Page 36 of The Thing About My Rival

“Nice guys don’t…well, they don’t do what you did.”

“And what did I do exactly? Or rather, what didwedo? I’ve been wondering about that.” My eyes accidentally slip to her cleavage. “It’s all a little, you know, foggy.”

“It’s more what you didn’t do.”

“Are you saying I didn’t make you co?—”

“Shh.” Her head jerks forward as her lips pucker to shut me up, lips that look like they would feel very good on mine. Christ, I wish I could remember what that was like.

Wilcox’s eyes dart around the room to check whetheranyone’s looking. She has some shimmery stuff on her eyelids. That’s new.

“Well, I can’t believe that even in a drunken stupor I wouldn’t make sure my lady’s needs were met.”

“Yourlady?” She looks at me like she’s just noticed a dreadful stench. “Anyway, that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Oh, are you pissed off I didn’t call you the next day or something?” She flicks over a page of the menu and bores holes in it with her eyes. “You are, aren’t you? Ha. You wanted me to call.”

Well, screw me sideways. Does Wilcox actuallylikeme?

“No, I did not.” Her eyes don’t leave the menu, but it’s obvious she’s not actually reading anything because they’re fixed to one spot.

The server reappears out of nowhere. “Are you ready to order?”

I look at Wilcox. “Do you need to convene a therapy session or meditate on it before you can decide what to get?”

She ignores me and looks up at the server with the sweetest of smiles. “Yes, please. I’d like the?—”

“Need a couple more minutes please,” I tell him.

She drops her menu on the table with a thunk and glares at me. “Can’t you just choose something?”

“Come on, Wilcox. This is a romantic spot.” I gesture to the room. “You don’t see any other couples sniping at each other.”

“Othercouples?” She looks up at the server, clearly horrified he might think she would choose to be here with someone as appalling as me. “We are not a couple. Definitely not.”

“I’ll give you a minute,” he says, before wandering off to safety.

I rest my elbows on the table. “If your problem is that I didn’t call you, perhaps you’d like to remember that I didn’t get your number.”

“You knew where I worked. And even if you couldn’t remember, your friend definitely would have. I felt bad that he had to make polite conversation with me while you were slumped against the wall. Snoring.”

“Now you’re making things up. I don’t snore.”

“You’ve probably never spoken to anyone the next day to find out.”

“See? That is your problem. You wanted me to call you. To ask you on a date.” How very satisfying. I settle back in my chair and fold my arms. “Wilcox wanted me to ask her out.”

“I didnot.” She does that thing where she lifts her chin a bit. “But you could have apologized.”

“Apologized? For what? Oh, right, yeah, for not making you co?—”

“Shut up.” She looks shocked by the loudness of her own voice.

A few faces do turn to look at us this time.

I can’t help but chuckle. “See, now who’s attracting attention?”

“Christ, you know how to ruin everything, don’t you?”

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