“I’m not!”
“I hear you. You’re the most distracted driver I know. Pay attention to the road!”
“Shut up. I was just looking at my calendar. And I was at a red light.”
“Liar.”
“Just be quiet. My calendar says we have that VIP party at Colossal. You invited me as your plus-one, so I have to come. And you’d better get Ron to make it a plus-two.”
Shit. One of my clients, Ron, was a big-time nightclub owner in Hollywood, and he was hosting an invite-only event. We’d worked together on three separate properties over the years and had developed a friendship. He would definitely notice if I blew him off, although I was fairly certain he wouldn’t be mad at me for it, but I didn’t want to be the kind of person who promised she’d show up to a private event and then bail. At least I knew making my invite a plus-two wouldn’t be a problem, so I was thankful that wouldn’t be an issue.
“You’re right. Looks like we’ll hit Colossal on Saturday. And you guys will meet. Please don’t embarrass me,” I pleaded, and she giggled.
“Be thankful I don’t own any pictures of you as a little kid, or I’d be busting that shit out. ‘Oh, Cal, this was when she took the scissors and cut her own hair. Don’t you like the way it’s longer on the left side than it is on the right?’”
How the things that Tami thought about even popped into her head, I’d never know.
“I’m suddenly thankful I didn’t know you in high school, Tam. Just don’t wear your pink contacts. Please.”
I rolled my eyes at the thought of her ridiculously colored lenses. The pink ones creeped me out whenever she wore them. The natural brown color of her eyes mixed with the pink and created a light red effect. She looked like the devil, or at least someone who was possessed by him. I had a hard time looking her in the eye when she wore them, always thinking that she was hexing me, or trying to figure out ways to steal my soul.
She laughed hysterically. “I won’t, but that would be fun just to see you freak out all night long. I could chase you around the club, and Cal would think you were a lunatic.” She kept laughing. “It’s so tempting.”
“I’ll disown you and make sure you’re on the no-entry list for all of Ron’s clubs. I swear.” I tried to sound serious through my own laughter.
“Don’t blackball me in my own city! Okay, okay. No pink. I promise.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
Her laughing finally stopped. “Hey, I’m almost at the gym. Can I call you back?”
“No, go on. I just wanted to tell you that he’s coming out.” Excitement rippled through me again as thoughts of Cal being here consumed me.
“And Jules?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m really happy for you.”
I bit my lip, blushing like a schoolgirl. “Me too. Can’t wait for you to meet him.”
“He better not suck!” she said. “’Bye!” Then she hung up on me.
My best friend was insane. Certifiable.
It was hard to reconcile the crazy girl I knew with her alter ego who practiced law and won most of her cases. Unlike Best Friend Tami, Lawyer Tami was neither fun nor happy. She didn’t wear contact lenses in crazy colors, or mermaid-length extensions in her hair. No, Lawyer Tami was a bulldog who hated losing.
I only hoped she didn’t pull her tough-girl routine on Cal when she met him. Then again, I was pretty sure he could handle her, and that she’d most likely melt at the mere sight of him.
Even she wouldn’t be able to resist the power of those damn lips.
• • •
My daily texts from Cal now included a countdown. I opened my eyes the following morning to a message that read:
Dream Lips: Good morning, beautiful. 13 days!
Absolute giddiness surged through me as I responded.