“I know. He’s adorable.”
Her lips twist in a barely contained smirk. “And hot as fuck.” We look at each other and laugh. “You did good, babe. I’m sure I’m just being a spaz here. From what I know of Josh Cartwright’s reputation, he’s a great guy, and I honestly couldn’t be happier that you found someone so amazing.” She finishes applying her lipstick and turns to me. “But my most pressing question is, does he have any single, hot brothers?”
“Unfortunately, I think they’re all married or betrothed or whatever rich people do. But I’ve seen a photo of Drew when he and Josh were in college, and he’s a total hottie.”
Her lips curl into a delighted smile. “Well, tonight just gets better and better!”
Judging by the scowl on Kendall’s face, tonight can’t get any worse.
We’re dining at this exquisite restaurant, sitting next to a roaring fireplace, somewhat set apart from the other tables. Josh picked République because he said it was intimate enough that we could fly under the radar, and that if we run into anyone we know, we’re all simply friends grabbing dinner, which put my mind at ease. It sounded so simple. The plan seemed perfect.
We should be having a blast. Deep down, I’ve been looking forward to going out with Josh like this since we started seeing each other. A date in public. Gah! That trip to the farm last weekend only made me want to claim him in public even more.
But it’s hard to relax right now, even with the best martini I’ve ever had, because I’m starting to think Kendall wants to kill Drew. With her bare hands.
While Kendall, Josh, and I all dressed up for dinner, Drew showed up smelling like beer and wearing a Pearl Jam T-shirt, a dark hoodie and torn jeans. That was strike number one. Strike number two came when Kendall extended her hand to Drew as we introduced them, and he told her she had a great rack. But the death blow came moments later when we sat down, and he turned to her with a wicked grin and said, “So, you’ve seen my boy’s dick, huh?”
Even in this low lighting, it’s hard to miss the way Kendall glares at him when he burps and doesn’t bother to cover his mouth or apologize. We’re seated at a small round-top with Kendall to my right, Josh on my left, and Drew across from me. Now I’m wishing I had seated Drew and Kendall across from one another, instead of side by side, so it would be harder for her to maim him.
I look over at Josh, who rubs a hand over his face as though he wishes he could erase what’s happening here.
Maybe I oversold the idea of Drew to Kendall. While there’s obviously an attractive guy somewhere underneath his slovenly exterior, he’s gained weight since that photo of him in college was taken, eats with his mouth half-open, and says the dumbest fucking things I’ve ever heard.
Drew sends another text and laughs. “Just scheduling my post-dinner blow job.”
Even I recoil a little.
Kendall points her drink at Drew. “Whatever you’re paying her, it’s not enough.” Josh barks out a laugh while Drew frowns, but Kendall keeps going. “Let me ask you this. Do you always dine at four-star restaurants dressed like the Unabomber?”
Before Drew can respond, Josh cuts in. “Kendall, please ignore this bonehead. He’s my oldest friend, but he’s also an imbecile when he’s been drinking. I swear that underneath this crusty exterior is a really great guy who’s always had my back.”
Drew waves an oyster at Kendall with a smirk before he slurps it down.
My best friend’s jaw tightens, but then she nods and takes a deep breath. “Let’s start over. Clearly, we got off on the wrong foot.” She turns her shoulder away from Drew, so that her body is almost completely facing me, but then looks across the table to Josh. “Please tell me how much you adore Evie. She and I have been inseparable since we were twelve, and I would commit an assortment of crimes for this girl.”
He laughs and drops a hand to my knee. “She is pretty amazing.” His eyes find mine, and those butterflies in my stomach start feeling a little woozy. “The first time I saw her, I—”
“Wait,” Drew interrupts, pausing to chug some more beer. He talks to me but points to Kendall. “You’re really okay with Little Miss Priss here having seen Josh’s meatstick?”
My mouth drops open. It takes a moment to form coherent thoughts other than the prevailing one that I might want to hurt Drew with my bare hands too.
I clear my throat. “That was before I had met Josh. Of course she hasn’t looked since I began dating him. Right, Ken?”
The smile I’ve frozen to my face begins to fall when I realize that Kendall looks mortified. Again.
But before she can say anything, Drew scoffs. “You mean you didn’t see that nice little photo essay he took while he was doing his dick mold? C’mon. I don’t believe it.”
“Drew, shut the fuck up,” Josh warns, glancing around to make sure nearby patrons can’t hear us.
“I’m just saying.” Drew waves his hands dramatically, nearly knocking over a glass of water. “If I were Kendall, I would want to see who my bestie was dating.” He lowers his head and stares at her. “Tell the truth. No judgies for looking. Hell, I look every week. I mean, the comments alone crack me up.”
Kendall is sitting stock still and straight as a rod. Her eyes dip down. “I may have peeked once or twice, but that was before I realized they were serious.”
My face burns with the swelter of a thousand suns when I consider the images he’s posted in the last few weeks. Which is stupid. I shouldn’t care. Thousands of women look at his blog.
My stomach cramps.
Thousands of women. Hundreds of thousands. Actually… more than two million people.
I’ve done a good job blocking that out. Separating what Josh and I do privately from what he posts online. Ignoring the idea that women stare at my guy’s junk all the time.
Ignoring the fact that he posted my hand stroking him off that one day. For millions.
Suddenly, my napkin is incredibly interesting as I wind it in my lap, wishing I could erase this entire evening or at least take a Xanax before it got started.
Kendall’s voice is gentle when she apologizes. “One of the girls at work was talking about Josh’s blog recently, and I didn’t stop to think about the repercussions before I pulled it up on my phone. I’m sorry, Eves. I know I could easily lie to save face, but I’ve always told you the truth.”
“Stop. Please, don’t apologize.” Mustering a smile, I look up to see utter horror in her eyes. I grab her hand and hope I can forget this whole conversation because I would hate for anything to come between us. “It’s seriously not a big deal. I’m not upset.” I say the words, wanting them to be true.
Drew snorts in disbelief and guzzles down the last of his beer. “This just gets more entertaining.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Josh asks him beneath his breath.