Page 13 of Never Kiss and Tell

I suppose, in his own, twisted little way, he may have. I mean, you can’t spend every moment of almost three yearstogether andnothave any feelings for someone. Dating Drew taught me that I don’t want to be on the receiving end of that love, though, no matter how lonely I feel sometimes.

“He’s off doing God only knows what with Marcus. Hell, for all I know,they’rehaving an affair.”

Andi wrinkles her nose. “As long as it’s not you.”

Yeah, as long as it’s not me. I still have to see him, though. My family still regards him as one of their own.

“So, tell me about Tom,” I say, hoping to change the subject and getoffof Drew. I’ve only seen Andi’s fiancé, Tom, once, but he seemed nice enough. A lot different than the normal muscly, dark and,cough, naughty men she normally goes for. In fact, he almost seems a little too normal for Andi. Prim and polished — like Drew only without the classist attitude and, hopefully, the over-the-top kinks. “How is he doing with the wedding planning?”

She rolls her eyes. “He’s not. He hasn’t done a single thing to help.”

“What about Charlie or Kendra. I don’t expect your dad to be much help, but I feel like Kendra would love that.” Kendra, Andi and Charlie’s step mom, reminds me of my own mother, without the cut throat attitude of social status.

She shakes her head. “No one has been willing to help. I feel like I’m marrying myself.”

“Well, if it doesn’t work out, we’ll marry each other. I’ll help you plan our wedding.”

This makes her smile. “As long as you can agree to an open marriage. I’m not sure I can sleep with my best friend. You’re like a sister. It would be too much.”

“Deal.” I hold out my pinky and we shake on it, laughing at the stupidity in the situation.

“Want to go get something to eat? I haven’t stopped to just laugh in a long time and I doubt you have, either.”

She’s right. I haven’t been out with friends in a long time. Mostly because all those friends are also Drew’s friends and feel the same way that my mother does.

“Are you sure you can sneak away from your life for a night?”

“I’m serious. My whole evening’s open. Let’s go out and get cocktail wasted.”

I wrinkle my nose, though the idea of a drinkdoessound tempting. “Just a couple.”

Andi grins wickedly. “Just a couple.”

Charlie

“Jesus Christ,” Jake groans, slamming his hand down on the card table set in the middle of Star and Bruno’s apartment.

“And that’s four for me,” Star cheers, throwing back the rest of her beer and sliding the money in the center of the table toward herself.

I toss my hand down on top of Jake’s. I don’t know why I even come to these games. I’ve never been good at poker. Star, on the other hand, is so good she even has one of those ugly ass hats that professionals wear.

“If I didn’t think Bruno would beat my ass, I’d say you were a cheat.”

Bruno scoffs. “Fuck that.Shewould beat your ass.”

I chuckle, finishing the rest of my beer, wincing as the room-temperature liquid slides down my throat. Star yawns and I check my watch. It’s half past midnight and I know both she and Bruno need to be at work early the next day to open up. Star’s one of our two, head chefs at Lafayette’s— therestaurant owned by my family, and Bruno’s her sous chef.

Rising from the chair, I stretch, the muscles of my back cracking from sitting still so long.

“Time for me to head out,” I murmur, slipping my phone into my pocket.

“Me too,” Jake yawns, standing and brushing his dark curls back.

Bruno sees us out and we make our way down the metal staircase outside their apartment to the parking lot below. Star and Bruno live out of the Quarter, in Iberville, so it’s quieter than I’m used to. I live in theheartof the Quarter, in half a house Dad bought when he was my age. Real estate was a lot cheaper in the Quarter almost thirty years ago. Now, you wouldn’t touch a place like mine for under eight hundred thousand.

“How’s Andi with the wedding planning?” Jake asks as we head to our cars.

“I thought it would be bad and honestly, I was right,” I murmur, stopping by my truck and leaning back against the hood. Jake winces and then rubs his face. The deep bags under his eyes tell me he hasn’t been sleeping well.

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