Chapter 15
Dex
This is not going well. Why am I still sitting on Liam’s couch all by myself when I should have bolted the moment she left the room?
How the fuck am I supposed to keep it together when I walk into this damn house and find her like that.
Daniela stood in that kitchen not five minutes ago, wearing the tiniest damn purple bikini I’d ever seen, her tits practically falling out and her ass only halfway covered.
I’m a gentleman, so I tried my best not to stare, but that was a fucking surprise attack.
I was zero percent prepared. And yes, I watched as she sashayed out of the room like she was taking her time swaying those damn hips—like she was doing it just for me.
I know that’s all in my head, but damn. That image is not leaving my head… ever. Fuck.
After that I had to remind myself that Liam and his half-naked fiancée were standing right next to me, so I cleared my throat and headed to pour myself a drink. It was the only thing I could think to do. They excused themselves from the room to change and left me alone.
Now I’m stuck out here by myself in silence sipping this sugary drink, knowing damn well that those two aren’t just changing, and that Daniela is in the other room probably pulling that tiny thing off her at the moment and completely naked.
All while I sit here on this couch, forcing myself to think about disgusting bugs climbing out of holes and creepy clowns that jump out at me which I have no choice but to punch in the face.
Damn it.
Daniela finally emerges, looking slightly surprised that I’m the only one out here, but she keeps her chest high and doesn’t falter as she heads to the kitchen. The lilac bikini has been replaced with a short white dress with flowers, flowing with every step of her tanned legs.
“Hey.” She nods at me as she begins to clean up the cocktail mess.
“Hey,” I respond back, saying nothing further. I watch her for a moment, then hop up off the couch to help out.
“I’ve got it,” she says, only lifting her eyes toward me for a moment as she continues wiping the counter down .
“Please. I can help.” I reach next to her to grab the tequila and various juices, and I let out a laugh.
“What?” she asks, eyes still focused on her task.
“What did you ladies get yourself into?” I say, shaking my head.
“Just trying to destress the bride. Had another wedding emergency false alarm this morning.”
“It’s good you’re here for her. I mean, obviously Liam helps but…I can tell she’s really glad to have you here. Like a small weight has been lifted off her shoulders.”
Daniela stops and squints at me. “You’re intuitive as ever. Guys aren’t really supposed to notice those kinds of things, you know?”
“Whatever.” I shake my head, then turn and open the refrigerator.
Suddenly, all I can think about is the last time we were alone in this kitchen.
It was the night of Thanksgiving, the first time I met Daniela.
We were all crashing here since everyone had too much to drink, and I found myself hungry and looking for a snack in the middle of the night after everyone had gone to bed.
As luck would have it, Daniela showed up not long after.
She just wanted some water. We ended up talking for at least an hour, then one thing led to another, and the next thing I knew, we were hooking up in the guest room.
I was a little drunker than she probably realized, but I still remember fragments from that night, like how soft her skin was, how her hair smelled, how full her tits were.
..But the next day she was completely cold toward me.
We were forced to be in the same room together a few times after that due to unfortunate circumstances, but it was always a struggle to get her to open up again.
She barely spoke to me. When she went back home, I tried messaging her a few times that spring, but she was always very short, or didn’t write back at all.
Eventually, I gave up. Was I instantly drawn to her when we first met? Yeah, absolutely. But now? Sometimes I feel like I barely know her. Other times, it feels like I can see right through to the person she tries to hide.
But even if there’s that lingering attraction, I vowed that I was done chasing after her. She’s emotionally unavailable.
I’ve given everything in past relationships, only to end up alone, with nothing to show for it. So yeah, I’m cautious now.
And that girl?
She would absolutely break my heart.
Daniela jolts me from my thoughts when her arm nudges mine. I glance over at her.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, and for once, she actually meets my gaze. Her green eyes pin me in place like lasers.
“No need to be.”
The mess is cleaned up, and she moves to the couch, turning the television on. It’s baseball, but I think she just picked the first thing that came up. I follow and take a seat on the couch perpendicular to hers.
Her eyes flick to me, curious. “What? Am I allowed to sit?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says slowly, then tilts her head. “I’m just wondering…are you waiting for Liam? Or…”
“Yeah, I am.” I smirk, leaning back and draping an arm along the back of the couch. “We were supposed to go grab dinner, but it’s a little early. He wanted to change first and check on Layla. Is that okay with you?”
“I guess,” she sighs. “Who am I to stand between a man and the love he has for his best bro? It sounds quite romantic.”
I huff out a laugh. “It will be. I could stare into those eyes all night.”
She actually looks at me this time—really looks. A slow, amused smile tugs at her lips, and for a second, I feel frozen in place. I clear my throat and shift my attention toward the game.
And then, mercifully, we’re saved by our friends.
They emerge looking giddy and in love, and I feel a slight pang of jealousy.
I’m insanely happy for them, but damn, I’m lonely.
I want someone I can dote on like that, someone who looks at me the way those two idiots look at each other.
I guess I am the pathetic softie everyone teases me for.
“Hey man,” Liam says, grinning. “Would you mind if I brought a plus one to dinner? ”
“Well, that’s awkward, we’re just gonna leave poor Daniela here by herself?” I deadpan.
“You’re such an ass!” Daniela huffs, tossing a couch pillow at me.
I grin, catching it and tossing it back. “Obviously, you’re coming too! It was a joke.”
I watch as Layla steps away from Liam to talk to Daniela, probably making sure she can stand to be around me for an entire meal.
“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Layla says. She thinks she’s being subtle, but she might as well be shouting across the room.
“It’s fine. Whatever,” Daniela responds in a quieter voice—but I still hear them.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I’m kinda starving.”
“Okay, then. Now that that’s settled…I know a good spot.”
Before she can say anything else, her phone pings. She pulls it out, and her eyebrows knit together, her expression growing more concerned by the second.
“What’s wrong?” Liam asks, moving closer to her.
“The minister canceled on us!” Layla exclaims, her voice dripping with disappointment. “We need to look for other options—like today.”
Liam is already pulling out his phone, jumping into hero mode. “We can fix this. There are others in town. Let’s start calling.” He drops onto the couch scrolling with purpose.
“The wedding is a month away. This is a disaster,” Layla says.
She plops down next to him, momentarily lost in her own phone. Then she looks up, glancing between me and Daniela.
“I’m sorry, guys…I don’t think we’re going to make it to dinner.” She turns to Liam for confirmation.
He shakes his head. “Yeah. You guys go on without us. You both said you’re starving—we don’t want to hold you up.”
I glance across the room at Daniela. She’s already looking back at me. A flicker of resignation crosses her face as she shrugs and waves me toward the door.
“They’re right. I am starving. Let’s go.”
**
Half an hour later, we pull into my restaurant. Even though my family owns many properties, this place is my passion project—my baby. Not that I can actually cook for shit, but I love running it. It keeps me busy, which is good, considering I’m a sad, lonely bachelor.
It's a gorgeous afternoon, so I lead Daniela to the back patio.
The view is perfect—water stretching out to meet the mountains, with small metal fireplaces scattered throughout, waiting to flicker to life at sunset.
Summertime out here is my favorite. Some nights, the sky looks unreal, setting the lake and peaks on fire with color.
I’ve brought a date or two here in the past, but not in a long time.
And never for a casual hookup—this place means too much to me.
But as the maid of honor and best man for our lifelong best friends, Daniela and I are stuck together.
We have to get along. I’m not about to add unnecessary stress or drama to this wedding by acting like a child.
I need to stop giving her the cold shoulder and suck it up.
I’m twenty-eight. I can handle myself around a pretty girl.
And tonight is the perfect opportunity to clear the air between us.
I forget how bold she is sometimes. Somehow, she ends up in front of me as we walk around back to the patio, surveying the space like she owns it before plopping down at a table of her choosing. I smile to myself.
“I guess we’re sitting here,” I say, smirking as I take a seat across from her.
“Is there a problem with this one? Would you like to sit somewhere else?” she challenges.
“Nope. This is perfect.”
“I know.” She looks smug as she crosses her legs, getting comfortable.
I shake my head .
“I’ll be right back,” I tell her, pushing up from my chair to grab us some menus.
“Okay,” she replies absently, her gaze already lost on the water, drifting somewhere far away. Even if I asked, she probably wouldn’t tell me where.