Page 20 of Marry Your Best Friend

I hold my hands up when I see her getting visibly upset. “None of this is your fault, Chrissy. I let them know upfront, and if they can’t handle it, that’s on them.”

“Oh my God, I’m so stupid. That was three years ago… that was the last girl you dated… and it’s all because of me.”

“Stop. Trust me, it’s no big deal.” I mean it’s really not. But I can’t tell her why I don’t care.

She walks toward me. “What are you doing Friday night?”

“Nothing. Why? What’s up?”

“We’re going on a date… a double date.”

For just a second, I let myself get excited until I fully process what she just said. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“A double date. Bethany has been begging me to fix you up with her. Can you find me a date?”

I shake my head and walk to the door to start sliding on my shoes. “No.”

There’s hurt in her voice. “You can’t find me a date?”

I squat down and tie my boots on. “What? Yes, of course, I can find you a date, but we’re not going on a double date. That’s ridiculous. Forget it.”

She walks over to me, and I rise to my feet. Shegrabs both my hands and holds them in hers. She knows I never want to tell her no, and with her touching me, it’s going to be impossible.

“Do this for me.”

“Chrissy, please, I don’t want to go on a double date.”

She steps toward me, and she’s so close she has to lean her head back to look up at me. “Please, I can’t believe that I’m the reason you haven’t been dating. We can go and have fun. You like Bethany, you guys always laugh and have a good time together when you come see me.”

“I really don’t want to.”

“Please? I feel so stupid that I never put two and two together with what happened with you and Alison. I never want to interfere with your happiness, and—”

I swear she’s starting to tear up, and there’s no way I can handle her crying again. “Okay, okay, fine. I’ll go, but just remember I didn’t want to do this.”

She’s not listening, though. She lets out a squeal and does a little jump, and I watch as her breasts jiggle and then I’m completely fuckin’ lost after all that. She throws her arms around my waist. “Thank you, Gabe. We’re going to have so muchfun. What do you say? Seven o’clock at the Whistler?”

I nod, knowing I need to get out of here before I confess everything, throw her over my shoulder, and take her back to bed. “Yes. Sounds good.”

“Who are you fixing me up with?”

I growl. I fuckin’ growl because fixing Chrissy up with someone is the last fucking thing I want to do. I’d rather jump in front of a bus. Walk on hot coals. Fight a forest fire. Hell, fucking anything would be easier than fixing Chrissy up with some guy. “I dunno. I’ll figure it out.”

She nods happily, and I give her a hug. “I gotta go. See you. Call if you need anything, okay?”

She assures me she will and then I’m walking out the door to my truck, thinking the whole way that I’m crazy and there’s no way I’m going to survive being front and center with Chrissy on a date with another man. Fuck me, shit is getting real.

9

CHRISSY

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

I felt so guilty knowing that I’m the reason Gabe and his girlfriend broke up three years ago that I convinced him to do this double date. I should have taken the time to think about it and I would have realized what a bad idea this truly is. I was not prepared for how I’d feel, sitting at a table with Gabe while he was on a date. And Bethany is my friend, she’s amazing, and she is pulling out all the stops. I suck in a breath. Oh my God, am I going to have to listen to her at work talk about how she had sex with Gabe? I won’t survive it.

Gabe shifts in his seat and is smiling at Bethany, but it’s not the same smile he gives me. I know that look, and it’s one he saves for people when he’sforced to be nice. That’s the only thing that gives me any peace of mind right now.

“How was work today, honey?”

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