“Fine. Don’t congratulate me. Shaw, would you like the chance to spoil me? Put your thigh right under my head. We can start with a scalp massage.”
“You wish.”
“Fine. Some friends you guys are.” I sat up. “In case you couldn’t tell, you’re looking at the new PA to Leon Crane, of Crane Entertainment, who, I might add, started off as a PA himself. This is something I know because he told me, right before he said I remind him of himself when he was young—smart, confident, eager to prove himself. I’m basically fucking Leon Crane—oh, no, that sounds weird. I’m not screwing him. He’s old enough to be my dad, but you know what I mean.”
“That’s awesome, man. Congrats.” Shaw and I fist bumped.
“Thanks. I can’t wait to start.”
I’d spent the last couple of years working in a bank, and while it was a whole hell of a lot better than sweating all day in my family’s construction business with my brothers—who thought I was an alien because I wasn’t just like them—it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life.
I’d always been interested in media and entertainment, but I didn’t have a specific career choice in mind. I just wanted something different, and now I finally had it.
“We should celebrate!” Elijah said.
“Yes, yes, we should. That’s the second-best idea I’ve heard all day, right after Leon Crane’s decision to hire me, of course.”
“Of course,” Shaw replied.
“How are the two of you planning on spoiling me? A party?”
“I have an even better idea.” Elijah sat by me again, which made me think he wanted something. “You can agree to participate in the charity date auction I’m holding next month!”
I frowned. “Um…how is that to my benefit?”
“You’ll be doing something nice, for me, your friend, and also raising money for a good cause, and also because you’re Shaw’s best friend, so it comes with the territory. Your fault for claiming him.”
“Hey, I’m a fucking prize. Everyone wants to claim me!” Shaw countered.
“I’m confused how this isn’t about me anymore. Everything should always be about me.”
“That doesn’t work, since it’s about me,” Shaw added.
“You’re both conceited and have extremely big heads—not your dicks either,” Elijah clarified, when both Shaw’s mouth and mine opened, likely to say the same thing. “I really am happy for you, Will. You know that. And we’re celebrating tonight. Shaw and I already talked about taking you out to dinner, but can you please do this for me too?”
Elijah gave me puppy-dog eyes, and there was no strategy against it. I didn’t know how Shaw ever stood a chance with him. “What do I have to do?”
“Hell yes!” Elijah replied.
“I didn’t say yes yet.”
Shaw chuckled. “You’re so fucked.”
“But you will,” Elijah replied, and damned if he wasn’t right. I knew I would.
“This better be a fucking awesome dinner you’re taking me to tonight. And gifts. I want those as well.”
Elijah hugged me. “You’re the best.”
I looked at Shaw. “He’s not wrong.”
My best friend just rolled his eyes at me before looking at Elijah, the love so clear in his eyes. The two of them were perfect for each other, and now I had taken the first step toward a career I would actually love. Things were falling into place for both of us. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to settle down the way Shaw had. I wasn’t as anti-relationship as he had been. It wasn’t something I was looking for at the moment, but I figured I’d probably get serious about someone one day, just not anytime soon. I was young, having fun, and could have sex as often as I wanted, without being tied to anyone.
With my new job, I’d be too busy to think about much else anyway.
CHAPTER ONE
Jameson
“Is there anything else I can get you guys?”
At the honey-smooth sound of my sexy waiter’s voice, my eyes shot up toward him. Damn. He was as fine as he’d been the first time he’d approached the table—dark-brown eyes, full lips, big muscles…waiting for me to speak…but as always, I was struck speechless at the sight of a gorgeous man talking to me.
Because he wasn’t really mine. I’d met him forty-five minutes ago and only knew his name because of the tag on his collared, black shirt. “I…um… I don’t think… Water?”
I reached for my glass to hand it to him, and what did you know, it was half full. It all happened in slow motion from there—my hand not stopping, my knuckles hitting the cool glass, it taking three thousand years to fall over before liquid ran all over the table.
“Oh my God.” I shot to my feet, but Sexy Waiter was standing beside me. My shoulder hit my best friend Kira’s glass from his hand, which yep, of course tumbled from his grasp and all over the floor—the very floor I hoped to sink into any second now. “I’m so sorry!” I rushed out.