by Toni Aleo
“It’s true!”
“Whatever.” We get out of the car and head into our favorite sushi place. It’s a little late, but we have about an hour to consume my favorite meal. “You should have called Posey. What’s she doing?”
“Out with this new guy she’s dating.”
My brow perks. Posey isn’t one to date. Hence why I was surprised she ran after that idiot Maxim. “No shit?”
“Yeah, she likes him a lot, even though she doesn’t want to admit it.”
I hold the door for Ally. “Who is he?”
“Plays for the Assassins. Boon Hoenes?”
“Don’t know him.”
“Nor do I. I haven’t met him yet, but she seems pretty smitten. Lost her virginity to him,” she says with a wink.
My jaw drops. “About fucking time.”
She snorts. “Right? She was clutching on to that thing like a life vest.”
We laugh as we head to our table, but Ally stops suddenly, which causes me to run into her with an oomph. I look past her to see the very person we were just speaking of making out with a really huge dude. “Ew! Get a room!”
Posey looks over at us, but the guy continues to look at Posey. As if he is trying to consume her with his eyes.
“You’re just jealous,” she says, leaning on the table.
Ally snorts, and my grin grows. I love that little snort she makes. It’s almost a laugh but not quite. Like she’s amused, but she doesn’t find you hysterical. I think I’m one of the only people who’s ever really heard her hysterical laugh. Posey has too.
“Maybe. But look who I just picked up.”
She moves to the side, presenting me like she’s Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune, and I grin. I throw up my hands, wiggling my fingers, and Posey squeals. I haven’t seen her in almost two years; I missed her the last time I was here. She slides out of the booth and wraps her arms and legs around me as I hug her tightly. There isn’t a moment in my childhood where I don’t remember being with Posey. Sometimes, I was with her more than Ally. Mostly because Ally went off to play volleyball internationally when she graduated high school, which left just Posey and me to hang.
“Asher! I’ve missed you so much!”
“Right back at you,” I say, tucking her into my side. I drink her in features, and I’m blown away. She’s always been a beautiful girl, but something has changed. There is such light in her eyes, her face is full of color, and man, she’s gorgeous. Confidence. She has confidence. I squeeze her again and grin down at her, but then I make the mistake of looking up at the guy she was just making out with. If looks could kill, I would be dead about a million times. I want to laugh, but he’s so big and looks ready to rip off my head and piss down my neck. I hold my palm up to him in a wave. “Hey, man. Asher Brooks. Known Posey since I was born.”
I’m a tall guy, but this dude makes me look like a little person, and he’s sitting down. He takes my hand, shaking it extremely hard. If I could grimace and not look like a pussy, I would. “Boon Hoenes. Nice to meet you.”
“You too. Had to explain who I was because you had that look of death on your face. I just got here, can’t be killed yet,” I joke, and Posey grins over at her new beau.
Oh. She’s lovestruck.
Posey smacks me, stealing my attention. “I didn’t even know you were coming into town so soon.”
I shrug. It wasn’t the plan, but eh, here I am. “Wasn’t going to, but Ally convinced me. I tried calling my brother. Is he boning your sister?”
Posey scoffs. “No. I think he’s drunk.”
“Ah, no wonder he isn’t answering.” I hook my thumb toward Boon. “This guy looks cooler than that Maxim asshole.”
She leaves my side to go to his, taking his hand in hers. “He’s all right.” Wow. It seems to me he looks at her like I used to look at Jasmine. That all-consuming, take me back to your place and fuck me good kind of look. I’ve always wanted Posey to find someone who could love her right. I had a thing for her way back when, but her self-confidence was never there. She didn’t think anyone would want her. Now, though, I think being with this guy is helping her build that self-assurance. It’s really good to see. She deserves the best.
“All right, we’re out of here,” Posey says. I thought she’d want to stay and hang, but I’m pretty sure they have other plans. Naked plans. When she starts to drag Boon along, I stop her, leaning my lips to her ear. “You look happy.”
Ally says something to Boon as Posey’s eyes meet mine. “It’s really new.”
“Yeah, but it looks right.”
She looks back at him, then at me, her eyes so soft as she nods slowly. “I think it is.”
As I pull back, I hear Boon say, “Are you two together?”
Ally starts laughing first, with us joining with her soon after. I shake my head. “No, man. She’s my best friend.”
Posey drags Boon to her, a playful look on her face. “Whatever. Just give up and get married and have babies.”
Before I can muster up a comeback, Ally says, “Bye, Posey. Bye, Boon. It was nice to meet you.”
“Why does everyone want us to have babies?”
Ally shrugs. “I mean, I am hot, I should give children to the world, and you’re okay.”
I laugh as we sit down, picking up the paper which lists all the sushi rolls. I lean back in my seat as Ally taps the pencil to her lips and reads over the menu. When the waitress brings us two waters, I reach for mine after setting down my paper. Ally’s already picked her rolls and sips on her water as she waits for me. “I don’t know what I want.”
The waitress looks annoyed, and I smile. “Can I have a minute?”
She doesn’t answer, just walks away, and Ally shakes her head. “She’s gonna lick your roll.”
I grin, waggling my brows. “Ooh, dirty.”
She laughs. “Such a horndog.”
I shrug as I mark one of the rolls. “Why does everyone assume we’re together? My sisters said the same thing as Posey. So what, you came and got me. Everyone had something to do, and honestly, I’d rather roll with you.” When she doesn’t answer, I look up to find her watching me. Her green eyes are dark, and her lips are slightly parted in a very enticing way. It’s hard to ignore how pretty she is. I do a damn good job of it, though. “Ally?”
She blinks and shrugs. “I don’t know. I got asked that today too. Maybe it’s true, men and women can’t be friends without feelings being involved. Some say it has to do with the Adam and Eve thing. God didn’t put them on earth together to be friends. He wanted them to bang and make babies.”
“True, but—”
“It’s also said that men can’t be friends with women because what draws a man to a woman is attraction. Their pheromones. It isn’t because they’re a good time or anything like that—no, the man usually wants to bone. He is made to fuck. A man can find a female funny or even smart, but if he doesn’t find something about her he is attracted to, he won’t waste his time.”
“Um—”
“For females, it’s different. We don’t need attraction to be with a man. We can love them for other things. Sex is just a bonus.”
I blink. “I think my brain is bleeding.”
She ignores my sentiments. “Though, for our situation, it’s different. We grew up together, too young for attraction to be a thing. We liked you because you played Barbies with us instead of hockey. You could play the dad and always had good commentary—”
“Thank you for telling the restaurant this wonderful information,” I say, stopping her. “I love reliving my super-dorky years.”
She grins. “Those are still going strong.”
The waitress comes back then, and we hand her our order. When she walks away, I glance back at Ally as she meets my gaze. “So, tell me, Professor Titov, why do people constantly ask us, then? It’s obvious we aren’t together. We’re mean to each other more than we’re nice.”
She shrugs, messing with the paper from her chopsticks. “True, but it’s becau
se we’re both straight and we’re close. By now, people figure one of us would have become attracted to the other. Either we hide it, ignore it, or it hasn’t happened.”
I laugh. “So, are you hiding it or ignoring it?”
Her face is like stone. She swallows visibly and shakes her head. “Neither.”
I nod. “I guess that means our attraction will come later, then. Probably when we’re both on our third marriage and figure, ‘Shit, let’s die together.’” I joke because I do a damn good job ignoring my feelings, but I’m not telling her that. It’s been very clear that she isn’t attracted to me or doesn’t want anything more with me. She only looks at me like a little brother. I know this because, at one point, I made my move.
It was my senior year of high school. My crush on Posey had finally ended—it was short-lived anyway—and if I’m honest, the crush I had on Ally was far longer and stronger. She’s always been a showstopper, but when I turned fourteen and hormones met me full force, Ally was basically the Kim Kardashian of the Assassins kids. So hot.
She was older than us, and by the time my senior prom rolled around, she’d just come back from a trip to Europe, and she was even hotter. Just blazing hot. She went to prom with me because I’m a loser and hated the girls at my school. Everyone was so full of drama, and usually, the only reason they wanted me was because the newly drafted Aiden Brooks was my older brother. Maybe they felt they could get in with him if they dated me.
Sorry, ladies, I didn’t have time for anyone, but I did have time for Ally.
So, we went to prom. It was awesome. We danced, she brought a flask, and we ate more than we should, but it was fun. Best night ever. We went to an after party, and things were crazy. Booze and drugs, and both of us were flying good and high. I went through a rebellious phase for about a week, then my dad scared me straight with his stories of addiction. Seriously scared the shit out of me, and I haven’t touched drugs since.
It was well into the wee hours of the morning, and she was tucked into my side, looking as if she might pass out at any moment. I leaned my head on hers and sucked in a deep breath, taking in her incredible fragrance. She cuddled deeper into me, and it felt so intimate and perfect. When she glanced up at me, her eyes hooded and lips looking way too damn good not to be kissed, I slowly lowered my head. Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned her head.
Talk about a solid slap to the face.
Cold water on my dick.
I decided, from that moment on, I would never try anything again. Truth is, I know we’d be great together, but I won’t put myself out there like that a second time. It was a hard pill to swallow. How in the world could we be so good and get along so well together but not take it to the next level? Years have passed, and I’ve settled for her as my best friend. Sometimes, though, I’m aware I put her in front of everyone I’ve dated. I thought Jasmine was the one because she loved Ally and didn’t really complain when I was on the phone with her. Little did I know, she wanted Ally in our bed.
Again, tough pill to swallow.
When Ally smiles, it pulls me from my thoughts. “Probably, but I think you’ll marry before me. You’ll be the one with the three marriages.”
I scoff. “Probably. I can’t seem to keep a woman, huh?”
“Nope, you might suck at relationships.”
We share a grin. It’s a running joke that she picks the shit guys, and I chase off the girls. “You’re staying with your parents?”
I nod. “Unfortunately. We’ll see how long I last.”
She giggles. “A week, tops. The girls will drive you out.”
“I wonder if Aiden sold his condo?”
She shrugs. “I don’t think so. He’s holding it for future Assassins.”
I groan. “Do you have to go to that fitting Saturday?”
She nods. “Yes, I’m in the wedding, but I’m also stand-in for Posey this week while she’s on a road trip with the Assassins. Want me to deflect for you?”
“Please do,” I practically beg. “If Shelli comes at me with that stupid book one more time, I might scream. Aiden is so wrapped around her finger.”
“It’s sweet,” she insists. “They are so in love. I love it. It’s such a cute story. She’s loved him her whole life, and she got him. Be honest, that’s adorable.”
“It is,” I say as I shrug. “But that book is the devil.”
Her laughter tickles my gut. The waitress returns, setting down our rolls, and I quickly mix soy sauce with wasabi as Ally says, “It is. You know Posey calls it the Wedding Book from Hell?”
“I do,” I say through my laughter. “She isn’t wrong.”
“Sure isn’t,” she says, popping a piece into her mouth. Around it, she says, “But it’s gonna be one incredible wedding.”
“Oh, for sure, like a damn Jonas brother wedding. Which one is it who had, like, nine?”
She gives me a deadpan look. I love teasing her about her Jonas Brothers obsession. “It was two weddings, and yeah, this one might be bigger than both of his put together.”
“Aiden said Shea isn’t handling it well,” I say, speaking of Shelli and Posey’s dad.
Ally’s eyes widen as she shakes her head. “He’s one angina fit from a heart attack. I’m pretty sure when he finds out Posey is dating, he’ll end up in the hospital with a self-induced heart attack.”
I laugh. “Cracks me up. If only he knew the things those girls used to do.”
Ally laughs with me. We had some wild times, and it was worse when we would go visit Shelli in New York while she was doing her stint on Broadway. Now she’s helping run the Assassins. “Exactly! But we love him and don’t want him to keel over.”
“This is true,” I agree as I throw another piece in my mouth. “You have classes tomorrow?”
She gives me a frustrated sigh. “Yes, not everyone graduates early like you.”
I grin. “Well, not everyone takes a year off before college to go play volleyball in Spain and travel through Europe.”
She shrugs. “It was a blast. But yeah, I have a game tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there.”
She beams. “Good, maybe you can meet Angie—since she’s obsessed with you.”
I make a face. “Who’s she?”
She holds up her hand, speaking with it as she explains, “My mom’s sister, Reese’s, stepdaughter, I guess… You remember Claire? It’s her husband’s sister’s daughter. Lucy? She’s married to Benji.”
I blink. “Why the hell is the Assassins family so convoluted?”
“No clue. But that’s who she is.”
“And she likes me?”
“Yup, thinks you’re dreamy, even with the Harry Potter specs.”
I chuckle as I watch her throw another piece in her mouth. I love how her hair falls on her shoulders, and shit, I can’t believe how much I’ve missed her. Kind of sucks that she doesn’t think I’m dreamy, but why would I want to chance ruining the best relationship I’ve ever had by taking it to the next level?
Chapter Four
Ally
My mom leans on the dryer as I stuff the washer with my clothes from the week. I have no afternoon classes on Wednesday, so it’s my laundry day. I have a phobia of washing my clothes with other people’s, so I’ve always come home to do laundry. People are nasty. My mom always takes the day off from the photo studio she owns so she can hang with me. It’s nice mother-daughter time. We may fight like cats and dogs, but she is one of my favorite people.
“Elli thinks Posey is dating.”
I grin as I put some detergent in the washer. “She is.”
Mom smiles. She and Elli, Posey’s mom, have been best friends since they were kids. They had dolls growing up named Allison and Posey that we are named after. I figured that meant Posey and I were supposed to be close. Good thing we like each other. “I’m not telling you who, though. You have a big mouth.”
She laughs, smacking my ass as I walk past with my laundry basket. “So do you!”
>
“I do not,” I throw back at her as we go into the kitchen. My brother, Journey, sits at the bar on his computer. He has the flu and is unable to go to school, but he doesn’t skip his schoolwork. He’s grown so much over the last couple weeks. He’s taller than me now but still really skinny. My dad wants to beef him up, but Journey is more concerned with the human body. I think he’s going to be a doctor. Not sure what kind, but he’s obsessed. I’ve always thought he is adorable with his long brown hair that comes to his chin. My dad hates it and wants him to cut it, but I think it fits him. He has dark green eyes and takes after my dad with sharp lines to his face, very handsome. But he hasn’t had a girlfriend yet. Doesn’t talk about girls, but he doesn’t talk about boys either. We’re really confused about what he wants. Mom jokes that he is going to be alone forever with a lizard.
We’ll see.
“Ew! Get out of here. I can’t get sick,” I call to him, and he shoots me a dirty look as only a sibling can give.
“Shut up. I’m not even contagious.”
I squint at him. “Yes, you are. Go to your room.”
He’s ready for the fight, but Mom stops him. “Journey, please. Go on. You need to lie down anyway.”
He glares at me. “You don’t even live here.”
I stick out my tongue at him. “But I’m still welcome.”
He scoffs. “By them, not me.”
I laugh. “Whatever. You love me, J.”
His look says otherwise, but he goes back to his room with laptop in tow. I grab a Lysol wipe and wipe the area he occupied before sitting down. My mom brings me a sandwich and a drink and then leans on the counter as I dig in. “You shouldn’t be so mean to him. When we’re gone, you’ll only have each other. Look how close Elli’s kids are.”
I give her a dry look. “We aren’t the Adler kids, Mom. And I love that guy, he’s just moody.”
“You know all about moody, huh?” I stick out my tongue at her this time, and she laughs as I take a bite of my sandwich. While I chew, she looks down at her phone. “Our presence has been requested for the dress fitting Saturday. You’ll be there?”