Page 16 of His Pickle Her Jam

I frowned. I didn’t think he was mean or anything, but nicest guy in the world. That seemed like a bit much.

Nice guys didn’t argue with you at every single turn.

Or ignore you when they saw you.

Nice guys didn’t finger you in a coat closet at your best friend’s wedding.

They didn’t make you come so hard your legs trembled.

They didn’t kiss you so passionately you couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after.

And they didn’t leave you standing there while they chased their fucking date that you had no idea he’d brought to the wedding, down the hall, leaving you to pick up your panties and your dress before slinking out of there alone.

I could forgive a lot of things, but that was not okay. Anger and hurt still rolled through me whenever I thought about it. About him.

Nicest guy? No. That shit for brains was a two-timing asshat.

He’d had a date with him. At the wedding. And I let him touch me.

I was so ashamed. I didn’t want to be the other woman.

Not ever.

Okay, well, technically, I wasn’t. David, no, Buck and I had never dated. In fact, we never got along.

Any discussions we engaged in usually ended up in a fight.

But if he thought he was going to trick me into throwing this contest just because of a few thoughtful actions, he could just fuck right off.

He could bat his stupid thick eyelashes all he wanted. Flash his panty-melting grin. Walk around in shorts and too tight t-shirts, showcasing all his manly muscles—but it wouldn’t matter!

“Earth to Jan,” Delani’s voice caught my attention.

“Oh! Sorry, Del. So, I went ahead and placed an order for fresh, local, non-GMO produce with Kent Global, and it should be here any minute. I’ve got a list of flavors I want to begin today,” I replied.

“Oooh, I’ll let Rena know. She can brag to her hubby she’s bringing him clients!”

Rena was one of our close circle of friends. I didn’t know her as well as Delani did, but I liked her very much. She was sweet and fun and had recently married her high school sweetheart.

It seemed love was in the air everywhere but around me. A familiar sadness threatened to engulf me, but I pushed it down. I’d have to deal with that later.

It was time to work.

“Rena added some names to our BBILF file, by the way, have you seen?” I asked, smirking because I knew all about Del’s obsession with fictional men.

“Did she? Who?”

“He’s from the latest Z. Wolff novel. The guy is so morally gray, it should be illegal,” I told her excitedly.

Book boyfriends I could handle. It was flesh and blood men who gave me the heartburn.

“What’s his name?”

“His name is Nico, and holy hell, Del! When I tell you, this man is fine as fuck. Tattooed, sexy, gritty voice, and that whole possessive attitude you know I love. He’s just so hot. And the things he does with his mouth, and don’t get me started on what he can do with his pinky?—”

The sound of the kitchen door slamming had me spinning around. I bumped the table with my hip and my phone fell on the floor, face down.

“Oh, crap!”

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