17. You Should’ve Led with That
17
Hadley
“Oh, my God. He did not.”
I shove a fry into my mouth as I nod at Roxy. Tessa is hiding a laugh behind her napkin, and Skye is fake-gagging over the side of her bench seat. We met for lunch at the diner so I could tell them all about my date last night, and I had just gotten to the bit about the puss-oozing nail infection he treated when Roxy interrupted.
Despite the failure of my first date since college, I can’t stop smiling and laughing right along with them. I can’t help it. I’m just so…happy.
“Wait,” Skye says when she straightens in her seat and gets a look at my face. “Why do you look so happy? You can’t possibly be thinking of seeing Dr. Toe Cheese again, are you?”
“No,” I chirp, my smile growing wider. “I made up an excuse and ran out of there before he could ask me out for another date. Then closed my account and deleted that stupid app from my phone.”
“She is smiling a lot,” Tessa muses, dropping her napkin to give me a pointed stare.
“Maybe she ended the night a little more pleasantly,” Roxy says with a smirk. “Need me to pick you up a pack of batteries when I head to the store later?”
“Ha, ha,” I say, chucking a fry at her face.
She reacts too late, and it hits her square on the cheek. Her eyes fly wide as she jerks back at the contact, and I crack up at the comical expression. A laugh escapes Skye even though she’s valiantly attempting to seal her mouth shut, resulting in a loud raspberry sound that echoes through the diner.
“Bitch,” Roxy growls, picking up a fry from her own plate and tossing it at Skye, who jerks to the side and watches it sail right past her.
“Girls.”
We all look up as our waitress, Val, stops beside the table with that single chastising word.
“Sorry, Val,” Roxy says meekly.
“Yeah, sorry,” I add, hoping I look more contrite than I actually feel.
“Throw any more food, and you’re out on your asses,” she says with a pointed glare at Roxy before bending over with a huff to retrieve the fry from the floor.
As soon as she disappears through the door behind the long counter, all four of us burst into quiet laughter. Val is a no-nonsense, cantankerous woman, but she loves us and would never kick us out of our favorite booth, much less the whole restaurant.
At least, I don’t think she would. Maybe we’ve pushed her too far.
“Okay, that was fun, and all, but I’m gonna need you to explain your giddiness. Now,” Skye orders, arching a brow in my direction.
I shrug nonchalantly and look down at what’s left of my burger as I say, “Foster was waiting on the porch for me when I got home last night. He was very interested in how my date went.”
“Hooker,” Skye growls, “you should’ve led with that.”
“Yeah,” Roxy adds. “You spent the last half-hour talking about that awful date when something far more interesting and less disgusting happened afterward? You’re a cruel, cruel woman, Hadley West.”
“How did he even know you were on a date?” Tessa asks. I give her a pointed look, and she flinches. “Riggs and his fat mouth. Sorry, Had.”
“Tess, she’s been smiling like a loon since she got here. I’d wager you have nothing to be sorry over,” Skye says with a confident nod.
Tessa looks at me hopefully, and my smile grows even wider.
“Well, get on with it,” Roxy demands. “Give us all the juicy details.”
“I was surprised to see him waiting there, and he looked all broody and mad. I assumed it was because of our fight the other night when I kissed him, so I tried to ignore him and head inside. But he refused to let me pass. He wanted to know how my date went and if I was going to go out with Jonathan again.”
I’d texted them late that night after I set up the online dating profile, and they’d been all for me getting out there and finding someone to take my mind off Foster after our argument. Tessa had been particularly upset, since she was so invested in getting us together. She couldn’t believe he’d accused me of trying to use him, and was ready to duel to the death on my behalf.
I’d calmed her down and very sweetly demanded she stay out of it. That I was moving on, and so should she. Foster and I just weren’t in the cards.
“What did you say?” Roxy asks.
“I told him it was none of his damn business.”
“Good girl,” Skye says, holding a fist in my direction.
I bump mine against it, saying, “Thanks, but he followed me and wouldn’t give up until I told him I have no plans for a second date. He looked so…relieved, I couldn’t help but probe for more. I asked him why he even cared.”
“And?” Tessa begs, bouncing in her seat when I pause to take a drink of my milkshake.
“He said he cares because we’re friends,” I say, stressing the last word.
“Ugh,” Skye says, taking a bite from the fry in her hand and tossing the remainder back to her plate. “Lame.”
I chuckle. “Then he apologized for what he said the other night. Said he didn’t mean it and never thought I was trying to use him.”
“Then why did he say it?” Roxy asks, mirroring my own question when Foster said the words to me.
“Because when I kissed him, it messed up his head. He was torn between what he knew he should do and what he really wanted to do.”
“Which was?” Tessa asks, her face lit up with excitement.
“He cornered me against the counter and made me tell him I wanted him to kiss me. Said he needed the words.”
“Oh, shit,” Roxy says, fanning herself with a napkin.
“Did you say it?” Tessa asks.
“Of course, she did,” Skye butts in before I can answer. “Look at her.”
“And?” Tessa asks, returning her attention to me.
“He kissed me good,” I murmur, and Tessa squeals.
She scoots closer to me in the booth and throws her arms around me. “I’m so happy for you.”
“What happened next?” Skye asks when Tessa releases me.
“He said goodnight, kissed my cheek, then went to bed.”
“Boo,” Roxy groans.
“And he asked me out on a real date before he left for practice this morning,” I add quickly, my voice rising an octave by the end.
Tessa squeals and hugs me again, and I can feel her excitement. She loves me and wants me to be happy. I laugh as she rocks me vigorously, then suddenly releases me to level a pointed stare at Skye.
“Maybe we should hook you up with Porter. Then everything would be perfect.”
“Uh, that would be a big no from me,” Skye says darkly.
“Why the hell not? He’s hot.”
All three of us look at Roxy with wide eyes, and she shrugs before popping a fry into her mouth. When we continue to stare, she throws her hands up.
“What? Just because I’m newly engaged to the man of my dreams doesn’t mean I’m blind. Porter Crawford is fine.”
“He is pretty hot,” Tessa adds with a shrug, then looks back at Skye.
That one holds up her palms in supplication. “I’m not saying he’s unattractive. Anyone with eyes can see how good looking he is. I’m just not interested.”
“He’s good looking, funny as hell, and a good guy, not to mention successful. What’s the problem?” Roxy asks, ticking off Porter’s good traits on her fingers.
“I don’t want to get involved with anyone,” Skye says firmly. “Blue Skye’s is the love of my life. I’m happy. And, no offense, but if I were looking for a boyfriend, it wouldn’t be with a football player.”
The whole-body shiver that accompanies those last two words has Tessa and Roxy wearing matching frowns.
“What the hell?” Roxy demands, chucking another fry in Skye’s direction.
This time, Skye plucks it from the air and shoves it into her mouth before looking around the diner for Val. Seeing no sign of her, Skye relaxes.
“Bitch, if you get us banned from this place, I’m going to fuck you up.”
“What’s wrong with football players?” Tessa asks, ignoring their little side argument.
“Nothing,” Skye says quickly. “For you guys, they’re great. That whole athletic, team-sport thing just isn’t for me. All the football talk is incredibly boring.”
“What? Would you prefer a burly biker with a hog between his legs?” Roxy snipes, and Skye shrugs.
“Maybe, as long as the hog between his legs is a big one.”
A laugh bursts out of Roxy, and I feel my face heat up. I remember feeling Foster’s “hog” against my stomach last night, and it seemed big. Like, really big. Not that I have much to compare it to, but still.
“So, when is Foster taking you out?” Tessa asks, turning everyone’s attention back to me.
“Friday night,” I say, forcing myself to focus on the conversation, rather than the size of Foster’s cock.
“Nice. What are you going to wear?” she asks.
“Ooh, we should go for mani-pedis Friday afternoon,” Roxy says before I can answer.
“Yes,” Skye adds, looking forlornly at the chipped polish on her fingernails. “I’m in desperate need of a manicure.”
“Let’s make a whole day of it,” Tessa declares. “We can go shopping in the morning for a sexy date night outfit, then have lunch, then go to the salon.”
They talk excitedly over each other as I sit back and listen. I love my friends, and I don’t know what I’d do without them. Their pure, unadulterated happiness for me is infectious, and I know I’ll be smiling for the rest of the week.
Friday can’t come soon enough.