Page 56 of That Friendzone Feeling
“Okay.”Sheheads back toward the plastic sheet entrance. “Let’sshow you the village.”
“Wecan go to theDocksideDinerfor lunch and answer any other questions you have,”Iadd. “I’msure we could all do with filling our bellies and getting warm.”
“Soundsperfect,”Chasesays.
“Thatwas delicious.”Chaseplaces his knife and fork on the plate that previously held his lobster roll andCaesarsalad. “Thisdiner’s amazing.”Heleans back against the shiny blue booth seat and glances out of the window at the boats bobbing in the choppy harbor.
“It’sbeen here since 1953,”Emilysays. “It’sWalker’sfavorite.He’sa big lover of retro style.Youshould see his car.”
“Oh, yeah,”Chasesays. “Whatyou got?”
Ihate talking about my car.Peoplewho know nothing makeJamesBondjokes, while car nerds sayIshould have gotten a 1964, not a ’65.Idon’t care what year it’s from.Ijust love it.
“It’sa 1965AstonMartin.”
“Oh, wow.”Chaseleans forward on theFormica-topped table between us. “Ilove those old classicBritishcars.Knownothing about them.Butlike them all the same.Idrove a sixtiesJaguarin a movie a few years ago.Enjoyedit so muchIalmost bought it.ButI’dhave been too scared of it getting damaged to drive it aroundLA, and it would have just sat in my garage gathering dust, so it seemed like a waste.”
GoodGod, he’s not a car snob, and he’s careful with cash.Ican’t find a single fault with this man that would make him not perfect forEmily.Apartfrom him not being me, obviously.
“LikeIsaid before”—he rests his chin on his fist—“Ihaven’t been investing for long, but whatI’vequickly learned is thatIonly want to work with peopleIfeel a real connection with.”Hisgaze flicks toEmily. “Somethingmore real and fundamental than just financial interests.”
“That’sgood to know,”Isay, drawing his attention back to me. “Ican’t imagine ever having gone into business with anyone butEmily.SomeoneIalready knew and trusted.SomeoneIknew would always have my back, likeIhave hers.”
Itmight be the verbal equivalent of pissing on my lawn, butIdon’t care.Hecan waltz in here with his perfect face and perfect hair and perfect acting career and perfect piles of cash.ButIhave history with this woman.Andlast nightI’mpretty sure she had the climax of her life without me even touching her skin.
“Youare very lucky to have each other,” he says. “Andyou obviously have impeccable judgment—this island is picture-perfect beautiful.”Helooks around the diner. “Thevillage is adorable, like a movie set with all its clapboard and shingled buildings in faded colors, but it feels real, you know?Likeit’s a home to real people who live and work here.Andit has amazing food.”Hepoints at his emptyplate. “Notcrappy junk with high prices to take advantage of the captive market.”
Hepauses for a second and looks fromEmilyto me and back again. “Andsoon the other end of the island will have a first-class, one-of-a-kind brewery resort.So…”
Emilytaps my shin with her foot a few times, like she can’t contain her nerves as to what he’s about to say.
Chasebeams at us.
“…if you two will still have me,IthinkI’min.”
Emily’sperfectly formed backside bounces on the seat next to me.Shegrabs my shoulder as she reaches across the table to shakeChase’shand, sending a tingle from her touch to my chest. “Oh, we will definitely have you,” she says toChase.
Hewaggles his eyebrows slightly as he takes her hand.
“Absolutely,Chase,”Itell him, holding out my hand to force him to let go ofEmily’s.
“Ican’t wait to taste whatever your secretHornbyIslandbrew will turn out to be,” he says.
Therelief on my andEmily’sside of the table is palpable.Withhim on board, the resort is saved and the business with it.
Chaseleans back again. “I’lljust have to have my finance people and lawyers look over the whole thing first, of course, beforeIcan be totally sure.”
“Oh, obviously,”Emilysays, as if it’s a mere detail.
“So, here’s whatI’mthinking.Youguys draw up the contract and send it over to my team.”Chaseclasps his hands on the table. “Now,Ihave a red carpet premiere inLAin a couple of weeks.Usually,Itake my mom as my date to those things.”
Ohyeah,I’dforgotten about that.It’sa thing.Thepress loves that particularly adorable habit.
“Buthere’s a thought.”Hefixes his eyes onEm. “Emily, how about you’re my red carpet date instead?Allthe reporters will ask who you are, and we can talk about the resort in all the interviews down the line.It’dbe good publicity.And, while you’re there, we can sign the contracts in person.”
Aburning sensation rises within me.Ishe blackmailing her for a date?Orbuying her? “Well,I—”
Hesmiles and holds up his hand to stop me. “Sorry,Walker.ButIdoubt walking the red carpet with you would bring the right sort of publicity.Thepress would find a whole other story in that.”
