Asher #2
“Oh. Julian, this is Jocelyn, my, um . . . my . . . friend?”
Wow. Smooth.
Joss’s smile falters only a moment, and she shakes Julian’s hand. “You’re the groom? Congratulations!”
“Thanks. It’s nice to meet you.” He twists and searches through the people behind him—the room is quickly filling—then motions
toward someone. “Grace! Look who I found.”
She emerges from the crowd like a goddamn angel, looking exactly how I remember her. Wavy hair, flawlessly styled with silver glitter sparking along the brown strands. Golden freckles over
her nose. Kind eyes gleaming with joy. She practically lights up at the sight of me.
I got nothing. Not even a spark. Teensy worry that feelings might return is thankfully laid to rest.
But no wonder I was so confused back then. Grace twinkles when she smiles. Happiness looks fantastic on her. Good on you, Julian.
Really drives home the fact that Jocelyn doesn’t look like that around me. With Julian, Grace has come to life. With me, Jocelyn stands at balcony rails and laments over
the danger of love.
My ironic laugh is mistaken for a real one, thank god, and Grace smiles.
“Asher!” She leaps into my arms, then backs away. She cups her hands around my face. “Look at you. You look good.”
“Hey, Gracey-kins. Long time, no see. You’re beautiful, as always.”
She releases me. At once, a hand sneaks into mine, fingers lacing.
Is she—is Jocelyn holding my hand?
WTF?
Still beaming, Grace looks at Joss. “Who’s this? Is this your girlfriend, Asher? She’s pretty. You’re pretty.”
“They’re just friends,” Julian offers, but he has a weird glint in his eye that tells me he knows.
He always fucking knows. Too observant, this guy.
I meet his mirthful stare as Joss says, “Thanks. I’m Jocelyn.” She puts on an Audrey Hepburn accent. “I’m madly in love with
Asher, but he refuses to DTR.”
I roll my eyes, and Julian snorts.
“Oh, really?” Grace’s eyes widen in utter delight. She nudges Julian in a way that is probably supposed to be subtle, but
is actually not subtle at all. Julian sets an arm around her shoulders to calm her matchmaking whims. She looks up at him,
hearts in her eyes. “Remember when I refused to DTR?”
Julian smiles, but somehow doesn’t smile. “Worst month of my life.”
“I’m sensing a story,” Joss says with an impish grin.
Grace pats Julian’s chest and sighs. “Not a good one. Just me learning that everything is so much better when you finally . . .
surrender.”
Julian kisses her cheek, and they beam at each other in a vaguely sickening way. Jocelyn and I exchange a quick, awkward glance.
Still holding hands. Why are we holding hands again?
Grace shakes herself. “Anyway, thanks for coming. Have a great dinner.”
She hugs Joss, who finally releases me to return the embrace. My hand feels weird where she touched it. All hot and prickly. Grace whispers something in Joss’s ear, then moves on to the guests behind us. With a last nod at Julian, I take Joss’s elbow and lead her farther into the dining room.
“Well, she was fucking lovely,” Joss says, starkly sincere.
“Told you. Sweetest woman alive. What’d she say to you?” I check the names at the round tables, finding ours—Dr. Asher Foley
and guest—at one in the corner, still empty. I pull out Joss’s chair, and she slides in.
When I settle next to her, she leans close. “She said, ‘I know it was a joke, but he’s worth the wait.’ ”
Hmm. Is it, like . . . excessively hot in here?
Since entering this restaurant, my entire body has buzzed like a hive of bees lives under my skin. With those words, their
stingers pierce my flesh. I reach for the ice water on the table and take a sip without looking at Joss. “She really took
you at your word there.”
She chuckles. “I see what you liked about her. And Julian is very charming.”
“I’m charming,” I mutter, annoyed that Joss noticed anything about Julian at all. Bro steals too much attention for himself. It’s
like he’s the groom of this wedding or something.
Rude.
Her laughter grows. “Yes, but he’s the refined sort of charming, whereas you’re the goofy, lovable sort. The two aren’t the
same.”
I gather the courage to look at her, flush be damned. “You make me sound like a puppy.”
“Um. Puppies are straight fire, Ash. Just take the snapshot.”
Smiling, I aim a fake camera at her and make a clicking noise while she sticks her tongue out.
“Foley!” booms a deep voice. Maxwell approaches our table, his arm around his wife, Cat.
Short for . . . Catherine? Caterina? Catwoman?
Don’t know.
I stand and greet them both, introducing Jocelyn, even though they both met her two years ago. The couple settles at the table.
Maxwell graduated a year ahead of me and currently works as faculty at our residency program. Extracting gossip from him is
something I’ve looked forward to this weekend—Is Dr. Chen still Chen-ing? Do the hospitalists still suck? Which residents
shine? Who’s sleeping with who?
Our table fills, but the four of us laugh and catch up, and before long, it’s nearly over. When Julian stands to toast Grace,
Maxwell makes his way over to give his own toast.
Speeches are made. Tears are shed. At the closing of the evening, Maxwell reminds me to meet them in the hotel lobby for bachelor
party shenanigans.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask Joss on the drive back to the hotel. “I don’t have to go to the bachelor party.”
She gives my shoulder a playful shove. “That’s what we came for. Go! Enjoy your friends.”
I smirk. “You going to party without me?”
“Nope. I’m going to lounge in that room like I’m a Kardashian. Someone has to enjoy all that luxury while you’re getting drunk.”
“I don’t plan on getting drunk.”
She lets out a dubious laugh. “We’ll see.”
In the hotel lobby, she pecks a kiss on my cheek and sashays away, blue dress sparkling as she walks.
Mesmerizing woman.
“She could hang with Cat if she wants.”
I spin to find Maxwell behind me. “Hey, man. You mean Joss?”
“Yeah.” He shrugs one buff shoulder. Is he bigger than the last time I saw him? He was already huge to begin with.
“I’ll let her know. Are the girls doing anything?”
“I’ve been told it’s not my business.”
Ha. Dear Lord, help us all.