5. Cole
COLE
I dropped my car with the valet outside the restaurant where I was meeting James and his family. “Take care of my baby.” I handed the valet a hundred and sauntered inside. I scanned the party, which was already in full swing. It was a typical Preston family affair. All the guests were impeccably dressed, rich AF, attractive, and athletic.
That’s how billionaires rolled.
I saw James across the room. He was standing with a gorgeous woman, someone I’d never seen before. I hadn’t known he was dating anyone. She was beautiful, young, brunette, with big eyes. She stared up at James like he was the only man on earth. Much to my surprise, he seemed to be eating it up. My best friend was never one for romance, not that I’d ever seen. He’d had plenty of women in his life, but he never seemed that taken with them.
This girl seemed to be an exception. He was beaming at her.
Intrigued, I crossed the crowded room in two strides, then clapped my buddy on the back. “Well, aren’t you two just adorable.”
“Ow, Cole,” James said, turning and grinning. “You don’t have to hit me that hard.”
“Yes, I do,” I said and pulled him in for a quick hug—a move I reserved for the few people I actually counted on in my life. “It’s been too damn long since I’ve seen you.” We’d been best friends for almost twenty years. We’d met at Wharton, where we drank, played pickup basketball, and sometimes fought over women.
I usually won. Scratch that—I always won. Not because I was better looking or more charming, although I’d like to believe I was both. I won because I could simply outlast James. He would eventually give up and go home. I never would. I’d fight until my last breath. I loved winning; he loved letting me be an asshole.
“It’s not my fault you’re so busy with your stupid hockey team,” James said. He was, of course, referring to my NHL farm team, theThunder, and the fact that I’d become obsessed with building my roster. We hadn’t seen each other in months.
“It’s not a stupid team, and you’re right, it’s not your fault we haven’t seen each other. Maybe it’s hers?” I asked, motioning to the gorgeous woman standing next to him.
I slithered past James to his date. “It’s lovely to meet you,” I said, taking her hand and beaming down at her—much like James had been doing.
She quickly looked at him as if to ask a question, then smiled back at me tentatively.
“I’m Audrey Reynolds,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”
“Cole Bryson. And the pleasure’s all mine.”
“Down boy,” James said, inserting himself between us. “Audrey’s mine. She’s agreed to be my date through these two horrible weeks.”
“So she’s beautiful and brave.” I reluctantly dropped her hand.
“Yes. She is.” He took another step protectively toward Audrey and wrapped his arm around her as if he was worried I was going to poach his date.
Audrey turned to him and laughed. “I’ll give you two a minute to catch up,” she said, pulling away and handing him her plate of half-eaten crab cakes.
Oh boy.
I observed them, intrigued, as she kissed James gently on the cheek.
“I’ll be right back.”
James watched her head down the hallway to the ladies’ room, a mesmerized look on his face.
“I thought I’d never see the day,” I said. “You’re in love with that girl.”
He quickly recovered, wiping the smitten look from his face and scoffing at me. “You just got here,” he said. “Don’t start being an asshole already.”
“I’ve never seen you look at a woman like that before,” I said. I motioned to the plate he was holding. “And you atecrab. You hate crab. You must be totally in love with her.”
“Oh, fuck off, Cole,” James said.
He put the plate down on the bar and turned back to me, obviously irritated. “I’m not in love with her,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I only ate the crab cake to be polite.”
“You’re never polite,” I said. I grabbed a pint of beer from a passing waiter, even though it was intended for someone else. My best friend was in love—I needed a drink!
James sighed and glared at me. “She’s been very good to me,” he said.
I drank some beer, waiting for him to say more. When he didn’t, I barked, “Out with it. Tell me everything and make it quick. She’ll be right back, just like she said.”
James glowered, but I knew he’d talk eventually. Like I said, I could outlast him.
“Ihiredher to be my date,” he growled.
Huh? “She’s not your girlfriend?” I was so confused.
“No,” he said.
I glanced back down the hall, where Audrey had disappeared. “She sure seemed like it.”
“I just met her this afternoon. I picked her up from an escort service,” James said.
I almost choked on my beer. “Shut the fuck up,” I said.
“It’s true. I couldn’t face my family alone, and I broke up with Logan a while ago.”
I shuddered. James’s last girlfriend was horrible. “Logan sucked ass.”
James rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to tell me that. I’m the one who broke up with her.”
“So this one’s just for sex?” I asked.
“She’s not even for sex.” James frowned. “I’m not going to fuck her.”
I gaped at him. What the hell was he talking about? “She’s a fuckingescort, bro.”
“I know,” he said. “But she’s just for show. I don’t want to get involved with her any more than that.”
“You can still fuck her. That’s why you’re paying her. It’s about as clear-cut as it can get,” I said.
“It’s not clear-cut.” He shook his head.
We watched as Audrey emerged from the hallway and smiled at James. It looked like a genuine smile. Not clear cut, indeed.
“She’s gorgeous,” I said. “It’s a fucking waste, James.”
“I’m making it worth her while,” he snapped. “Now, please, finish your beer and come over to see my father with us. I’ve put it off long enough.”
“You’re the boss,” I said. But I wondered if, for once, my buddy actually knew what he was doing.
An escort. Huh. Life didn’t often surprise me, but this was a notable exception.