Chapter 4
PHOEBE
I was a mess. I ordered a glass of pinot noir to calm my nerves and stupidly didn’t even check the prices beforehand. God, I hoped Marshall picked up the tab. I couldn’t afford twenty-eight bucks for a glass of wine. I didn’t even know it could cost that much.
I sat straighter on my chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Veronica smiling at me from the bar.
Marshall hadn’t seen her yet, but I didn’t care if he did. I wouldn’t apologize for needing the support of my best friend after what he put me through.
“You look great,” he said once the waiter left with our drink orders. He was tan, and his hair had blond streaks from the sun, presumably from what was to have been our vacation.
I opened my mouth and realized I didn’t even know how to start a conversation with him. I didn’t know how to make small talk. What was I supposed to say? Ask him if he had fun on what was supposed to be our trip?
I rolled my shoulders back. “So, what was so important that you didn’t want to tell me over the phone? Why did you need to meet me?”
He grimaced. “Look, I don’t think there’s any good way to tell you this, so I’m just going to rip off the Band-Aid. I’m getting married.”
I felt as if someone had just hit me with a ton of bricks. For a few seconds, my vision blurred, and my mouth went dry. I was about to fall out of my chair.
“I wanted you to find out from me, not from anyone else.”
I grabbed my throat, but no words came out. Finally, I croaked, “How is that possible?”
He winced. “Do you really want details?”
Did I? I was trying not to scream or cry. But for some reason, I needed to know, even though I wasn’t sure it would make me feel better.
“Yes, I fucking do. I deserve to know.” I thought he might have gotten cold feet at the idea of proposing, and that’s why he broke up with me. Ack, I felt ill.
“Listen, Adriana and I… Well, it’s been going on for a while.”
Oh my God! And I’d thought this couldn’t get any more painful. I pushed back the tears as he continued.
“And then things became clear in Maui, and I proposed.”
“Wait, you took her on our trip?” My voice was robotic. I felt like I was going to break out of my skin from so much pain. This simply couldn’t be happening.
“Pheebs, it was a waste not to go with anyone since it was already prepaid. Anyway, I wanted you to know from me. And I’m sure that one day you’re going to meet a guy—”
“Babe, here you are. Sorry I’m late,” a male voice said.
What? I looked over my shoulder at the source of the voice. He was possibly the most handsome man alive. And had obviously mistaken me for someone else.
“I’m so—” I began, but he turned to Marshall and said, “And you must be Marshall, huh? I’ve heard a lot about you. Nothing good.”
What is happening? Did Veronica pay someone to butt in and stop this nightmare?
“I’m sorry, you are…?” Marshall asked.
“Griffin Sterling. I’m with Phoebe.”
I chanced a glance at Veronica, who was grinning. Clearly, this was her doing. I opened my mouth but then closed it again. I had no idea what to say.
“Wait, you’ve got a date?” Marshall said. He had the nerve to sound affronted. “And you let me talk all this time, making me feel guilty?”
Somehow, I got my voice back, along with my courage. “Oh sure, Marshall, because me showing up with a date is on the same level as you cheating on me, taking another woman on the trip I paid for, and then coming here to tell me to my face that you’re going to get married.”
The hot guy—Griffin, apparently—put an arm around my shoulders, and I immediately felt warm at the contact. He brushed my bare arm with his fingers, drawing small circles with them. My skin turned to goose bumps beneath his touch. Goodness, this guy is electrifying my body.
Marshall stared at exactly that spot. A sudden rush of satisfaction filled me.
Maybe this guy was my guardian angel, come to save me from more humiliation.
It certainly felt good watching Marshall’s face.
I mean, this stranger was about a hundred times more handsome than my ex. It was quite funny, actually.
“Well, Marshall,” I said, because I couldn’t stand being near him any longer, “thank you for meeting me and updating me on your personal life. Let’s never do this again. If you want to communicate with me about the house or anything, just email me. There’s no need to meet again.”
“You heard my girl,” Griffin said. “Time to take a hike so she and I can start our evening.”
Marshall stared at him and then at me. “We still need to talk about the house.”
I winced, and Griffin’s grip on me tightened. Marshall had some nerve. He really thought he could come here, break my heart all over again, and then casually discuss the house?
“Email my realtor,” I said.
Marshall opened his mouth, but Griffin cut him off. “No. Just get out. You’re disturbing our romantic evening.”
Marshall didn’t reply, just pushed the chair backward and shot up to his feet. “Whatever,” he said to me. “I’ll be in touch.”
He took one last look at Griffin before turning around and leaving, and I thought I heard my knight in shining armor mumble, “Asshole.”
The second Marshall was out of sight, I let out a huge breath of relief, as if someone had just taken a weight off me. Then Griffin straightened up and removed his arm, and I felt cold.
I looked up at him. “Um, thanks. I hope my friend bought you a drink or something. I do appreciate your coming to my rescue.”
He flashed me a smile. “You’re welcome.”
I opened my mouth to ask what in the ever-loving hell was happening, but I noticed Veronica hurrying to the table with an apologetic look. She sat on the chair that Marshall vacated.
“Don’t kill me. Or Griffin. It was my idea.”
“Well,” Griffin said, “mine too.”
“Will one of you explain what’s going on?” I asked.
I turned to look at my best friend. For some reason, I couldn’t maintain eye contact with Griffin. My cheeks heated up whenever he zeroed in on me.
“It looked like Marshall was accosting you, so I figured a date would help the matter.”
“And I volunteered,” Griffin said.
“That sounds a bit weird, but thanks again,” I said honestly.
Veronica laughed. “Well, you know me. I’m weird and wild, and apparently so is Griffin.” Then she asked, “So, what happened exactly? What the hell did he want?”
I took in a deep breath. “To tell me he’s getting married to the woman he’d been seeing on the side.”
She gasped. “Oh my God, I knew it. I was sure he had someone else. That jackass!”
“He proposed to her on the trip.” Oops, here come the tears. I vehemently pushed them back.
Veronica jerked her head back. “He actually went on your trip with another woman?”
I nodded. “Never mind. I don’t want to rehash it. I just can’t believe he had the nerve to say he wanted to talk about the house after he dropped that bombshell.”
It felt a bit bizarre to talk about my life with a stranger at the table. But Veronica didn’t seem to have any problems.
She fixated on Griffin. “Just to fill you in, they bought a house together and were supposed to renovate it. Now she’s stuck making mortgage payments while living in that dump.”
Veronica really had a gift for synthesizing things. Was my life really as pathetic as it sounded?
“What the actual fuck?” Griffin asked. “Sorry, that’s just fucked up.”
“Right?” I said, pleased with his reaction, then turned to my friend. “How about we talk about something else?” I turned back and this time did manage to make eye contact with Griffin and held his gaze. “So, Griffin, do you usually chat up strange women in bars?”
His smile faltered for the first time. I had the feeling that I’d struck a nerve. But what kind of guy agreed to do what he just did?
“As a matter of fact, I do. Seems I even have a reputation of doing that. And it cost me a business deal tonight.”
Goodness, that was raw. Obviously, I hit the nail on the head.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I wish we could help in some way. I mean, to return the favor,” I said, realizing that there was no way we could help him. Still, it seemed the right thing to do considering he’d done me a solid.
“Unfortunately, no.” He looked from me to Veronica. “It was great meeting you tonight, ladies.”
“You were a great help,” she replied. “Thanks again.”
“Mission accomplished, then. Now, I’ll leave the two of you to enjoy the evening. Don’t want to be a third wheel and all that.” He tried to flag a waiter, but it was pointless. “I’ll pay at the bar.”
I took out my wallet. “No, let me pay for that,” I said, even though I was absolutely broke. “It’s the least I can do.”
Griffin cocked a brow, clearly taken aback. “I won’t hear of it. In fact, I’m going to leave my credit card on your tab. Tonight is on me.”
“What? No, no, no. Why would you do that?”
“Because your night could possibly be worse than mine. There isn’t much I can do about it, but I can offer you drinks. Grab some appetizers too. Go wild.” He winked, and I melted.
I didn’t protest this time, because Griffin’s smile seemed genuine.
“All right, thanks,” I said. I was just going to have the one drink, though.
Veronica was grinning from ear to ear. “Griffin, you are one hell of a guy. If you need anyone to vouch for you with your business partner, just let me know. I will gladly give you a reference.”
Griffin started to laugh. “Somehow, I think that would work against me.”
He nodded at us before leaving the table.
The second he was out of earshot, Veronica leaned in. “Do you hate me?”
“No, of course not. But this was a bit weird, even for you.”
“I know, I know. But it was worth it to see that look on Marshall’s face, wasn’t it?”
A huge smile took over my own face as I admitted, “Hell yes.”