Page 34 of The One I Love
Don’t get me wrong; I love the man like a brother. He’s been a part of our group since he and his family moved here in fourth grade. He might be an arrogant son of a bitch, and a pain in the ass most days, but the man is loyal and will move a mountain for you. Hell, Wes was just thinking about moving back to Rolling Hills last year and Simon went and found him a house that wasn’t even on the market. We still don’t know how that happened. Amelia has joked that if we ever needed someone to bury a body, well, Simon wouldn’t do that. God forbid he’d get one of his designer suits dirty. But he would pay the guy to cover it up and drive the getaway car.
Everyone needs a friend like that.
I thought I was going to need to call him the other day if I had come in contact with Amelia’s ex. I don’t use the word hate a lot, but when it comes to Paul, hate isn’t a strong enough word. I know why Amelia married him. Hell, I know why she stayed married to him. But I’ll never forget the look in her eye the day she left him. The day I was in the right place at the right time. And for that, the man should always watch his back when I’m around. Because if given the opportunity, I’ll end him.
Which is why I almost put Simon on call when I went to Mariah’s track meet. Because I’m a man of my word, and I love that girl as if she was my own, I showed up and stayed the whole meet. I even went to watch Luke’s game between Mariah’s races.
That jackass didn’t even bother showing his face. Which I knew he wouldn’t. But I was ready.
“Okay! I’m here.”
I come out from around the corner of my kitchen into the living room to see Simon bent over, gasping for air.
“Did you run here?”
“Possibly,” he says, standing up and taking some long breaths. “But I’m here, and as your number two best friend, I’m ready to give you whatever you need on a subject you’ve yet to tell me about.”
“I thought I was your third-ranking best friend?” I usually don’t acknowledge Simon’s ridiculous best-friend ranking system, but I need his connections, so today I’ll amuse him. And I’m curious to see how I moved up.
“You were,” he begins as he unbuttons his jacket before sitting on my couch. “But I dropped Oliver back to last place since he won’t return any of my texts. And I even put that hilarious meme in the group chat last week. And nothing! What the fuck, man?”
“Not just you,” I say as I sit down across from him. “I’ve barely talked to him since the wedding.”
“Oh, I see. I’m only here because Oliver is possibly dead.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s not dead. Right now he’s at school, because that’s what employed teachers do on a Thursday morning in May. But yes, partly.”
“You know what? I’m not even mad. His loss is my gain. So, best friend number two, how can I help?”
“That new Italian restaurant in Franklin, don’t you know the owner?”
Simon’s eyebrow raises. “I do, since I was the real estate agent who found him that property. Why do you ask?”
“How hard is it to get a reservation?”
This makes Simon sit up a little straighter. “Pretty tough. But it’s a little easier when you’re me. So again, why do you ask, Shane?”
I narrow my eyes because I know he knows—he’s just going to make me say it out loud. “Because…I was seeing…if maybe you….”
“Come on, Shane. You can do it. I have faith in you, buddy.”
Don’t punch him. You need him.
“Can you call the owner and see if you can get a reservation for two for Saturday night?”
The smile forming on Simon’s face right now is reminiscent of every villain in every James Bond movie ever made. “Why, yes, Shane. Of course I can.”
“Thank—”
“But! Under a few conditions.”
My head falls back against the couch. I have to remind myself this is for Amelia. For us. She wanted a test run, and I’m going to give her that.
“What are they?”
“Just a few questions. For starters, who’s the woman?”
I let out a groan. “Not telling.”
