My Best Friend's Boyfriend

“It’ll only take a second,” I said.

“I really need to go, Logan.”

“Then have lunch with me.”

I put my arm out and stopped her from moving. Her eyes fell, and I abruptly released her, trying to keep control of my emotions. She slowly looked up at me, and something flashed behind her eyes. I’d never seen that expression on her face before, so I didn’t know what it was. But from the look in her eye, it didn’t seem good.

“I really have to go,” she said.

“Of course. It, uh, was really good seeing you, Ava.”

And even though I wanted her to return the sentiment, she didn’t. She simply nodded and exited the room before walking down the hallway.

I sat in my car in the garage of Ava’s building and groaned. I needed to talk with someone. My hand gravitated toward my dash, and I dialed Hunter, listening as the phone call rang out in my car. It rang and rang, a sound I had become accustomed to since Ava had been dodging my calls. The only person I had seen the rest of the fucking weekend had been the one person I hadn’t wanted to see. And that had only been briefly. I had packed up Camilla’s things and sent her a text to come get them Sunday night. I had sat the box outside my door and seen a glimpse of her as I’d looked through the peephole when I had heard her coming.

Other than that, nothing filled my weekend except thoughts of Ava.

“This is Hunter.”

“That busy of a day, huh?”

“Hey, Logan. Long time no talk. What’s up?” he asked.

“You want to do lunch today?” I asked.

“You’re aware it’s three in the afternoon, right?”

“Wait. It is?”

“Oh, shit. That means something good is on your mind. And while I can’t meet you for lunch since I’ve already taken my lunch break, I can find it in my heart to give you fifteen minutes while you lay it all out for me.”

“How generous,” I said flatly.

“Talk to me. What’s got you so distracted?”

“Okay. Bear with me, because a lot has happened.”

“Oh, shit. What did Camilla do now?”

“Just listen, Hunter. So, you know I had that second night with Ava.”

“Oh, damn! How did that go?” he asked.

“Good, except she rushed out on me instead of staying the night.”

“That sucks. No round two?”

“Actually, we had round three at my place Friday night.”

“No fucking way.”

“We did. Without going into too many business details, I’m on a panel of lawyers helping her company with an issue. She and her boss are the two fielding the issue with the company.”

“Ava in trouble?”

“No. More like the company as a whole. I can’t really get into it, but it’ll get wrapped up soon enough. It’s fucking ridiculous,” I said.

“Then you’ll tell me about it?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Good. Okay, so you see Ava, invite her to your place, and get down to business. Go.”

“Not just that. I invited her over for dinner. I cooked. We ate. We talked. I got to know her.”

“So you asked her on a date.”

“I did.”

“And how do you feel about that?” he asked.

“I feel great about that. The chemistry was there and the sex was just explosive, Hunter. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s phenomenal. And she stayed over that night.”

“She woke up at your place Saturday morning?”

“Yeah. And during all this, I forgot that I had mindlessly told Camilla she could come by that morning and pick up her shit.”

“Oh no.”

“And when she turned up, Ava was wearing my damn shirt and not much else.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“And the two of them went at it.”

“Oh, fucking hell.”

“It was a mess, Hunter. Now Camilla isn’t talking to Ava, and Ava isn’t talking to me, and I can’t let it go. I can’t stop wanting to talk to Ava. What the hell do I do?” I asked.

“Okay. A few questions. You hate drama, right?”

“Right.”

“And there’s no going back to Camilla?” he asked.

“Not a damn chance.”

“And Ava isn’t talking to you?”

“She’s screening my calls and she just turned me down for lunch.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

“What?” I asked.

“Drop both of their asses and come out with me.”

“Hunter.”

“No, man. Come on, Logan, I’m serious. This has gone on long enough. You dug a hole, it was nice and cool, and then you peed on it and marked it as your territory. Now it’s time to climb out of the hole before the rain pouring down on you drowns you.”

“How the hell did that somehow make sense?” I asked.

“Because I’m great like that. Look, Camilla’s trash drama. We get it. Ava is connected to said trash drama through association. We get it. Get rid of them both, come out with me, and let’s find you someone new. Be single for once, Logan. You’re a man with a six-figure job, his own damn business, and a condo with one of the best views of Manhattan. You’re well on your way. Do you know how much pussy you would slay?”