Page 13 of Always. Forever.

This is our weakness, we love a bottomless brunch, and we tested it out and the food was amazing, also the fact they’re one of the only places in Baltimore that does bottomless brunch for not one but two hours with unlimited cocktails. A lot of the places we have been to in the past, only do a certain prosecco or wine with a selection of beers. We love cocktails so this was a win, win for us. I haven’t seen Ton since my birthday a month ago, so this catch-up is well overdue, and Toni always has the best gossip, and sometimes a lunch and goss with your bestie is all you need.

I walk into Blossoms, trying to control my breathing and not make it obvious how unfit I am from that speed walk. I let the girl know at the reservations stand I have a table under Rylee, and she tells me to go through as my friend is already here. I scan the open area, which has a few empty tables, and then I see big autumn-brown eyes staring straight back at me, and she’s wearing a huge grin that reaches her eyes.

I squeal on the spot, walking quickly to the table. As I approach, Toni stands. She’s stunning in a pair of black tights, beige Ugg boots, and a beige jumper dress.

“Ahhh!” Toni grabs me in the biggest hug. I have missed her so much. I pull her tighter into me, hugging her like I haven’t seen her in years. It feels like that sometimes. She buries her face into my hair before pulling away and grabbing my face with both hands.

“I missed you so fucking much, Ry.”

“I missed you so much too, Ton.” I take a seat, and she sits opposite me at our two-seater table.

“So how has my beautiful girl been?” She smiles while picking up the menu and going straight to the cocktail section.

“I’ve been good, you know, the usual, working, more working, and Jace.” I laugh. Toni is smiling down at the menu, probably struggling with what five cocktails she wants.

“How have you been?” I ask warily. I know she had trouble with a man a while ago, he wanted to commit and settle down. She didn’t. So she called it off with him, but I know she did like him and that’s a big thing for Toni.

“Yeah, not bad, thank you. Just working a lot.” She looks at me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

She changes the conversation quickly, asking if I have picked my cocktail. I will press, but I also know she wants us to catch up on all the goss and not her love life, so I push it aside for now, making a mental note to speak to her about this later. I don’t want her holding back from me. She has been there for me through so much, and I want to make sure she knows I’m here to do the same.

“You know already what I’m going for,” I say with a sly smile.

“Pornstar Martini, am I right?”

“Got it in one,” I say, laughing. “Let me guess, you are going for the Bahama Mama?”

“Always, you know how much I love my Malibu, baby.”

The waiter walks over, and we tell them we are having the bottomless brunch, they take our food order to which we have the same, chicken burger with chips and coleslaw. Toni is my soulmate, we love all the exact same things, except Malibu because that is just awful.Weirdo.

“So, spill, I want to know everything that I have missed out on since I last saw you, down to what you had for dinner each night,” I say in a serious tone, knowing Toni will take the sarcasm from it.

Before Toni can start, she glares over my right shoulder, and her shoulders tense.

I frown and turn around. James Sinclair. Jace’s old best friend.

“I swear, why is he always around, he’s such a creep,” she hisses, still looking at him. I turn back around to her.

“A creep you fucked, let’s just remind you of that,” I say, smirking at her with a raised eyebrow.

“God, don’t remind me.” She shudders and points in my face. “We said we would never mention that again.”

I put my hands in the air. “Sorry, just had to remind you.” I laugh.

She mutters “Bitch,” but then she tenses up again as she looks behind me.

“Ladies.”

I plaster on a smile and turn around again.

“James,” I say, standing, opening my arms to hug him. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Yes, such a shock,” Toni says sarcastically. If James hears Toni, he doesn’t react, or he just doesn’t realize her sarcasm. He hugs me back, squeezing me tight and hugging me for a few seconds too long like he normally does. I step back and take my seat. I take James in, and he hasn’t changed much since the first night I met him at Freedom. Just smarter-looking, I guess. He is always in suits, as he is a lawyer, so he’s always immaculately dressed.

He gives Toni an awkward wave, she gives him a barely there smile, which blankets us with awkward tension.

“What brings you here today?” I ask, hoping it breaks some of the tension.

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