She was too groggy to respond, but if she had the energy, she would have disagreed with him.
FIFTY-SIX
JARED
ONCE I LOOKED at my phone, I put my finger in the air, signaling I needed a minute, and I walked outside. As soon as I hit the sidewalk, I swiped the screen and held my cell to my ear. “Billie.”
“Hi.”
I fucking loved the sound of her voice. The simplicity of her greeting but how it was always filled with so much emotion.
“Are you having a good time in Maine?”
Several people walked past me, and I backed up to the very edge of the sidewalk, staying close to the brick building.
“It’s been an extremely busy day. That’s what happens when I return after a long time away.”
She had left Manhattan at five this morning, taking one of my SUVs north. I’d suspected she would be tied down with family obligations from the moment she arrived. It sounded like I was right.
I checked my watch and did the math, calculating it was after ten in the evening there. “You’re home now?”
“Tucked in my old bed like I’m seventeen again.”
My hand went to my forehead, and I brushed it through my hair. “Jesus, the thought of that is both incredibly hot and extremely inappropriate.”
She laughed, and then her tone turned serious. “I wish you were here.”
“Same.”
She was quiet for several seconds. “LA sounds busy.”
Traffic on Franklin Street was bumper to bumper. The sidewalk was just as packed.
Every city had the same noises, so she wouldn’t be able to tell I was actually in San Francisco.
“Nothing I wasn’t already expecting,” I answered, staring at the entrance of Basil’s, seeing the parties file in the door for their reservations.
All because of her.
“Are you going to be able to get some rest?”
“Mmm,” she groaned, and I could tell she was swallowing. I had a feeling it was probably wine. “I’m certainly going to try.”
“I’ll text you when I get back to my hotel. If you’re awake, I’ll call.”
She laughed. “You think a chat with you is going to relax me?”
I rested the back of my foot against the building. “After I tell you what to do with your hands, I have no doubt you’ll be asleep within minutes.”
“That’s worth staying up for,” she said, her tone changing once again.
I smiled and headed back toward the entrance. “I’ll try to wrap things up here as fast as I can.”
I said good-bye and returned to the kitchen where Marcus was in front of the burners, working several pans on the gas stovetop at once.
“The first is a vodka sauce,” he said the second I joined his side.
A pan of pasta was thrown in the air, sauce was then added from a different pot, and the two were combined. Once the ziti was well drenched, he dropped some of the mixture onto a plate and slid it over to me.
I grabbed a fork and waited for him to sprinkle the top with freshly grated Parmesan before I stuck several noodles into my mouth. I chewed the spongy texture, letting the flavor settle before I suggested, “Just a tiny bit of salt.”
He reached into a bowl next to the burners, pinched the white granules, and dropped some in the fry pan. He flipped the pasta multiple times, combining it all together, and then he gave me a new plate.
With a fresh fork, I took a bite, following the same process, keeping my eyes on the food. When I swallowed, I looked up and smiled at my friend. “It’s fucking perfect.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Add it to the menu and give me another plateful right now.”
His hand went to my shoulder, patting it hard with his palm. “Not yet. I’ve got a few more dishes for you to try.”
He moved several paces down the counter, picking up a bottle of wine. He poured two glasses, handing me one. We clinked them together and both took a sip.
“Was that her?”
I looked at him, my brows rising. “Who?”
“The girl you’re seeing.”
Marcus wasn’t my oldest friend, but he’d been around since college, and that was a hell of a long time ago. I didn’t discuss Billie with him, but I wasn’t surprised he could tell I was happy.