again.
She said in a voice that wavered slightly, “Here’s the number.”
“I’m meeting two friends,” Eric said to the hostess, realizing with a small shock he hadn’t been to this place in…a long time. He and Jack had met there frequently for a beer or lunch—it was one of their favorite pubs—and though he hadn’t consciously avoided it after hearing about his best friend’s death, his subconscious had apparently kicked in because he hadn’t set foot in the place since the funeral. “They might be here already. Dark-haired guy and a drop-dead-gorgeous blonde.”
“I think you mean a drop-dead-gorgeous dark-haired guy and a young woman with blond hair.” The hostess was pretty and curvy and had a saucy smile. “The corner booth. Follow me.”
He laughed.
Nicole was there, wearing some sort of floral sundress that draped the curves he knew so intimately, with a small ruffle at the neckline, her slim arms bare. The fall of her shining hair brushed her shoulders and never failed to fascinate him. Luckily it was a corner booth and he wondered if Jack had asked for it specifically so they could both sit by Nicole.
He slid in next to her. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve had a couple calls this morning asking me if it is true about Jack. Car is outside. Here’s the keys.” He handed over the small pink keychain with the flamingos on the handle to Nicole.
“When we’re done, mind driving me out to my parents’?” Jack asked it casually, but his gaze touched on Nicole and then went back to Eric. “I think it would be better if it was you.”
Eric agreed one hundred percent. “It’s much better to let everyone see you and I aren’t at each other’s throats.”
“Now I’m a situation?” Nicole shook her head and her blue eyes held a glimmer of distress. “If there is one thing I don’t want it’s for your friendship to be damaged because of me.”
The arrival of the waitress to take their drink order kept either of them from commenting, but once she was gone, Jack said, “There are a lot of things in life you can’t predict or control, but friendship Eric and I can make a decision on, so don’t worry about it. Besides, it would be because of us, not because of you, Nikki. Just relax. We’re okay.”
She did seem reassured, or at least relaxed a little. The cheerful clatter of the restaurant could have been part of it, or maybe it was that he and Jack talked naturally, like they always had, and maybe Jack was right and the solid base of their lifelong relationship could weather whatever came next.
The only awkward moment was when they walked her to her car. Normally Eric would give her a brief kiss goodbye, and he could tell Jack was having the same sort of inner battle by his rueful smile as she solved the problem and gave them each an unsatisfactory kiss on the cheek, sweetly thanked Jack for lunch and got in her car.
“There goes our girl,” Jack said jokingly as she pulled away, and Eric gave a muffled laugh.
He jerked his head toward his sleek sports car, his one true indulgence since getting his latest promotion. “Come on. When we get to your parents’ house, I’ll beat you at a game of pool.”
“Fat chance, Janssen. This is a sweet ride, by the way. Thanks for letting me use it.”
“Anytime, you know that.”
At least it was fairly uncongested on a Sunday afternoon, and as Eric headed toward Highway 40, traffic thinned even more. He said conversationally, “Did you ask her?”
Jack just looked at the road, relaxed in his seat. Just like old times, he knew exactly what Eric was asking without further clarification. “About last night? No, I didn’t ask her whether or not you stayed. I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen.”
“Should we talk about it?”
“I have a decent imagination. Details are unnecessary,” Jack said, one dark brow lifting sardonically. “Let me take a shot at it. The two of you naked in bed and—”
“Very funny.”
She said in a voice that wavered slightly, “Here’s the number.”
“I’m meeting two friends,” Eric said to the hostess, realizing with a small shock he hadn’t been to this place in…a long time. He and Jack had met there frequently for a beer or lunch—it was one of their favorite pubs—and though he hadn’t consciously avoided it after hearing about his best friend’s death, his subconscious had apparently kicked in because he hadn’t set foot in the place since the funeral. “They might be here already. Dark-haired guy and a drop-dead-gorgeous blonde.”
“I think you mean a drop-dead-gorgeous dark-haired guy and a young woman with blond hair.” The hostess was pretty and curvy and had a saucy smile. “The corner booth. Follow me.”
He laughed.
Nicole was there, wearing some sort of floral sundress that draped the curves he knew so intimately, with a small ruffle at the neckline, her slim arms bare. The fall of her shining hair brushed her shoulders and never failed to fascinate him. Luckily it was a corner booth and he wondered if Jack had asked for it specifically so they could both sit by Nicole.
He slid in next to her. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve had a couple calls this morning asking me if it is true about Jack. Car is outside. Here’s the keys.” He handed over the small pink keychain with the flamingos on the handle to Nicole.
“When we’re done, mind driving me out to my parents’?” Jack asked it casually, but his gaze touched on Nicole and then went back to Eric. “I think it would be better if it was you.”
Eric agreed one hundred percent. “It’s much better to let everyone see you and I aren’t at each other’s throats.”
“Now I’m a situation?” Nicole shook her head and her blue eyes held a glimmer of distress. “If there is one thing I don’t want it’s for your friendship to be damaged because of me.”
The arrival of the waitress to take their drink order kept either of them from commenting, but once she was gone, Jack said, “There are a lot of things in life you can’t predict or control, but friendship Eric and I can make a decision on, so don’t worry about it. Besides, it would be because of us, not because of you, Nikki. Just relax. We’re okay.”
She did seem reassured, or at least relaxed a little. The cheerful clatter of the restaurant could have been part of it, or maybe it was that he and Jack talked naturally, like they always had, and maybe Jack was right and the solid base of their lifelong relationship could weather whatever came next.
The only awkward moment was when they walked her to her car. Normally Eric would give her a brief kiss goodbye, and he could tell Jack was having the same sort of inner battle by his rueful smile as she solved the problem and gave them each an unsatisfactory kiss on the cheek, sweetly thanked Jack for lunch and got in her car.
“There goes our girl,” Jack said jokingly as she pulled away, and Eric gave a muffled laugh.
He jerked his head toward his sleek sports car, his one true indulgence since getting his latest promotion. “Come on. When we get to your parents’ house, I’ll beat you at a game of pool.”
“Fat chance, Janssen. This is a sweet ride, by the way. Thanks for letting me use it.”
“Anytime, you know that.”
At least it was fairly uncongested on a Sunday afternoon, and as Eric headed toward Highway 40, traffic thinned even more. He said conversationally, “Did you ask her?”
Jack just looked at the road, relaxed in his seat. Just like old times, he knew exactly what Eric was asking without further clarification. “About last night? No, I didn’t ask her whether or not you stayed. I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen.”
“Should we talk about it?”
“I have a decent imagination. Details are unnecessary,” Jack said, one dark brow lifting sardonically. “Let me take a shot at it. The two of you naked in bed and—”
“Very funny.”
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