by A. m Madden
We all gently tapped our glasses together. When I turned toward Cassie, she beamed, “Congratulations. I didn’t know you got a promotion today, that’s fantastic!”
I was a bit confused because even though I never had the chance to call her, I figured when Brae invited her she would have told her. “Why did you think you were coming to dinner?”
She cut her eyes to Brae who gawked at us as though she just discovered electricity. “Oh, no way. I know what you’re thinking, missy, and we are going to nip this in the bud right now.” Jude set his fork down and gave Cassie warning eyes. “Nope, you can get that look off your face, Jude. Your wife is one of my best friends, but enough is enough.”
“But, Cass,” Brae smiled sweetly at her. “You two are so cute together, why not?”
My best move was to keep my mouth shut and keep eating. Cassie, however, didn’t feel the same way. “Because, although Luca is a wonderful man…”
I leaned over. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She refocused on Brae, lifting a brow to emphasize her point. “He is not the man for me. We are friends that’s it—if you must know, we did make-out once and there weren’t any sparks. Remember when Jude kissed you on stage when you first met and your body got all fluttery?”
“You got fluttery?” Pride shone all over Jude’s face.
Brae rolled her eyes at her husband while Cassie continued, “Well, when I kissed Luca I didn’t feel anything remotely close to a flutter.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Jude let out a laugh, and now Cassie was the one rolling her eyes. “Oh, shut it. And why aren’t you agreeing with me?”
I cleared my throat, “Everything she said is true. There wasn’t an a-ha moment or anything remotely close to it. We’re just good friends, that’s it.”
“Brae.” Cassie had a tenderness to her voice that I imagined she perfected in her classroom. “It was like kissing my brother or a cousin. Not that I go around getting naked and kissing my family, but do you understand?”
“Wait—” Brae thrusted her hand palm up. “You guys were naked?”
Cassie brushed it off. “That’s not the point. The point is, not everyone needs or should be a couple.”
“I know. I just want all my friends happy, that’s all.”
Jude kissed his wife on the cheek. “Sparky, they are happy. Let it go.” She nodded and the conversation was dropped.
Dinner was fantastic, and we all agreed to hang out at our favorite bar, Dispatch, on Friday night. Cassie and I shared a cab home, and when we arrived at her apartment building, I walked her to the door to make sure she got in safely before heading to my place.
“I’ll talk to you soon, be sure to lock the door when you get into your apartment.”
She kissed my cheek, “Yes, sir. Text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Cassie was a great woman, and it was a shame we didn’t have that fluttery feeling, as she called it, because she’d make the perfect girlfriend. But, she was turning into one of my best friends… and to me that was better.
Chapter 5
Luca
Friday couldn’t come soon enough. Thanks to my new job title, my workload was a bit heavier than normal. Mostly due to all the meetings I needed to attend. Jude handled the majority on his own, and even though I walked six weeks in his shoes when he was away, it was different now. I was the one in charge of several projects.
It was a good thing we were going out tonight because I needed to relax. Kyle and Vanessa were back in town from California. I missed my pal, and it had been way too long since we hung out.
Before going to the bar, I went home to change out of my suit and tie and into a pair of jeans and T-shirt. I grabbed my leather jacket and hopped into my car rather than taking a cab. Even though traffic was a bitch, and horns were blaring, this was my quiet time.
Dispatch started offering valet parking on Friday and Saturday nights, for which I was thankful. When the young man greeted me at the curb with a massive grin on his face, I handed him the key and a fifty dollar bill. “Park her somewhere nice and there’s another one of these in it for you later.” He nodded and slowly pulled away. I watched until my black car turned the corner and the taillights were out of sight.
Kyle had sent me a text letting me know they had a table in the back of the bar and left of the dancefloor. The place was packed with the usual Friday crowd. Couples, singles, and business people winding down filled the room. I waved to a few familiar faces and headed toward my friends.
“There he is.” Kyle got up and gave me a bro-hug. “It’s good to see you.”
I kissed the girls on the cheek European style, shook Jude’s hand, and took a seat next to Cassie. “Where’s Desiree?”
“Right here. Sorry, I’m late. I had a meeting that ran over.” A waiter came by and took our drink orders. “So, how is everyone?” Desiree focused on Vanessa, “You look gorgeous. You’re so tan.”
Vanessa let out a sigh, “I absolutely love California. Even though we were there for work, we were able to enjoy the sun.”
“My girl is a sun whore.” Kyle laughed. “I’ve created a west coast monster.”
Vanessa shrugged. “It’s true. Even though it’s just California, experiencing life out there makes me feel worldlier.”
“Speaking of,” Desiree chimed in. “I have an announcement to make.”
“What’s up, Des? Is everything okay?” Cassie asked with concern in her voice.
“Yes, actually, it’s more than okay. I got a promotion.” All three of the girls squealed. “I know! I’m so excited.”
I threw my arm around her shoulders. “That’s great, congratulations.”
“Thank you, and I hear congrats are in order for you as well.” The waiter dropped off our drinks, and I clinked my glass to Desiree’s. “So, what is the promotion?”
All eyes focused on Desiree waiting for her to tell us details. “The firm acquired a new client and I’ve been assigned as his counsel… in London.”
Did she say London? When I dared to glance at the other ladies, they all stared at her with wide teary eyes.
“London?” Brae’s voice cracked. “You’re moving to England?”
“Not permanently, but yes. I’m not sure how long I’ll be there, but this lines me up to become partner. Believe me, I wish I could have talked it over with all of you, but time was of the essence and I couldn’t pass it up.”
“That’s great, Des, I’m happy for you.” Again, I lifted my glass to tap hers. Cassie glared at me from the corner of her eye. “What?”
“She’s leaving.” Cassie blinked her eyes a few times. “I’m happy for you, Des. I really am, but we’re going to miss you.”
Vanessa’s lips curled down, “When do you leave? What about your apartment here?”
“I leave next week. My company is subletting my place because everything is happening quickly. The time difference isn’t that bad, and we can FaceTime. Not to mention our group chats that Brae loves.” Everyone at the table groaned. We all hated that damn app.
“Nessa and I will be out to visit you in the fall.” Kyle focused on Vanessa’s face with a smile. “It was going to be a surprise, but I have a trade show to go to in London and planned on scratching off another location on my girl’s bucket list.”
“Really?” she part squealed, part yelled. His nod caused her to grab his face to initiate a very inappropriate kiss for a public place.
“Um…” While the two kept making out, Jude raised his glass. “Congratulations. This calls for champagne, right Sparky?” Brae wiped a few tears and nodded.
“I’ll go get it.” I got up to go to the bar and Cassie hopped up and followed me.
“I’ll help you.”
The two of us stood at the bar, ordered champagne and seven glasses. “Are you okay, Cass?”
She shrugged her shoulder, “I guess. Des was my only single friend left.”
“Um…�
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“You know what I mean.”
I did. I knew exactly what she meant since both of my friends were now attached and busy with their significant others. “You’ll always have me. If you don’t mind watching sports and action movies.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted her—Sabrina. She was laughing with another woman who I recognized from the park. Cassie was talking, but I wasn’t paying attention, not until I heard, “So, all you’ll need to do is ride a unicorn down Fifth Avenue while wearing a feather boa.”
“What?”
Cassie let out a laugh. “Jeez, where did you go?” She followed my line of sight to see what, or in my case, who distracted me. “Ahh, Sabrina. I wondered why you didn’t ask me about her yesterday.”
“I’ll ask now. What’s her story? Where’s Mikey’s dad?”
The sadness on Cassie’s face wasn’t something I’d seen before. “He passed away last year.”
I whispered, “Shit.” My first thought was divorce. Dealing with a divorcée was much different than a widow. At least when a couple divorced, the bond was broken by one or both of them. A death, the bond was still there even if the other person physically wasn’t.
“Why don’t you go talk to her?”
The bartender set our order on the bar. “Maybe later, we need to get back to our friends.”
While my eyes were still trained on Sabrina, she turned my way catching my stare. A small smile tugged at her lips. Her friend on the other hand, arched her back and stuck her chest out causing Sabrina to blush. I nodded once in acknowledgment before taking the tray of glasses off the bar.
Back at the table, the girls were huddled together while Kyle and Jude stared at them. Cassie let out a sigh before placing the bottle down.
After I set the tray down, I began to fill the glasses with bubbly. Since the girls were still in deep conversation over Desiree’s move, a rap of my knuckles on the table got their attention. Jude and Kyle passed each of the ladies a glass. “A toast.” Before I could continue, Cassie took over.
“To you.” She angled her body toward Desiree. “Even though we may not seem very happy, we are thrilled. There is nothing we want more than for you to… ” She stopped when a small sniffle turned into a full-blown wail.
Brae took over, adding, “Follow your dreams?” Cassie wiped her face with the back of her hand and nodded. With our glasses still suspended in the air, Brae continued. “Let’s make sure we set a schedule to speak often.” She paused, and Jude brought the champagne to his lips thinking his wife was done. “Jude!” Brae scolded him. “I’m not finished.”
“Sorry, Sparky.”
With a huff, she continued. “Anyway. Yoga won’t be the same, nor will our brunches. We’re going to miss you so…so… so… ” She stopped and dragged in a deep breath with a sob. These women were dropping like flies.
“For the love of Christ.” Vanessa released an exasperated moan and took over. “Des, have fun, meet hot guys, have loads of sex, take London by the balls, and make that city your bitch. Cheers.”
Just in case, Kyle, Jude and I waited a pause before drinking. Only when we saw the four girls taking a sip did we follow suit. The champagne was long gone well before the sobbing ceased.
Sabrina
“Go talk to him.” Becky nudged me with her elbow. “It’s fate. That’s what this is.”
“It most certainly isn’t fate. It’s coincidence.” I turned and watched Luca and his friends. The guys were deep in conversation, while the women cried. The entire scene didn’t pair well with the champagne.
“Sabrina, seriously. Look at the man.” We both continued to stare in his direction, and my entire face heated when he caught me. “See, his eyes have been on you all night. Go.” Again she nudged me almost causing my drink to spill out of my martini glass.
“No, he’s busy. Plus, if he wanted to talk to me, he knows where I am.”
Becky’s lips quirked to the side, and we both swiveled our stools to face the bar. “Fine, but you don’t get out much. You shouldn’t waste this evening.”
“I’m not wasting it, I’m with you.”
“Right, and Mikey is staying over at your parents’ house, so let loose will you?” She snapped her fingers in the air summoning the bartender. “Two lemon-drop shots please.”
He nodded and went to make her order. “I hope those are both for you.” I smiled knowing full well what her intentions were.
The bartender set them down and winked at Becky. “Let me know if you need anything else, beautiful.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Oh, you know I will, handsome.”
I laughed at her obvious flirting. “You’re crazy.”
“Nope, I just know how to have fun. Raise your glass.” I did as she asked. “To the men who kiss like Romeo and fuck like a porn star.” A few men beside us turned and grinned at her. She lifted her glass as a confirmation. “Am I right, gentlemen?”
“Focus, Becky.” We downed the shot and I swear every taste bud in my mouth contracted. Music started playing just as a loud voice came over the sound system announcing the dance floor was open. To my left, a few women huddled in a circle dancing as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
Becky leaned over and yelled a bit louder than necessary into my ear. “You should go ask him to dance.”
I shook my head. “No, why don’t you go ask him.” With my back still facing Luca’s direction, she craned her head to look behind us. “His friends are hot as fuck, too. Damn. Oooh, only one of the two has a wedding band.” She made a move to get off of the stool only to sit right back down. “Nope, he’s also taken.”
The music changed to a slower song. Luca’s friends occupied a portion of the dancefloor. His one friend held on to his wife as if she were going to escape. Another couple could have starred in the movie, Dirty Dancing. Hell, they were grinding like nobody’s business, and I blushed at the sight of them.
Then, the other woman from their group started dancing with some guy, leaving Luca and Cassie at the table. A few seconds later, they joined the rest of the crew. The two of them were adorable. While the other couples were in a tight embrace, Luca held her in a proper ballroom frame. Every few beats, he’d twirl her and they’d both laugh. It made me wonder why they weren’t a couple.
I had known Cassie for a while. We moved to the city from a small town in Upstate New York last summer. It was important for me to meet with Mikey’s potential teachers before he started Kindergarten. I could tell from the first day I met her that she’d be the perfect teacher for my son, and I was right.
Rather than continue to gawk at them, I turned my attention back to my cocktail that I had been nursing for the better part of an hour. The shot Becky just forced me to do accomplished what my watered-down drink hadn’t. I rarely drank, not ever wanting to be out of control in case Mikey needed me. So, when I did partake, the effects were immediate. Alcohol made me giddy, silly, and impulsive.
“Care to dance?” A baritone voice caused the fine hairs on the back of my neck—and other parts of my body—to stand at attention. His warm breath tickled the soft spot behind my ear. The luxurious scent of his cologne wrapped around me like a warm cocoon. When I tilted my head, his face was so close to mine, his lips almost landed on my cheek.
That impulsive instinct kicked in. God, I wanted to kiss those gorgeous full lips. Instead, I nodded shyly. “Sure,” came out of my mouth in a weird breathy sound that I’d never made before. I passed my bag to Becky, and said, “I’ll be back soon.”
“And… I’ll be waiting,” she replied with an exaggerated wink.
Luca offered his hand and escorted me to the dance floor. The song wasn’t one I recognized, but Luca took control. Even though he held me similar to the way he did Cassie, being so close to him had my heart thrumming inside my chest.
“I’ve never seen you here before.” Luca’s deep brown eyes stared into mine.
“Do you remember everyone who comes here?”
“You would have?” I asked surprised. Our bodies continued to sway in perfect rhythm to the music.
“Without a doubt in my mind.” The sincerity in his voice caused my breath to catch.
I looked away to break the spell he had over me. “This is my first time here. My friend, Becky, dragged me out tonight.”
“Where’s Mikey?”
“With my parents.” He smiled, and his wide hand that splayed across the small of my back pulled me toward him.
“He’s a great kid.” He waited a few moments and then added, “And his mom is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” My eyes cut to his handsome face. Again, he held my gaze. His parted lips seemed like an open invitation for mine. The desire to kiss him continued to overwhelm me. If I just lifted up on my toes, the few inches that separated us would no longer be an issue.
My eyes were still pinned to his lips when he spoke. “Hey, would you like to…” When he paused, my heart skipped a beat. If he was about to ask if I wanted to get out of there, I had a feeling my mouth would blurt out yes before my brain stopped it.
“Like to?” I prompted, when more words hadn’t come.
“Um… I’d love to take you and Mikey out for breakfast tomorrow.” A pang of disappointment hit until that stunning smile of his spread over his lips. At the sight of it, I forgot he had even spoken at all. “Does he have another soccer game?”
“Oh… um, no. He’s spending the weekend with his grandparents. I’m solo tomorrow.”
His large hand shifted to the side and settled closer to my hip. “Well, then, how about I pick you up around ten? There’s this great place near the Seaport we can go to. It’s supposed to be a nice day.”
“I’d really like that, Luca.” I couldn’t help but grin at seeing the joy on his face.
Sure, the man was beautiful, but combined with his personality he could no doubt break hearts without intending to. A twinge of fear pinched my subconscious. Just by staring into his warm chocolate eyes, in that moment I could see that happening to me.