal of mine.”
Not interested in hiding anything, even from Julie’s own brother, I just grin and shrug a shoulder. “My feelings are more than friendly.”
Jeremy leans forward, propping an elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. “Wouldn’t have figured her for you. You’re all happy and sunshiney and Jules is…not that.”
His tone has my protective instinct humming. “There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s fine how she is.”
Jeremy stares at me. It’s Ben who speaks next.
“It’s you,” he says, a considering expression on his face.
“What’s me?” I ask, confused.
“You’re what it’s going to take.”
“Dude, what the fuck are you talking about? Are you drunk or something?” Jeremy takes the words right out of my head.
I let out a chuckle. “I was about to ask you if he’s always cryptic and weird like this.”
“Our Ben haslayers. How else could he keep his feelingsfor Hallie a secret for eleven years? He just pined away for her silently and none of us was the wiser.”
Ben just grins. “Got her now, don’t I?” He holds his hand out to me. “Give me your phone.”
“I already have your number; you texted me, remember?”
“Not for my number. Hand it over.”
I unlock my phone and give it to him. He inputs a number and hands it back. I look down at the new entry in my contacts.
Julie Parker.
With a smile, I look back up at him. “I was prepared to work for this number.”
“I just bet you were. Hal told me Jules turned you down when you asked for it in July. Figured I would give you a leg up. Welcome to the group, man. I think you’ll fit in just fine.”
“Fuck yeah, you will.” Jeremy grins at me. “We need another guy around. Shame Jordan had to work tonight. He’s missing all the fun. Fucking doctors.”
He says it with affection, his love for his friends evident in every word. I lean back, enjoying them, and this night, more than I have any right to, considering the playoff loss and the ever-present ache in my shoulder.
I think Ben is right. I am going to fit in fine. I smile to myself, knowing how much Julie will hate that. Already loving the challenge it’s going to be to change her mind.
Chapter Seven
Julie
Istare out the passenger side window of Asher’s Range Rover.
How the fuck did I get here?
It was all very confusing, and I’m not someone who gets confused. Something about Ben and Hallie staying at the loft above the bar instead of going home. Then Emma volunteered to take Jeremy home which is weird, considering Emma tries her hardest to avoid any close encounters with Jeremy. Molly was riding with Emma since they’re neighbors but I couldn’t ride with them because…something about a trip to the grocery store?
My tipsy brain that only slept four hours last night on a pile of legal documents instead of in a bed was too tired to make sense of it all, and before I knew it, Asher was tossing an arm around my shoulders and leading me toward his car, asking me for my address so he could drive me home.
