Page 96 of One Week Wingman

I look around the table. “I love you guys, but you don’t understand,” I say with a sigh. “You’re all successful and confident.”

“Now, maybe,” Jenn speaks up. “But I spent years too nervous to leave my old, boring job and level up.”

Grace nods. “And I worked as a personal assistant forever, shampooing glitter out of other people’s poodles because I didn’t think I could launch my own business. But look at us now,” she beams. “You just need to take the leap.”

“And wind up crashing into the ground, with two broken legs,” I mutter. “Metaphorically speaking. But I’m fine,” I add, catching the concerned glances. “I’m great! This thing with Sebastian is just a… hiccup. We got caught up in pretending, that’s all. Lulled into thinking this was something that it’s not. Give me another week, and a season ofGilmore Girls, and I’ll be back to normal. Better than normal,” I say brightly. “I’ll be amazing.”

“Well… OK,” Jenn agrees, shooting me another cautious look. “In that case, can I steal some of your amazing, fine, perfectly great, not-at-all wallowing breakup fries?”

“Be my guest,” I say, shoving the plate over. “I’mfine.”

My insistencethat everything is A-OK lasts for the rest of lunch. Then I remember, I have to stop by the bar to pick up my paycheck.

I pause on the sidewalk outside the café, dreading the thought of seeing Sebastian at Mavericks, surrounded by adoring women. Again.

“What’s up?” Piper asks, as the others head off.

“Nothing.” I reply. “Except… It’s payday.”

“Ah,” she says, a look of understanding crossing her face. “Hold on.” She whips out her phone and fires off a text. “All clear,” she says, lifting her head. “Dash says, he’s not around.”

I exhale in relief. “Thank you.”

We walk over together, and I can tell from Piper’s frequent glances, she’s got something on her mind. “It’s OK, if you’re hurting,” she finally says in a gentle voice. “Nobody expects you to just bounce back.”

“It was barely even a week,” I say ruefully. “I’ve had online hookups that lasted longer, and they didn’t make me feel like this when they were over.”

“Sometimes our hearts don’t get the memo.” Piper says. “They can hang on to feelings over nothing, for a really long time.”

She’s got a look on her face, like she’s thinking about something in particular, but before I can ask anything, she gives a bright smile again. “Anyway, I’m just saying, you’re allowed to be hurt it didn’t work out. You don’t have to pretend everything’s OK.”

I shake my head. “But I feel stupid,” I admit. “I knew going into this what kind of guy Sebastian is. We said so, at girls’ night, remember? Certified man-whore!”

“But it sounds like you got to know him better. Saw a different side to him?”

I nod, feeling another pang. The Sebastian I never saw coming. The man who listened in my old treehouse as I drunkenly poured my heart out. Who took me to the music shop, and put a guitar in my hands, and encouraged me to follow my passion.

Who made me moan and tremble under his wicked, sensual touch.

“It doesn’t matter now,” I say quietly. “He doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“He’s nursing his wounds,” Piper says. “You know the vineyard deal fell through?”

I nod, guilty. Sure, it was Seb’s idea to lie to Natalia and her father to secure the partnership, but I still feel bad that it all fell apart because of me.

It was his dream, and despite everything, I wish he’d gotten it.

We arrive at the bar, and head inside past the ‘closed’ sign to find Dash and Flynn hanging out.

“What’s up, pipsqueak?” Flynn greets Piper.

Piper rolls her eyes. “See?” she tells me. “One of these days, I’m going to strip naked and dance on that bar, just to shut them up.”

“What?” Flynn and Dash blurt, horrified, and I smile.

I grab my paycheck from behind the bar, and get ready to head out, but Dash fixes me with a look. “When are you going to put him out of his misery?”

I pause, tensing. “Sebastian? He seems just fine to me. At least, he did last night. Shots, on the house.”

---