Post-breakup, I did what I always do—I shifted my focus back into work, both at Spark House and my online Etsy store. Except tonight, Harley suggested we celebrate my freedom, and apparently the return of Fun London with drinks, so here we are.
“He was too needy,” Avery says.
“And kind of pretentious.” Harley wrinkles her nose.
I shrug. They’re not wrong. He was both of those things. “And also fairly uninspiring in bed.”
The server returns with our drinks, and we toast to cutting free pretentious, needy men.
Avery’s phone pings for the seven millionth time this evening.
“Speaking of needy, is that Declan?” My lips are a little loose, thanks to the drinks. And I think my jealousy is probably showing. Not that I want to be in a relationship where I’m attached at the hip. It’s more that Avery and Declan are ridiculously in love with each other. When they’re together, you can practically cut the sexual tension with a knife.
Avery gives me her unimpressed face. “He’s trying on suits and asking about the difference between periwinkle and sky blue.”
“Why doesn’t he just google it?” Harley pops the cherry from her drink into her mouth.
“I have no idea. Honestly, I don’t even know the difference between periwinkle and sky blue. Or if they’re the same color. I just said let’s go with our rec team colors. All he has to do is show them our old jerseys, and they can go from there.”
“I love you, but I will not be wearing a bridesmaid dress in team colors, especially when those colors are blue and maroon,” I tell my sister. “Lines need to be drawn somewhere.”
“I thought it would be way cool if we had a whole soccer-themed wedding. It could be super casual.”
This doesn’t surprise me. Avery is an athlete and an adventurer through and through, so I couldn’t imagine her wedding not incorporating what she loves. She and Declan met in college and became best friends as they bonded over sports. It was an interesting turn of events last year when they got together after she was in a serious car accident. Declan became her caregiver while she was healing, and they realized what everyone else already knew—they’d been in love with each other for years but hadn’t been willing to face it. And now they’re getting married. I’m happy that they’re so in love, but at the same time, it shines a light on how not in love I was with Daniel. I want to find my person, but I don’t have a male best friend to fall for.
“You just don’t want to wear heels.” I take another sip of my margarita, licking the salt from my lips.
A glint of light grabs my attention, and I glance at the table kitty-corner to us. A man wearing a watch lifts his beer to his lips. My gaze meets his briefly before I turn back to my sisters.
Harley leans in closer. Even though her drink is light on alcohol and high on sugar, she’s tipsy. She has an even lower tolerance than I do. “That guy over there is totally checking you out.” She tips her chin in his direction.
I slap her thigh under the table. “He is not. He’s probably checking you out. Or the game that’s on the TV behind us.”
“The TVs are on the other side of the bar. And he’s definitely not looking at me. He’s looking at you. His buddy keeps snapping his fingers at him like he’s trying to get his attention and failing.”
Avery starts to turn around, so I kick her under the table. “Don’t you dare look over there.”
“Ow! That was totally unnecessary. I just wanted to take a peek. Geez. Chill out.” She slides along the bench seat.
“What are you doing?” As if I need my sisters drawing attention to us, especially with Harley being halfway to drunk. She gets loud when she has more than one drink. Sometimes it’s embarrassing for more than just her.
“Going to the bathroom. I’m two beers in, and I need to break the seal.” Avery wags her brows and points at Harley. “Don’t worry, I’ll be super discreet about checking him out, unlike this one.”
“I wasn’t obvious!” Harley defends herself. Loudly.
I elbow her in the side, causing her drink to slosh and a small puddle of liquid to spread under my pile of stars. “Can you use your inside voice?”
“It’s not like I’m shouting through a megaphone. Besides, there’s music, and sports, and conversations going on all around us. It’s not as if that guy can hear us talking about him.” Harley chases her straw around her drink until she finally manages to snag it with her lips.
Avery does a terrible job of being sneaky while taking a peek at the guy, who happens to be looking our way when she passes his table.