So it was with a nagging disappointment that I joined, Gracie, Garrett, Maysie, Jordan, and Mitch for a round of beers and a mountain of hot wings while the guys watched football and us girls talked about the latest episode of Scandal.
We had moved things over to the bar after we had finished eating. It was already much later than I had meant to stay out on a work night, but I was determined to enjoy myself.
As much fun as it was to hang out with my friends, I couldn’t ignore the nagging strangeness of being with this group of people without Cole. Even though he wasn’t there and his name was purposefully avoided like the plague, his presence was felt intensely.
I felt it. And I know everyone else did as well.
“I friend zoned Theo today,” I yelled to Gracie over the noise.
Gracie twirled her straw in her lemonade and widened her eyes.
“You did what?” she asked.
Garrett leaned in, resting his arms on the bar as he tried to hear what we were talking about.
“Who’s Theo?” he asked.
“The cute man who wants in Vivian’s pants,” Gracie teased and I rolled my eyes.
“That’s cool,” Garrett said, looking like he was already regretting getting involved in our conversation.
“Well it would be if I could stop being such an idiot,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.
“How did you friend zone him?” Mitch asked from my other side, seeming genuinely perplexed.
I noticed that Gracie instantly tensed when Mitch moved in closer to stand behind us. They had carefully sat away from each other all evening. Our group was suffocating under so much unresolved tension.
I had yet to figure out exactly had changed between Mitch and Gracie. But whatever it was, it clearly was there to stay for a while.
I looked at the both of them with raised eyebrows but they ignored my silent question.
They weren’t going to tell me shit.
“I said, “You’re such a good friend, Theo.”
Garrett and Mitch groaned in unison.
“I don’t even know this dude and I feel bad for him,” Mitch stated, reaching around me to grab his beer. I watched Gracie’s eyes follow him, her expression hurt but tender. And I suddenly knew exactly what the problem was.
They had slept together.
Those sneaky bastards had finally screwed and no one had told me. I met Gracie’s eyes and gave her a look that said I know what you did, you dirty hoe!
She flushed and quickly looked away. I was totally going to find out about this later.
But I kindly let it go for now.
“I thought you liked him,” Maysie piped up, coming to join us at the bar. Jordan was talking to Moore, Barton’s manager.
“I do like him. I just can’t make the leap,” I complained.
Gracie shook her head. “And I think we all know why,” she scolded.
“God, seriously? You’re still hung up on Cole?” Mitch spat out as though his name were a bad word.
“You don’t understand,” I responded unconvincingly. Garrett and Mitch both shook their heads as though I were the biggest idiot in the world. Gracie simply looked sad for me.
“Whatever,” I muttered, tired of talking about the crappy state of my love life.
Jordan came back to the bar, his face pinched and drawn.
“What’s wrong, babe?” Maysie asked, looping her arm around his waist.
“Well, nothing’s wrong, really. Moore just offered to pay us a shitload of money if we’d play tonight.”
Garrett sat up straight and Mitch put his beer down on the bar.
“How much is a shitload?” Mitch asked.
“Five hundred bucks,” Jordan said and we all gaped.
“Why so much?” Maysie asked.
“Because apparently the band that was supposed to play tonight backed out at last minute. He’s freaking out back there.” Jordan jerked his thumb in the direction of the middle aged, overweight manager, who was indeed wringing his hands and looking like he might pass out.
“Well, we can’t exactly call Cole,” Mitch snarled and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell them all to stop being so silly. To tell them to put on their big boy pants call Cole.
But before I could say anything, Maysie jumped in with a surprising suggestion.