Page 101 of From Now On

Phillips grins. “I have no regrets about that. But I am sorry you got stuck as the odd man out. I remember what hanging out with Hart was like after he and Harlow got together. Never meant to make you feel that way.”

“Don’t worry about it, man. I’m happy for you. And Hart. Yeah, the dynamic is definitely different, but that’s life. Things change.”

“It worked out well, having Eve there,” Aidan comments.

I glance out the window. We’re almost home. “Yeah. It did.”

“It’s Robby’s birthday next Sunday,” Aidan says, flicking on a blinker to turn down our street. “That’s what I was talking to Brennan about. We were thinking of throwing a party here? I’ll run it past Hart, but good with you?”

“Yep,” I reply. “Sounds good. Let me know what I can do.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks for the ride,” I say as Aidan pulls into our driveway.

“No problem.” He nods, popping his door open. “You feel like watching something?”

I deliberate as we walk toward the front steps. I’m tired, but I doubt I’ll actually fall asleep this early. And if I did, I’d probably wake up in the middle of the night. “I’m good for an hour or so.”

Phillips grins as we head inside. Which means I doubt I’ll get to bed before midnight.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

EVE

“Pleasecome,” Mary pleads.

“I don’t know,” I hedge, poking at a tomato with my fork. “Won’t it be…weird?”

Mary shakes her head emphatically. “It won’t be weird. You said you and Ben are on good terms.”

“We’re…” I drop my fork and sigh. “We’re not onbadterms. But we’re…it’s different now.”

“I know,” Mary says sympathetically. “But that doesn’t mean?—”

“Hey, babe. Eve.” David Morrison takes the seat next to Mary, kissing her cheek before stealing a potato chip from her plate.

“Hi, David,” I greet.

Mary elbows her boyfriend when he steals another chip from her plate. “Go get your own lunch.”

“Can’t. I’ve got class in—” David checks his watch. “Eight minutes.”

“I was just telling Eve about the plan for Saturday night.”

“Oh, yeah? Cool. Should be fun.”

“And Eve should come, right?” Mary presses.

David glances at me. “Uh, yep. Definitely.”

His response isn’t very convincing. But I can’t tell if it’s because David doesn’t care whether I go or not or because he thinks Benwillcare. I’m friendly with David, more so since he and Mary started dating, but he’s definitely Ben’s friend, not mine.

David looks at his watch again, curses, and then stands. “I gotta run. See you later, babe.” He kisses Mary, then nods toward me. “Nice to see you, Eve.”

I muster a smile. “Yeah, you too.”

As soon as David walks away, Mary leans forward. “See?”

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