Thick as Thieves (Aster Valley 4)

“Were you trying to get me laid?” he hissed. “You found some random dude at the bar and tried convincing him to give me a shot?”

“What? No! It was the opposite.”

Fuck.

I knew when Julian’s eyes narrowed that much, trouble was coming.

“Explain.” Jules had a certain tone he used sometimes with me that was bossy and demanding. It made me shudder.

“I just… well, he… you see,” I began. “It started when I thought he was interested in Finn.”

“Fucking Christ,” the sheriff muttered, draping a possessive arm over Finn’s shoulders that belied his easy tone. “You should have told him he could have him. The man doesn’t know how to take out the trash or wash a dish.”

“Hey!” Finn scoffed. “It’s not my fault I’ve had housekeepers all these years.”

“Ignore them,” Julian said. “And tell me what happened.”

“The guy was interested in you, and I said the wrong thing by accident. Then I tried to correct myself, but it was too late. And I feel bad because he seemed nice.”

Tiller looked like he was enjoying this way too much. “What was the ‘wrong thing’ you said to turn the guy away?”

There wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to admit to this table full of men that I’d accidentally given the guy the impression that I, of all people, was dating Julian. They’d never let me live it down.

I scrambled to think of an alternative, but in the meantime, I was pretty sure I looked like I was trying to concoct a bold-faced lie. I wasn’t. I simply needed a meek-faced one.

My mouth opened and closed on a whole lot of nothing while Julian’s eyes bored into me.

“I’m sorry,” I breathed, reaching out to run fingers through his hair. It really did feel amazing to the touch. Nothing stressed me out more than Julian Thick being upset, and if he was upset at me? Worst thing ever.

“What did you say to him?” he asked.

“Okay, fine, but I really did just misspeak. I may have accidentally implied you were mine, when really—and you’re gonna find this hilarious, just wait—I was trying to tell him you were my best man. Ha.”

Tiller frowned. “Why’d you tell a random stranger Julian was your best man?”

I turned to him with a glare. “Can you please stop trying to ‘help’?”

Mikey shoved back from the table where he’d been sitting quietly next to Tiller. He put a hand on my shoulder and leaned in to speak softly close to my ear. “Come outside. I need to talk to you.”

I glanced up at him. I’d only known Mikey for a few years, but that had been long enough to convince me of his genuine care of others. Maybe he would have some advice on how to smooth things over with Julian.

I tried to ignore the fact that Julian still hadn’t said a word and followed Mikey outside into the frigid night air. “What’s up?”

He leaned back against the brick building and crossed his arms. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. This is at least the third time I’ve seen you cockblock your best friend in public.”

I stared at him. “Are you kidding?”

He looked serious. “Not one bit. And here’s the thing. I truly don’t think you realize you’re doing it.”

“I’m not! I don’t. Why would I?” Mikey wasn’t as smart as I’d originally thought, which was a shame because Tiller was one of my closest friends, and he deserved a smart partner. “When have I ever cockblocked him?” Except tonight, I didn’t add.

“When Tiller and I met you guys in Vegas for the bachelor thing and we ran into my friend Joey. I pointed Joey into the chair next to Julian, but you saw me do it and snaked the spot before Joey could sit in it.”

“I needed a place to sit. I was the groom, for god’s sake.”

He eyed me. “Yes, and as the groom, you already had a spot at the head of the table, which you’d already been sitting in all night.”

I swallowed. “I didn’t like that seat. It was too close to a speaker.”

“And then there was the time you guys came here to see our new place and I tried introducing Julian to Truman.”

“Truman was dating Sam!”

Mikey’s lips curved in a smile. “Wrong. This was before Sam and Truman got together. You told Truman that Julian didn’t like spicy food.”

“He doesn’t,” I said, feeling smug. “That’s the truth. Even one red pepper flake makes him sweat.”

Mikey straightened up from the wall and stepped closer. I didn’t like the knowing glint in his eye. “Let me tell you how the conversation went, Parker. I said, ‘Julian, I’ve been looking forward to introducing you to Truman. The two of you have a lot in common. Truman owns a spice shop and—’ That’s when you interrupted to blurt, ‘Jules doesn’t like spicy food.’”