Page 49 of Bang Buddies With Benefits
Noah extended a hand. “We’ve actually met before, although it’s been a while.”
“Oh yeah,” Catalina said. “I remember. Mostly because I thought ‘oh, no’ there are two of them.’”
My brother’s laugh filled the room, and Jeremy chuckled along. The two of them then exchanged a glance, some joke I wasn’t in on.
When we returned to the table, I did my best not to wallow in the Carrington sisters’ bafflement.Yep, take it in. The guy you all declared a piece of shit managed to land a girlfriend, and she’s smoking hot, brilliant, and driven.
She’s not obsessed with marriage or kids, and if anything, wants those things even less than I do.That boastful thought was supposed to make me feel better, and damn, I was losing my ever-loving mind.
It wasn’t that I was ready for those things, only that the notion didn’t scare me as much as it used to. Not after the hours we’d spent chatting, all cuddled up in bed together. Holding her in my arms as we slept.
Waking up the next morning to the scent of brewing coffee, along with a note she’d left about how much fun she’d had the night before.
After my last relationship crashed and burned, I’d swornnever again. It was the entire reason I’d posed the idea to Catalina about adding benefits to our sex-only arrangement. That way, I’d have a date to the wedding without veering anywhere close to that devout path.
When I placed her at the beginning of that winding road, however, I wanted to rush down it. Not headfirst without thinking things through, the way people often accused me of doing and I frequently did. But eyes and heart wide open, with the idea of making every twist, bend, and turn all part of the exhilarating journey.
In a lot of ways, it was sort of ludicrous, the idea of an uber successful lawyer and a lowly bartender. My lifestyle had clashed plenty with Julia’s, and I’d just had a big ol’ lesson in all the mistakes I’d made.
Unease unfurled, and then I was fretting over how to avoid making the same mistakes, and my brain really needed to calm the fuck down.
The woman who owned the catering company came over to explain the mix-up behind the place settings. She pointed the blame at one of her employees, a tactic I’d always despised and one I avoided at the bar. Even if it was my employee’s fault, it reflected on me and the way I’d done business.
“I’m so sorry that the display wasn’t what you were expecting. The ones you ordered are on backorder, but I double-checked that they’ll arrive on time. What’s in front of you are remnants from a backyard luau party, and nothing we’d use at a wedding as extravagant as the one you’re putting on,” the woman explained, and Julia shot me a self-satisfied expression that rolled right off me, thanks to having Catalina by my side.
While they discussed a discount to make up for the error—again, it was her employee’s doing, which made me care less about Julia being harsh—I draped my arm over Cat’s chair and toyed with the ends of her hair.
“What is it about this case that’s bothering you so much?” I asked. “I can tell something’s off.”
Her big brown eyes lifted to me, a hint of sorrow in the depths. “Later, okay?” she whispered. Then she leaned her head on my shoulder, and let me soothe her, and everything felt right in the world again.
“Thank you so much,” Julia was saying—I’d forgotten how much she liked to haggle, and how well she worked at that. “And I’m sorry I didn’t react well. It’s just…”
“A lot of pressure to plan everything,” the caterer replied, “and you all deserve for it to go perfectly. I understand, and I assure you that if I have to, I’ll drive across state lines myself to ensure those place settings are here on time. Now hold tight, and the food will be arriving shortly.”
As we waited, we made small talk, with the rest of the group asking my date several get-to-know-you type questions.
The appetizer options arrived, and I looked to Noah, following his lead on which fork to use. When it came to food, I tended to stick with plain and simple, such as meat and potatoes or pastas heavy on the sauce. Unique cocktails were where I experimented with the unusual, but Noah’d always been a foodie. While Jeremy’s tastes ran similar to mine, I appreciated that one of his favorite things to do was spoil my brother by taking him to the finest, best-rated restaurants in the city. As well as everywhere else they traveled.
As Noah picked up one of the Mediterranean lamb meatballs by the toothpick and dipped it in the Greek yogurt dressing, he said, “Did you know I requested this option, babe?” He turned to address the rest of the table. “You see, Jeremy made me spaghetti and meatballs the very first time he invited me to his place for dinner.”
Jeremy finished his bite and dabbed his mouth with his napkin. “Yes, and I often joke that he fell in love with my meatballs before he fell in love with me. Which is extra funny around the older, conservative crowd. They get so afraid at what’ll come out of my mouth next.”
“Hopefully my meatballs,” Noah joked, nudging his fiancé with his elbow, and sniggers went around the table. This was the side of them I’d missed the past month as the stress of their upcoming nuptials overtook everything. Their humor and ability to not take everything so seriously was what made them so fun to be around, and I was glad Catalina was getting a glimpse of that. Because yes, I wanted to dive all in, and have her at my side at family functions and do cheesy double dates and everything else that came along with typical relationships.
“This rosemary lamb twist blows the ones I make out of the water.” Jeremy snagged another and popped it in his mouth. “I don’t think I can brag about mine anymore.”
“Babe, don’t be silly. Of course. you can.” Noah slung his arm around Jeremy’s shoulders. “Your meatballs will always be my favorite.” They exchanged a smile, and then my brother placed a hand to the side of his mouth and faux whispered, “But if there are any leftovers, feel free to box them up so I can take them home with me.”
When Jeremy pretended to be offended, Noah peppered his betrothed’s cheek with kisses. Jeremy’s resistance crumbled in an instant, and soon they were both laughing and turning their heads so their mouths could meet.
A sidelong glance at Catalina revealed that she was smiling over their love, that mushy side I’d caught a glimpse of at her cousin’s quinceañera near the surface. That made it easier to loosen the cautious grip I had on my emotions as well.
Our eyes met and held. Then we were both leaning in, our mouths fusing together in a heated kiss.
“How did you two meet?” Joy asked, swinging her fork between me and Catalina, eyes narrowed as though she were searching for chinks in our armor. I had no clue how much Noah had told Jeremy, and this was one of those things Cat and I meant to discuss beforehand but never quite got around to.
“At the Drunken Kraken, during a rowdy bachelorette party I was attending,” Catalina said. Sticking with the truth. Smart. “At first I thought he was a pompous ass, on account of all that showboating he does, even when pouring the simplest of drinks.”
