Page 57 of Love to Prove You Wrong

Brianna leaned in, eager to get the latest dirt on his love life. “That sounds intense. Is she in the acting business too?”

Justin pinned me down with a look while answering. “You could say that. She keeps saying she hates me, but tell me, would you girls kiss a guy you hated?”

What words were these? And when was that waiter arriving to take our order?

Brianna scrunched up her nose in disgust. “There’s this one guy at work I can’t stand. I don’t even want to sit next to him during lunch time, let alone have him touch my mouth.”

Justin nodded. “My thoughts exactly. And yet this girl kissed me in the most mind-blowing way.”

I hid back behind my menu.

“Having trouble deciding, Addy?” Justin asked.

“Maybe.”

Next to me, Ashley shifted in her seat, her expression full of shock. Then she elbowed me in the side and joined me behind the safety of the laminated menu pages.

“You could’ve told me he’s involved with someone,” she said with a hiss.

“I didn’t know until today,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Trust me, this is all brand-new information to me. I’m still processing it myself.”

Ashley crossed her arms over her chest. She had the same expression a kid has when he doesn’t get the toy he asked for.

“Well, I’m sorry for whoever this girl is, but I’m not stopping until I get what I want.”

The determined look on her face made me cringe in my seat.

The waiter appeared at our table again to take our order. I went for the fajitas with the award-winning guac and an extra portion of sour cream.

“I’ll have the same as her,” Justin said as I put my menu down.

“Why?” I asked.

He exhaled patiently. “Why not?”

Brianna waggled her finger between us. “You two are acting weird.”

“Justin always acts weird,” I said. “It’s his default behavior.”

A foot touched my shin, and I jumped in my seat. This resulted in quite a few confused stares. “Sorry. There was something on my leg.”

Justin snickered. I rolled my eyes at him, but inside I was rocking out to an upbeat song. He likedme. It wasmyleg he’d just touched under the table.

Our drinks arrived and Justin put his fork to his glass. Fifteen heads perked up, several people getting their phone out to film whatever he was going to say.

“I’d like to make a toast,” he started. “I’ve known Asher my entire life and he’s become like a brother to me. We grew up in Old Pine Cove together, where we had the best adventures. I’m so happy to see him with Layla. You two are such a beautiful couple.”

An echo ofawwwent through the group.

“I also want to use this moment as an opportunity to apologize.”

Layla’s face went ashen. “What did you do?”

Justin laughed. “I didn’t do anything to you two. This apology concerns Addy. She told me she would accompany me to Asher and Layla’s wedding under the condition that I publicly apologized to her.”

“Really?” Ashley said, giving me the stink eye. “He’s takingyouto the wedding?”

“That depends on this speech,” I said.

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