Page 4 of About That One Night
Cleo, Lily’s older sister, was engaged to Dominic, Ethan’s older brother until she realized the guy is an asshole and left him. At least, that’s how she tells the story.
He shrugs, a rueful smile playing on his lips. “Not sure, but ever since Zoe broke up with Tom ‘the Tool’, she has been visiting us almost every day. Idon’t mind, but sometimes I want to get home and fuck my bride, but the sister is there.” He groans.
“She’ going to be a bridesmaid in our wedding,” Liam adds.
I feel my jaw tighten at the mention ofhername. Zoe. The one woman who has managed to get under my skin and challenge me in ways no one else has since we met. I had to prove to her that my company wasn’t just some cockamamie scam. She is so good at litigating that at some point I was wondering if what we’re doing was legit.
“Why would she be going to your wedding? No offense, but isn’t it just for close friends?”
“She is,” Liam corrects me. “Why do you think I came to Boston—other than to check on my father’s bookstore? Aud, Lil, and Zo are having a girls’ weekend.”
I frown. I thought my sister had come to discuss some of the wedding details with Mom and Mrs. Cohen, or maybe . . . Okay, I really didn’t pay much attention when I went to visit my parents earlier in the week. The moment Mom says wedding I tune her out because it can get too exhausting. All I heard was that Liam and Audrey were coming to town over the weekend, and I organized a few things for us, like going skydiving and then sailing tomorrow.
“Isn’t Zoe the hottie you had a crush on while Ethan was on his road trip?” Caleb arches an eyebrow, looking at me suspiciously.
“A crush?” I sputter, feeling heat creep up my neck. My fingers tighten around my glass.
“Yeah, you were texting all times of the daywith her,” Cal insists, a knowing grin spreading across his face. “She even came to the office to make sure that we were real, and I offered her a job—she’s great at interrogation. This guy was almost peeing his pants while she was prodding him for information.”
“Why didn’t I know about that?” Ethan narrows his gaze.
“He’s making shit up,” I say reassuringly, because if there’s something I learned during training is not to give up my secrets. “You’re aware that we worked together while you were trying to make things happen for Lily.”
Ethan smiles like an idiot and nods, as if that makes total sense. In truth, Zoe is . . . not up for discussion.
“If I go and check on your phone records, what will I find?” Caleb continues, and doesn’t stop for me to say a word. “Zoe’s number and the hours of conversation and millions of texts. I could even retrieve the data and see how many heart emojis you sent.”
He starts making kissing sounds and hugging himself. “Zoe, my love.”
“We were just helping Ethan and Lily with the road trip,” I correct him, my voice pitched slightly higher than usual.
Jacob scoffs. “You keep telling yourself that, big brother.” He looks around and smirks. “He was all in until he learned about Tom.”
“Those are all lies,” I say weakly because maybe, maybe there was something happening there.
“Zoe Harper has your balls. But sure, we’ll let you live in denial,” Caleb says.
I shake my head, trying to dislodge thoughts of Zoe and her stupid, perfect boyfriend from my mind. My jaw clenches involuntarily. I’m not going to let some girl—no matter how beautiful and intriguing—derail my carefully cultivated bachelor lifestyle. The familiar weight of denial settles in my chest, heavy and uncomfortable.
I raise my glass, forcing a grin that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. My voice comes out a bit too loud, too forced. “To Liam and his impending ball and chain. May your last few weeks of freedom be filled with booze and bad decisions.”
Liam laughs and shakes his head. “The only bad decision I plan to make this weekend is hanging out with my loser friends.” He points at Caleb, Jacob, and me, his finger wagging accusingly. “The rest is really not my scene anymore.”
I join in the laughter, but it feels hollow in my throat. My fingers tap a restless rhythm against my glass as I can’t shake the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. It’s like an itch I can’t scratch, a whisper that maybe, just maybe, there’s something more out there. Something I’m missing out on.
I down the rest of my whiskey in one gulp, relishing the burn as it slides down my throat. I hope the fiery sensation will chase away these unwelcome thoughts. I’m Maximillian McCallister—eternal bachelor, married to my job and my freedom. I don’t need anything or anyone else.
But even as I signal the bartender for anotherround, my chest feels oddly tight. The guys’ laughter fades into background noise as I stare into my empty glass, wondering why it suddenly feels like I’m trying to convince myself more than anyone else. Because all I want to do is head out and figure out what happened with Zoe.
Did she really leave the Tool?
Chapter Three
Maximillian
MaxMcAnnoying: Afternoon, how ya doin’?
Zoe: What?
