After I reach my desk, I see Jaime replied to my text. Work going good. You?
It’s going, I text back, always keeping it vague with her. I invited some friends for drinks with us tonight before dinner. I’d like you to meet them.
Her reply is immediate and in all caps, telling me that she likes this ides. THAT’S AWESOME. I CAN’T WAIT TO MEET THEM.
A small niggling of guilt hits me over her excitement. It tells me I haven’t been sharing enough of myself with her, which flares to deeper guilt because I’ve been lying about an important part of my life.
I decide that if tonight goes well—if Anna likes Jaime and thinks there’s something there worth fighting for—I’ll tell Jaime the truth and beg her to forgive me.CHAPTER 11JaimeCage pours us each a beer from the pitcher the waitress just delivered. We arrived a few minutes early to the bar where we’re meeting his friends for drinks before our dinner reservations tonight. Tomorrow, Cage leaves for North Carolina for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’m missing him before he’s even gone.
“Now, tell me more about these friends of yours,” I say as I pick up my glass.
He holds his up, and we tap them together. “Just two people I met when I first moved here. I haven’t been here long enough to establish close friendships, what with working all the time, but I really like Anna and Malik, and I think you will, too.”
“You can never have enough friends,” I agree with a laugh before taking a sip of my beer. “But who is your closest friend? Someone back in North Carolina you grew up with?”
Cage shakes his head with a fond smile. “Guy back in Vegas. We… um… worked together. His name is Bodie, and he’s who I would consider my best friend. What about you?”
I think about that a moment, taking another sip of my beer before shrugging. “I actually don’t have one I would consider my best. I have two groups of friends I’m sort of equally tight with.”
“Two groups?” he inquires.
“Some girls I went to high school with who still live in the area.”
Cage waggles his eyebrows. “Would these by any chance be girls you cheered with? Because I could get on board with meeting them.”
I snort, giving him a backhanded slap as we’re sitting on the same side of the table. “Yes… they’re cheerleaders. Those are the girls you met that night we first hooked up at that bar.”
Cage grins, a fond expression on his face at the memory of how we met. “And the other group?”
“The Penn State girls I graduated with. But we’re all scattered now, so we don’t get to see each other very often.”
Cage’s gaze moves out across the bar, keeping an eye out for his friends. We found a table near the back, and he had texted them as much.
“There they are,” Cage murmurs, and I can’t see much with the crowd of people standing around. Then I see a man a good head taller than most. Dark hair and lighter color eyes. His face is a bit gaunt—more like sharply angled features, but there’s no doubt he’s incredibly good looking. When they make their way through the crowd, the girl comes into view. She’s lovely—petite with curves and gorgeous long blonde hair. When she gets closer, I see her pretty blue eyes that add to the package.
While they don’t walk close to each other, I have to admit they look striking together.
Cage stands as they approach the table, smiling. I do the same, and introductions are made.
Nodding first at the woman and next at the man, Cage says, “Jaime… meet Malik and Anna.”
We shake hands across the table, exchanging slightly awkward smiles, and I can’t believe how nervous I am. “I’m Jaime. Of course, Cage already said that, didn’t he?”
Anna chuckles as she pulls a chair out. “Well, you’re every bit as beautiful as Cage said you were.”
My face heats up, and I imagine it’s tinged a nice pink color right now. I duck my head, and we all take our seats.
Cage does the honors, pouring beer into the two extra pint glasses the waitress had brought. He passes them out, then holds his own up for a toast. “To new friends.”
“To new friends,” we chorus back.
Before I can even take a sip of my beer, Anna is leaning in toward me a bit. I’m sitting opposite her, and Malik sits opposite Cage. “Cage hasn’t told us much about you, though, so I’m dying to hear everything.”
I glance at Cage, who shrugs as if to say, “What can I say… Anna is nosy.”
Grinning, I give her my attention. “Well, what do you want to know?”
“I can tell by your accent you’re from Pittsburgh,” Anna says with a gleam in her eye.