I pointed at her, grinning. “You’re a troll.”
She was completely unfazed by this. “I’m fully aware. I will not make apologies for my need to judge men by their names.”
“That is so weird. You know that, right?”
While some women judge men by their looks or clothes or money, Cass judged them by their names. It was one of her little quirks and it was off-the-wall bizarre, but downright hilarious. I’d seen her in action far too many times, a man asking her out or offering to buy her a drink, and her response always depended on one thing: his name.
The name was always the make it or break it in Cass’s dating life scenarios.
“I know, but I can’t help it. I can’t bring myself to date, much less marry, someone named Wally or Toby or Cliff. Just—” She shudders. “Nope, no way. I’ll never do it.”
“I need to know how staunch you are on this mindset.” My hand went to my hip. “Let’s talk hypotheticals. What if Jude Law asked you to marry him, but his name was actually Morty Law?”
She grimaced. “Nope. Sorry, Morty. Take your adorable accent somewhere else.”
“What about Angus Efron?”
A look of disgust crossed her face. “I don’t care how much cheese he can grate on his abs. Not happening.”
I stared at her for a few seconds, deciding if I really wanted to do it.
Cassie eyed me with skepticism. “Don’t you dare.” She pointed in my direction. “Don’t even think about it.”
I nodded, a mischievous grin spreading across my lips.
“Georgia,” she warned.
“What if…” I smiled, tapping my chin. “Eugene Tatum—” she gasped “—was naked, asking you to marry him while grinding against you to ‘Pony’?”
Channing Tatum was Cass’s guy. He would always be at the top of her list. When Magic Mike had come out, we’d seen the movie not one, but two times on opening night because she was a total hornbag for him.
“I hate you.” A hand towel was tossed into my face. “I’m going to forget you ever said that,” she grumbled, striding into the hallway.
Of course, I followed her. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
“You know? I think Eugene looked hotter in Magic Mike XXL.”
“Georgia!” Cassie threw her hands up in the air.
I leaned against the doorway as she rummaged through her closet. “What? I really think his stripteases were way sexier. Eugene can bring it. That’s for damn sure.”
“I will not let you ruin Tatum for me.”
“I’d never—” I raised both hands in the air “—ruin the appeal of Eugene Fillmore Tatum.”
“Oh my gawd!” She placed her hands tightly over her ears, la-la-la-ing to tune me out.
I laughed the entire way to my bedroom.
Standing in front of my closet, I was wavering between about fifty different options. I wanted to look cute—no, I wanted to look sexy. I wanted Kline to be eating…out of the palm of my hand. I swear that was where I was headed with that.
I needed a guy’s opinion.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:30PM): Psst…Ruck…Come in, Ruck.
BAD_Ruck (5:32PM): Need something, Rose?
TAPRoseNEXT (5:33PM): Little black dress (open back) and red heels OR black leather pants and lace top?
BAD_Ruck (5:34PM): Neither. Clothes aren’t needed in bed. Anyway, lace isn’t really my style.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:34PM): This isn’t the bed game. I need a guy’s opinion on outfit choices.
BAD_Ruck (5:36PM): You meeting your Some Kind of Wonderful tonight?
TAPRoseNEXT (5:37PM): You bet ya.
BAD_Ruck (5:37PM): You’re really into this guy.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:38PM): Are you asking or telling?
BAD_Ruck (5:39PM): Both.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:41PM): For your information, Mr. Nosy, yes, I’m really into this guy. I’m meeting him for drinks later. And I want a guy’s opinion on women’s attire for date nights.
BAD_Ruck (5:42PM): Which shows the least amount of skin?
TAPRoseNEXT (5:43PM): Leather and lace.
BAD_Ruck (5:44PM): That’s the one.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:45PM): Really?
BAD_Ruck (5:47PM): Less is more when it comes to showing skin. There are certain parts of you he wants to be the only one to see.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:48PM): I said the dress had an “open back” not open crotch.
BAD_Ruck (5:51PM): Just trust me, Rose. This is sound advice. I promise.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:52PM): Okay, okay. Leather and lace it is. Big plans tonight?
BAD_Ruck (5:53PM): Maybe…
TAPRoseNEXT (5:54PM): Your own version of Some Kind of Wonderful?
BAD_Ruck (5:55PM): Something like that. Be good tonight, Rose.
TAPRoseNEXT (5:56PM): You too, Ruck.
A part of me felt bad for still messaging Ruck, but we’d fallen into this odd sort of friendship, mostly chatting about one another’s dating lives. We never attempted to take things to another level, never tried to meet in person. It had become a sort of unspoken rule since we were both involved with someone else.