Page 18 of Never With You
“I have a strong don’t-get-involved-with-men-in-general policy,” Camila adds.
Juliet rolls her eyes. “That’s because every guy you date grosses you out.”
“No, it’s because I see how most marriages end in divorce.” The corner of Camila’s mouth lifts. “Andbecause every guy I date grosses me out. Did I tell you about the last one that put his finger in my belly button?”
Blair winces. “I’d break his arm if a guy did that to me.”
“Yep, I was wearing a cropped shirt, and he swirled his finger around the inside, thinking it would be cute. I’ve ghosted him ever since.”
“Why do you continue to date men if you have no intention of getting involved or married?” Vinny asks.
“Because dating is fun. Marriage is the problem.”
Juliet playfully covers Vinny’s ears. “Don’t say that in front of him. I want Vinny to pop the question.”
Emma fidgets beside me.
“Sorry for the wait.” The waiter stands above us, holding a tray of drinks.
My phone buzzes in my purse, and I reach for it as drinks get passed around the table. Nate Farnsworth’s name appears across the screen.
“Oh, no,” I mutter, already scooting my chair back. “I need to take this.” I glance at Emma. “Order me a Dr. Pepper.”
I walk toward the exit, trying to find a quieter place to take the call. “Hello?”
“Carly, it’s Nate!”
“I guess this means your flight to New Zealand didn’t crash and burn,” I say as I step outside into the parking lot.
“I’m not in New Zealand. We missed our connecting flight in Fiji, and the only flight to Auckland is in the morning. I need you to find me a hotel.”
The lines on my forehead deepen. “Why can’t you find yourself a hotel?”
“I don’t have service.”
“You’re calling me, so you must havesomeservice.”
“I just got the signal for one second, but I don’t have enough service to look up hotels online. I need you to do it for me.”
Of course he needs me to do it, because he’s helpless without me. I bet he missed the connecting flight out of sheer stupidity.
My weight shifts in frustration. “What time is it there?”
“Like, one-thirty p.m.”
“So, you have plenty of time and daylight to take care of this yourself.”
“I wouldn’t be calling you if I could handle this myself.”
“Can’t you take a taxi to an internet cafe or something?”
“Icould,but since this is part of your job as the event coordinator, I called you first.”
“Fine.” I pinch the bridge of my nose as a sign of suffering. “Just give me fifteen minutes to get home in front of my computer. I’m out with friends.”
“I didn’t know you had friends.”
There’s teasing behind his voice, but I ignore it, deciding right then that I’ll find Nate the absolute worst hotel in all of Fiji, and I’m not even going to feel bad about it.
