Page 15 of Lethal Danger

“Since you’ve already moved on to your next potential guy, does that mean you don’t want a pity party?”

Jazz smiled as she braked for a stoplight and turned right. “Girl, of course I want a pity party.” As if she’d ever turn down their tradition of ice cream and a romantic comedy movie after a bad date. “I’ll grab the ice cream and be right there.”

“Sweet.”

“Want chocolate chip cookie dough?”

“Yeah.” A hint of hesitation crept into Nev’s tone. “Just a heads-up, Branson’s here. Okay if he joins us?”

“Oh.” Jazz’s heart sank with her smile.

“Or he could probably study in the kitchen while we watch the movie.” Nev hurried to offer the alternative. “He could totally do that.”

It suddenly made sense why Nev had asked if she didn’t want the pity party this time. She was hoping to spend time with her fiancé. Which made perfect sense. She couldn’t exactly ask him to leave all of a sudden when they probably had plans of their own for a romantic evening.

“No, that’s okay.” Jazz tried to keep her disappointment out of her voice. “I should’ve figured you were hanging with him tonight.”

“Sorry. I knew you had a date, so…”

Not like Nev would’ve kept the night clear for Jazz anyway. She and Branson didn’t get to see each other often otherwise, between his seminary classes and security job and Nev’s work at PK-9. Evenings were their only time together. And they were in love.

It was fine. Jazz was happy for Nev. That’s what best friends did. They put each other first. Even when it changed everything.

Jazz pulled her shoulders back and struggled to shove away her crushed expectations as she made another turn. “No problem. Don’t worry about me.”

“You’re disappointed.”

Of course, Nev knew Jazz too well not to hear it in her voice.

“Nah, I’d do the same thing if I had a guy like Branson in my life. You know I’m thrilled you have him.”

Silence signaled Nev wasn’t sold.

Jazz pasted on a smile, hoping it would lift her tone. “I’m the one who pushed you to give him a chance in the first place, remember?”

“True.”

“So go ahead and enjoy the time with your man.” The realization that had been growing in Jazz’s mind for months reached her heart and sank there. This was what it was going to be like from now on.

She really was happy for Nev, but it was already getting so hard for them to do things together just the two of them anymore. That would only get worse—probably impossible—when she married Branson in the spring.

“You won’t go home and be sad?”

What could Jazz say? If she told the truth, she’d be the mean friend who guilted her bestie into choosing her over a great guy. But Nev would never buy a lie.

Jazz would be fine. She could get used to being a loner again. She’d been alone for years before coming to the Twin Cities. “Of course not. I have Flash and…” Jazz searched for something convincing to say besides admitting she would feel lonely and—

Wait a second. She’d gotten a notification on her phone right before she’d gone into the restaurant for her disastrous date.

“I have the new Hawthorne Emerson novel.” She didn’t have to fake the happiness in her voice now. How could she have forgotten? She’d had her favorite thriller author’s novel on pre-order, and it had shipped two days before the actual release. If she’d known it was going to arrive that evening, she’d have canceled the date in a heartbeat.

“Ooh, Carson Steele series?”

“Yes!” Jazz nearly squealed with excitement, her evening looking so much better.

“So I guess you won’t mind skipping the pity party.” Amusement colored Nev’s tone.

“Not a bit.” A grin stretched Jazz’s mouth.

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