The Player Hater (Accidentally in Love 1)

“Thad’s best friend Halbrook will be there.”

Halbrook? Why have I never heard that name before or met this person?

“His name is Halbrook?” I can’t keep the aversion out of my voice. “What kind of name is that?” Sounds aristocratic and stuffy.

Pompous.

“Halbrook is his last name and what everyone calls him. I think his first name is Davis?”

Good god. The man’s entire name is two last names.

It’s too much for me to handle.

I press my lips together so the laugh doesn’t burst out. “Sorry, but this is not convincing me. Why would I want to be thrown at some dude I haven’t met yet, just so your boyfriend can show off for you all weekend? No thanks.”

“Juliet, I’m not asking you to do it for him; I’m asking you to do it for me.” Her hand crosses over to my side of the table, reaching for mine. “Please come. It’s important to me.”

Mia gives my hand a beseeching squeeze, her big doe eyes seemingly helpless.

I know she’s not meaning to, but sonofabitch—she’s good at the guilt trip, that’s for sure.

Too good.

“This isn’t a big ask, Juliet, it’s a vacation. It’ll be fun.”

I hate when she’s right; this isn’t a big ask, plus it’s a free vacation. Granted, it’ll be a work in patience but a vacation nonetheless.

“Juliet and Davis? On what planet would that combination work?”

“Juliet.” Her tone is so sharp I glance up from picking at the appetizer on the plate in front of me, seconds away from dropping the calamari on my tongue. “I’m not asking you to date anyone—this isn’t a setup. I’m merely pointing out the fact you will not be a third wheel. Someone else will be there in the same boat and I’m not quite sure Davis likes me, either. These guys have trust issues.”

I’m not sure she’s being entirely honest—surely she would have mentioned these reservations about her boyfriend’s best friend before?

I set the calamari onto the plate.

My shoulders slump in defeat. “Ugh, fine—I’ll agree to this weekend getaway. For you—not for him—because I love you. But you have to promise; swear to God, hope to die, stick a needle in your eyes that you won’t push me at this Halbrook Stone guy.”

“Davis Halbrook.”

“It sounds like a rock quarry.”

Mia laughs loudly. “You need to cut it out.”

I wave my hand in the air flippantly because his name does not matter. “Whatever. You have to promise this isn’t a setup, and you’re also not going to throw your boyfriend at me and force us to be best friends, and I don’t want to date his friend, either.”

I hold my hand out so she can commit to me in the only way two people can; with our pinkies wrapped around one another. We hold them a few seconds before nodding our solemn vow, the agreement more sacred than a signed contract.

“I don’t need the two of you to be best friends—I am already your best friend.”

“You know what I mean.”

Mia beams happily, pinky promise still looped through mine. “He’s a really great guy, you’ll see! You’ll like him. It’ll be totally fun, you’ll see.”

She’s said ‘you’ll see!’ twice, but who’s keeping track?

I resume calamari consumption, dipping a piece first in the marinara then the ranch. “When is this fantastic extravaganza happening, anyway?”

“The weekend after my birthday.”

In two weeks?

Of course her flashy boyfriend wants to whisk us away for her birthday, footing the entire bill to some Instagram worthy resort where they’ll lie around with their perfect bodies, not gain a single ounce from sipping froofy drinks and eating whatever they want because they both work out like fiends.

I’ll just be along for the ride, gaining ten pounds simply by thinking about island food and fresh waffles every morning.

Not that I’m bitter about it; I’m not, I swear.

What is wrong with you, Juliet? You should be happy for Mia, not acting like a bitter shrew.

Jealous of all the time they spend together? Pfft, me? No!

Okay, maybe I am just a teensy, weensy bit jealous if I’m being honest, but I would never in a million years say those words out loud.

No way.

I am happy for her; I just don’t want her heart to get broken!

A weekend away where you can keep an eye on the guy, around the clock, will be the perfect opportunity to do that.

“Do you know where he wants to take you?” Us.

“Not yet—he wants it to be a surprise. He’s planning the entire trip himself.” She looks positively tickled pink.

Planning the trip himself?

Oh boy.

“What should I pack, any ideas?”

Mia mulls this over as she stirs her drink. “That’s a good question—maybe a swimsuit just in case, I can’t imagine we’d go anywhere that didn’t have a pool? I showed him two places I thought looked amazing; one had a lake, the other has a pool.”