Friends to Lovers (Heart of Hope 6)

She looked down at her costume. “I wanted to try something different for once. Do you like it?”

“I’m not allowed to say,” Jude said with a wink. “But the look of all the men in this room suggests they like your costume.”

“Petal!” April swept into the room dressed as a wench to Jude’s pirate. April reached out taking Petal’s arms. “Wow. You’re hot.” She leaned in. “Who are you trying to impress?”

My jaw tightened as I waited for her to say which asshole here she wanted to look at her.

“No one. I just thought it would be fun to mix it up. It’s not too much, is it?” She scrunched her nose in that adorable way she did.

“Not at all. You look great.”

Yes. Yes, it is too much, I thought. All I could think about was dragging my tongue over the two pillowy swells of her breasts perfectly propped up by her dress. I was sure every other man in the room, not including Jude, was thinking the same thing. Fuckers.

“Hey Petal,” Conner joined us. “You look fantastic. You remind me of the witches in Hocus Pocus.”

She laughed in delight. “You did get it. It was my inspiration. Sarah, only I have red hair but I didn’t want to put it up like Winifred.”

“You look great. Wanna dance?”

I turned away because I really wanted to pull her next to me and punch Conner in the face. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“What do you think of the Halloweentini?” Jude asked.

I downed it in one gulp. “Good. Give me another.”

Jude’s brow arched. “You alright man?”

“Just thirsty. I thought you said this was a party.”

Jude laughed and shook his head like he understood something about me but wouldn’t share. “Me, April, Petal and August invented these drinks. We were all underage. We got so drunk. They’re a tradition that April and I have decided to bring back.”

I looked around. “I don’t see August.”

Jude’s smile faltered some. It couldn’t be easy to be related to the former best friend who betrayed him by keeping April from telling him about Maya. I don’t think I’d want to go to a party with the person who betrayed me. Lora came to mind. I sure as hell didn’t want to renew any of our old traditions.

“The kids are with him,” Jude said.

“Even the baby? He knows how to care for babies?” The minute it was out of my mouth I regretted it. Of course, August knew how to care for babies. He’d helped April with Maya when it should have been Jude.

“Never mind, man,” I quickly said, this time sipping the next drink.

“April hopes I’ll forgive him, but I don’t have it in me yet. The only reason the kids see him is because Maya loves him. I’ll do a

nything for her, even pretend I don’t want to kill my brother-in-law.”

I nodded. “You’re a good man, Jude.”

He grinned. “For that you can have another drink.”

I wasn’t much of a dancer, but as the night wore on, and I consumed more alcohol, I found it impossible to watch Petal flirt with other men. Nearly all of them talked to her by looking at her tits, not her pretty eyes. Fuckers.

I made my way to her where some asshole was nearly salivating over her tits.

“Wanna dance?” I asked her.

Her green eyes shone up at me with surprise. But she gave me that stunning smile. “Yes.”

I glared at the jerkwad that was ogling her as I led her to the area for dancing. Just as we got there, the song changed from the Monster Mash to Witchcraft by Sinatra. On the one hand, I was glad, because I wasn’t the sort to boogie, but the idea of holding Petal in a slow song was too appealing to be safe. Still, I couldn’t back out now.