The Player Hater (Accidentally in Love 1)

“Wow.” He rolls so he can kiss me on the forehead and I preen, loving every second.

CHAPTER 11

Davis

Davis: Finally scored your number from Mia since you forgot to give it to me last night before you rushed out.

Juliet: LOL I did not rush out…

Davis: Okay fine. Maybe I just needed a reason to message you?

Juliet: I see how it is—now that you have my number, you’re going to abuse it? LOL

Davis: Probably. I get bored and lonely after seven o’clock.

Juliet: Ha. Only after seven, not before, not after?

Davis: Mostly.

Davis: Just texting to see if you’d heard anything about the engagement party? Details, etc?

Juliet: YES! So soon…! (Still cannot believe they’re engaged BTW…)

Davis: They really pulled a party together fast.

Davis: They literally just got engaged!

Juliet: I think they’re trying to tie the knot soon after the Super Bowl? Planning it for this upcoming spring? So they can honeymoon while he has a few months off.

Davis: Before it gets crazy again? Makes total sense. Men don’t talk about this stuff, so I’m not surprised I’m just hearing about this from you.

Juliet: If you know anything about Mia, you will learn she is a woman of action and her parents LOVE parties… Her mom is the one throwing it. Sounds like this is going to be a pre-engagement party to let everyone know they’re engaged.

Davis: A pre-engagement party? Are you being for real right now?

Juliet: They’re going to tell everyone at the party that they’re engaged, and then they’ll have an engagement party to celebrate the actual engagement. Ha!

Davis: My temples are throbbing…

Juliet: Basically I think Mia and her parents really want to celebrate. Her father is THRILLED—he has two daughters and he wants to get them all married off.

Davis: As long as there’s food and an open bar, I’ll be happy.

Juliet: Doesn’t party food sound SO good right now? I haven’t gone grocery shopping and have nothing for a decent dinner. I stood at the counter dipping saltine crackers in peanut butter—someone come take away my adult card.

Davis: My favorite kind of party food is bacon wrapped anything. Oh, and tiny quiches.

Juliet: Shrimp cocktail.

Davis: MEATBALLS.

Juliet: Those little cups with veggies and dip…

Davis: You know what would be awesome?

Juliet: What?

Davis: Having someone to stand in the corner with and laugh about all the footballer wives who can’t move their faces or their lips.

Juliet: Are you talking about someone specifically to stand with you in the corner?

Davis: I mean… you?

Juliet: DAVIS! I would never stand in the corner and make fun of people!

Davis: You wouldn’t? Damn. Does that mean you don’t want to be my date?

Juliet: Your date? Like—date date?

Davis: Don’t you think that would be fun? We don’t have to make fun of people, we can eat and stuff. Pretend to be food reviewers…

Juliet: Hmmm. I do love a good food review. And wearing pretty dresses.

Davis: When is this fancy shindig? Do we know?

Juliet: This weekend, actually.

Davis: Are you my official invitation?

Juliet: Guess so. I’m spreading the word to a whole one person.

Davis: Surely you and Mia have other friends!

Juliet: Nope, just each other.

Davis: Seriously?

Juliet: No, I’m totally kidding. We’re part of a group that met in high school and we are all still friends.

Davis: Oh, ha ha—thank god, for a second there I thought you were being serious.

Juliet: It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if we were each other’s only friends, there are people like that.

Davis: So is that a yes? Will you be my date?

Juliet: Yes—I think it would be fun.

Davis: I mean…we’ve already had sex so we’re past that awkward ‘getting to know you phase,’ right?

Juliet: I was hoping you wouldn’t bring that up…

Davis: I almost always bring up things that are super awkward. It’s my thing. It’s what I do. In fact, I can’t wait for Skipper to be a teenager so I can embarrass her.

Juliet: Just like a dad would do.

Davis: Yeah, I guess I’ve been like a father figure to her.

Juliet: You guess? Or you HAVE?

Davis: Have. They’ve either lived WITH me at one point or lived NEXT to me at one point.

Juliet: This may be too personal, but where is her ‘real’ dad?

Davis: Honestly? Don’t know. Penelope never talks about him.

Juliet: Do you know who the father is??

Davis: I have my suspicions but no, I actually don’t know who it is. She was dating a few people back in college—when she got pregnant, but never brought anyone home. And those times I went to visit she never introduced me to anyone, so…

Davis: It’s technically none of my business so I’ve never pushed her to find out. But now that Skipper is getting older, she’s starting to ask questions. For her sixth birthday last year she told Penelope she wanted to invite her dad. It was brutal, man.

Juliet: I bet. No one wants to disappoint a child.