Page 23 of Marry Your Best Friend

He stutters. “Uh, no, that’s not a good idea.”

“Fine… maybe I should get out of here.” I release my hold on him, but before I turn away, Mark stops me.

“Please, please, please don’t leave. I’m not sure what I did. Look, I’m trying here, and I don’t want to lose my job… or die. And if Gabe thinks I’ve upset you, then I’ll do both before the night is over with.”

The pleading in his voice stops me. This is not his fault. Nope, this is my best friend's fault, and he’s going to hear about it. But first, I’m going to mess with him.

“Fine, then dance with me, Mark.” I press my body against his, resting my cheek against his chest. He’s trembling, and I know it’s not because I have that effect on him. No, he’s worried about how his boss is going to react to it. Well, I can handle his boss, and before the night is over, I’m going to have to set him straight.

10

GABE

Bethany spins in my arms again, and she’s laughing, completely clueless to the fact that I’m just standing here as she dances around me. I’m staring at Mark and Chrissy, and it’s taking everything in me to stay where I’m at when what I want to do is go over there and push them apart.

The dance floor is getting busier, and I’m having to jostle Bethany and me around so I don’t lose sight of Chrissy. She’s glaring at me now, so her date must be going badly.

Bethany tugs at my shirt. “Hey, so why did you agree to this date?”

Still looking over Bethany’s head, I shrug. “Because Chrissy asked me to.”

“Right. But you don’t want to be here.”

I finally look at Bethany. “Look, it’s not you.”

She laughs and flips her hair. “Oh, I know it’s not me.”

I’ve always liked Chrissy’s friend. She’s fun to be around and always has a great attitude about things. “Right, well, Chrissy asked me to go on a double date. She had a rough day at work, and I couldn’t tell her no and all that, so yeah, here we are.”

She looks over at Mark and Chrissy. “So you think they’re hitting it off?”

I grunt. “They better fuckin’ not be.”

She laughs. “Okay, there, fire captain. Relax a little. I like you, but I’m not covering up any murders for you or anything. So here’s what I’m thinking. Let’s go cut in.”

She doesn’t have to tell me twice. “I’m sorry, Bethany. You’re an amazing woman—”

She cuts me off. “Yeah, yeah, we both know I am. Just remember you owe me one.”

We move closer to Chrissy and Mark, and Bethany slides between them. “Can I cut in?”

She doesn’t wait for an answer; she just maneuvers herself between Chrissy and Mark and starts dancing with him. She slides away from us, and Chrissy is just staring at me angrily. “Really?”

I hold my hands up. “Dance with me?”

“No.”

I take a step toward her. “Please?”

She rolls her eyes and puts her hands on my shoulders. I put mine on her waist and tug her toward me. I know I shouldn’t, and it’s pure torture having her this close to me, but I can’t deal with her being angry. “Are you mad at me?”

She won’t look up at me. “What the fuck, Gabe?”

If I didn’t know already, I know now. Chrissy barely ever cusses, and the fact she is now tells me she’s pissed. “What?”

She laughs. “Don’t what me. Did you threaten to kill Mark if he touched me?”

“Please, he knows I wouldn’t kill him.”

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