Page 16 of My Scorned Best Friend

“You mean your Clara? Ben’s going out with her?”

My forehead wrinkles. “How do you know Clara?”

She giggles that fake laugh of hers. “You forget I’m your ex’s best friend. Clara was her archnemesis.”

Before I open the door to the car, I stop and stare at her for a moment. “Why would you say that?”

Her lips tip down at the corners. “Come on, Xavier. You can’t be that clueless. You were always going on to Giulia about how upset you were that you and Clara were on the outs, and everyone knows you can’t be best friends with the opposite sex. It never works out. She assumed there’d been something between you two, but I guess not if she’s dating Ben.”

Not wanting to get into it further, I open the door. Sessilee pretends to be thrilled to see Clara, complimenting her on her dress. Since Clara and I were already on the outs by the time I started dating Giulia, Giulia mostly ignored Clara or walked away on the rare occasion we were all together.

Sessilee’s words run through my head. They’re nothing new. I’ve been told the same thing since kindergarten when Calvin Bruns saw me playing house with Clara. “You can’t be friends with a girl, Xavier.” I’d asked him why and he’d shrugged and said, “It’s a fact.”

But I had stayed best friends with Clara all throughout my life—until that one night we crossed the line. I ache to have her back in my life. I miss my best friend. Seeing her with Ben, I can’t deny that maybe Sessilee and Calvin Bruns are right. Maybe you can’t be best friends with the opposite sex.

6

“WE’RE JUST FRIENDS.”

Clara

We file out of the car, Xavier taking Sessilee’s hand, and my stomach immediately sours. I could kick Ben in the balls for this one. I do not want to have dinner with Xavier and his perfect model date. Actually, I’m starting to regret coming here entirely, because Ben seems unsure what to do with me. I got ready an hour before we had to leave since he was watching SportsCenter and I was reading a book. It’s like we’re already an old married couple and we’re not even officially a couple.

Ben wraps his arm around my waist. “Ready?”

I smile at him. “Yep.”

All in all, he’s not really my type of guy, but I can see he’s trying—struggling, but trying.

Xavier stops at the hostess stand, and of course she fawns over the fact Xavier Greene is in the restaurant. She asks for a photo, and Xavier straightens out his suit jacket before posing for a selfie with her. That only piques the curiosity of the bystanders.

Google told me that Hillstone is the new “it” restaurant and is owned by the same chef who owns my favorite bistro two streets over. I hope that isn’t the reason Xavier picked this place. I can’t even explain how odd it is to be around him but act as though we’re strangers.

The hostess leads us through the restaurant, and both Ben and Xavier get stopped to shake hands and say a quick hello to some patrons. The hostess glances over her shoulder as she opens the doors to the kitchen.

“And here you go. Chef’s table.” Her arms open wide, gesturing to an intimate table for four with candlelight and printed menus of what will be served this evening. This isn’t something Xavier and I would normally do together, but I imagine he did a lot of this while dating Giulia.

“It’s beautiful. You didn’t have to do all this.” Sessilee puts her hand over her heart and fawns over every detail, from the candlesticks to the linens.

“Thanks,” Xavier says to the hostess as he slides out Sessilee’s chair, but his gaze pierces mine.

How dare he give me a look to say he did this for me and not her? Irritation flares inside that I still know what his silent looks mean, but I try to push it aside.

“Here, allow me.” Ben rushes to pull out my chair before I have the opportunity to do it myself.

“Thank you.” I slide in, not really accustomed to this treatment. I haven’t really ever been on a date this elaborate. Most men in my town think that Xavier and I are secretly sleeping together, so they don’t make a move.

Once we’re all seated, I look at the menu and sigh. The first appetizer is stuffed mushrooms, which I won’t eat. But it’s not like I’d make a big deal about it. I’m sure Ben will gladly take my portion.

Chef Ramon walks over, wiping his hands on a cloth. “Mr. Greene, it’s a pleasure to serve you this evening.”

Xavier stands and shakes hands with the young chef, who seems a little intimidated. “Thanks for getting us in on such short notice.”

“Happy to have you. I’m really rooting for the Kingsmen to win it this year.” He looks away from Xavier to Ben. “Mr. Noughton too?”

Ben smiles and waves but doesn’t stand. “Tell me you have a juicy steak you’re bringing out for me.” Ben holds up the menu. “This isn’t going to fill me.”

Chef Ramon laughs. “I’ll see what I can do.”

---