Page 22 of The Spotlight Effect

Astrid and Lia both hook one of their arms into each of mine. Great, now I can smell the excessive amount of perfume they are wearing.

“Aren’t they the sweetest?” Lia sighs sweetly.

“Yeah,” I say, sarcastically. “Well. Noah is,” I add.

“I know. He’s amazing,” Astrid says dreamily. I wish I could just shake them off. I find being obsessed with people just weird. I’m obsessed with a band.It's so different.

Noah and Grayson wave us over once they finish talking to the hostess and they direct us to a curved booth in the back space. We all take our seats and order our drinks while we wait on menus.

“What's your favorite thing to get from here?” Astrid asks Grayson, twirling her hair.

“Never been,” Grayson replies while flipping through his menu.

“What about you, Noah?” Lia asks, referring to the same question.

“The crab cakes, maybe.”

This was only the beginning of the long list of questions and probing from them. I was thankful when the menus came. And when we started getting our orders.

Noah reaches down under the table and pulls out his phone before looking at it. “I’ll be right back; Emerson is calling me. I’m so sorry,” Noah says, before getting up and answering the phone and walking out the side door close to us. Astrid sighs and rolls her eyes.

“What's your deal?” Grayson asks, abruptly. I stop, mid-eating, and catch him looking at Astrid. Damn, he has such a good jawline. All his features are somehow dark but handsome in a charming way. Why does he have to be so gorgeous?

“What do you mean?” Astrid asks. I finish the shrimp that’s in my mouth and look over at Lia, who is already looking at me.

“Why are you acting so desperate?” Grayson asks, my mouth slightly drops. That was so blunt.

“I’m not,” Astrid replies, taken back.

“You are. He’s taken. Get off his dick. He is happy with his girlfriend,” Grayson states before taking a bite of his bread roll. I roughly kick him in the leg under and table and he glares at me.

“That was unnecessary,” I mouth.

“Was it?” he mouths back.

“Well, they have only been together for seven months, things can change,” Astrid says before spooning some of her lobster soup into her mouth.

“Ash, why don’t you come to the restroom with me?” Lia says, grabbing Astrid’s hand, not giving her time to answer. Lia pulls her away from the table, leaving us alone.

“Was that needed?” I ask, once they are out of hearing distance.

“Yes, she was throwing herself at him,” he replies.

“You just basically called her a hoe,” I say.

“Well, she’s acting like one,” Grayson snaps. A moment of silence passes as we both stare at each other with our chests rising heavily.

“Just because everything isn’t okay with you doesn't mean be an asshole,” I say and Grayson just looks at me, clenching his teeth from inside his mouth, holding back words before he turns away. I probably should not have said that.

Too bad.

It’s been said now.

“Where are the others?” Noah asks, taking his seat once he gets back. I didn’t even notice he came back from his phone call.

“Bathroom,” Grayson answers Noah’s question roughly and stabs his salad so the fork pounds the plate, causing me to jump a bit.

“Is everything okay?” Noah asks.

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