I’m thinking we should cut dinner short before the situation escalates when someone calls out Kendall’s name.
We all turn to see this pudgy guy strut over. He looks a little familiar, but I can’t place him.
All at once, Kendall’s whole disposition changes, and she perks up with that fake smile she uses at press conferences. “Gary! How are you?”
“Fuuuuck,” Josh whispers as Drew laughs and hails down our waitress to order another drink.
This Gary guy has a receding hairline and a sweaty forehead. He’s grinning so wide, I can see the silver in his molars.
“Fancy seeing you here, Josh,” he says, placing his hand on the back of Kendall’s chair.
Although she’s beaming a lovely smile his way, she kicks me under the table, and I yelp.
Which only gets Gary’s attention. “And who do we have here?” he asks with a creepy little wink.
Kendall waves between us. “Gary, this is my best friend from middle school, Evie. Evie, this is Gary Grossman.” She turns her face up to him. “Evie loves your blog!” Why does she sound so damn chipper?
And wait. I love what?
She gives me a look to play along. “You know his blog, Gary the Gossip.”
“Oh, wow,” I mutter. Kendall gives me another look, and I repeat the words more exuberantly, and Gary quirks his eyebrows at me.
“Glad to have such enthusiastic fans,” he says as he squeezes my shoulder with doughy fingers. Dear God, don’t touch me.
I’m not sure how Kendall manages to keep her disgust for this guy under wraps. She complains nonstop that he’s always derailing her clients’ reputations.
“What brings you here tonight?” Josh’s words seem friendly enough, but he’s gripping his tumbler of bourbon like he wants to smash it in this guy’s face.
“Good luck, I’d say.” Gary chuckles. “I heard Kendall’s client was having a little get-together here, and I wanted to stop by and say hi.”
“Which of my clients?” she asks, her brows furrowed.
“Bobby Vanderhaul.” He studies her expression like a viper waiting for his prey to make its move. “Didn’t you know about tonight’s dinner?”
Drew’s beer hits the table with a clang. “Bobby Vanderhaul, the starting center for the Trailblazers?”
She nods and turns back to Gary, her jaw tight until she forces another smile. “I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but my clients don’t tell me every time they go out to dinner. Honestly, though, I haven’t represented Bobby in a while.”
Not since they broke up.
“What do you do?” Drew asks Kendall, looking suddenly interested.
“This lovely creature is my favorite public relations liaison,” Gary says, answering for her.
I hate how he says liaison, like it’s a dirty word.
Gary continues, oblivious that we want him to leave. “You should stop on over, Kendall. I’m sure Bobby would love to see you. He and his girlfriend just announced they’re having a baby.”
Oh, shit. Kendall takes a deep breath and smiles, but I can see the pain in her eyes.
Enough is enough.
“It’s been great to meet you,” I tell the douchebag. “Thanks for stopping by our table.”
He stares at me a moment, and then he turns his attention to Josh. “Is Evie your new girlfriend?” He clucks his tongue. “She’s so different than Tiffany. No wonder you’re keeping her a secret.”
He did not go there.
The table is silent. Even Drew has the good sense to keep his trap shut.
Josh looks at me, and my insides are too busy staging a revolt for my mouth to function. My heart thumps wildly in my chest, and even though I know what he’s about to say, everything in me wants him to claim me.
But as he drags his bourbon to his lips, Josh shakes his head, pauses a moment with a dead expression in his eyes, and utters the three worst words I’ve ever heard. “We’re just friends.”
26
Evie
Once Gary leaves, I stand. “Take me home.”
Josh stands too, immediately serious, but commanding. “No. Evie, we need to talk.”
“We do not need to talk,” I say quietly. Then my voice is clear. “We need your friend to stop being such a jackass to my friend.” I gesture to Drew, who is rolling his eyes and playing with his phone.
“I’ll take you home,” says Kendall. Loyal friend. Goddess.
I move toward her, but Josh takes my hand in his and tugs me to him. “Please, Evie. Let’s get out of here and go to my place.” He leans closer and whispers, “Please.”
The vulnerability in his voice makes me agree, but I’m still too angry to do more than let him pull me along after I hug Kendall and glare at Drew.
When we get in the car, the silence is suffocating, but I don’t know how to unravel the knots that got tied during dinner. I stare out the window, watching the streetlights go by, listening to the sound of Josh’s Audi as he maneuvers through Portland’s wet streets. I should have taken Kendall up on her offer, because I can’t stand the tension.
And Jesus, there’s tension.
He hasn’t said more than two words since we left the restaurant.
Taking a deep breath, I finally begin to calm down.
I peek over at him, wishing I had worn my hair down instead of up in a ponytail. I could use that barrier right now.
His face is a mask of intensity. Tight jaw. Rigid shoulders. He’s pulled his sweater to his elbows, and the muscles in his forearms tense as he grips the wheel.
I swallow, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to start. My stomach hurts from how quickly tonight went to shit.
This isn’t like us. Whatever this is.
I know he wanted to talk, but his lips are pressed in a flat line like the last thing he wants to do is have a conversation.
Is he upset with me? For not getting along with Drew? Or is he pissed at Drew? Well, he should be pissed at Drew. He’s a complete asshole. I’m not even sure I understand why they’re friends.
And God, all the shit that happened with Gary.
Should I have piped up sooner? Waved off his attempt to learn about Josh’s personal life? Did Josh want me to do more to deflect Gary’s attention?
A car cuts us off, and Josh curses under his breath. I can tell he’s pissed. He hasn’t even bothered drying the raindrops that speckle his glasses.
Finally, he clears his throat, but the words that he mutters aren’t the ones I’m expecting. “You didn’t tell me Kendall was in PR.”
My brow furrows. That’s what he wants to talk about?
“Really? I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it. She reps some of the biggest people in town. I’m surprised you don’t know her with your family’s connections and everything.”
His grip on the steering wheel tightens, the sight of which intensifies the knot in my stomach.
Needing to fill the silence, I start babbling. “I feel really bad for her actually. That guy—the one Gary was there to see—he broke her heart. I hope she didn’t run into him after we left.”
“I wish I had known.” He pauses, glancing at me. “That she’s in public relations.”