Julia answered, her long dark brown hair falling in a gentle wave over her shoulders, her dark blue eyes looking curiously from Brad to Angel. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”
Angel was momentarily speechless as his emotions tangled up with awe at her beauty. His heart was pounding in his ears.
Brad spoke up. “Two strays like us should party—”
“Are you adopted?” Angel asked Brad.
Brad ignored him. “Up for it tonight? I’ll pick you up at nine.”
Julia looked to Angel. “Will you be there?”
His heart filled with hope. “Yeah.”
“Great!” She turned to her roommate, a pretty blond girl in tight jeans. More Brad’s usual type. “Mandy, we’re going to a party.”
“Awesome,” Mandy said.
“See ya tonight,” Brad said. Then he grabbed Julia and kissed her deeply; his tongue must’ve been halfway down her throat. Angel was about to yank Brad away when Julia’s arms wrapped around Brad’s neck. Angel stepped back.
Julia looked dazed when Brad released her, her fingers resting on her lips. From that moment on, Julia only had eyes for Brad.
Angel hated Brad with every fiber of his being. Their friendship ended immediately.
Yet, four months later, Brad went to Angel’s room and apologized. He said he was serious about Julia and had even joined Army ROTC in an effort to be the man Julia deserved. Angel could see the change in his former friend—his seriousness, his drive to do better, his good grades, and, after Brad confided he planned on proposing to Julia on graduation day, Angel knew whatever claim he’d had on Julia was gone forever. He forgave Brad.
The three of them became inseparable. Always Julia, Brad, and Angel. He and Brad picked up where they left off. He and Julia got to know each other as friends and became very, very close. Julia turned to Angel whenever she needed to talk, whenever there was an issue with Brad; whenever or whatever way she needed him, he was there. And the moment Brad was out of the picture, back home in September of their senior year with a bad case of mono, Angel and Julia gave in to the attraction they’d both done their best to ignore.
It was wrong and so right and hot as all hell.
That weekend lived long in his memory. It had to.
Until the next time.
Chapter Four
Julia’s stomach was in knots and her hands shook slightly, but she was determined to go through with this blind date. Someone, Anthony, had responded to her profile with a request to meet for coffee. It had only been two days since she’d joined the dating website, but she figured there were a lot of single people out there determined to change their single status in the New Year. She hadn’t had a date in so long she wasn’t even sure she knew what to do.
Angel had stopped by yesterday, New Year’s Day, and invited her to visit the sick kids in the cancer ward with his brothers. She took that as a peace offering and happily joined him. Besides, she wanted to get more involved in the community. She spent too much time in her own head. On the ride over, Angel had asked about the online dating site, his tone more curious than angry, so she’d told him about her dopey profile with her teacher picture and her made-up interests—cooking and hiking. She’d thought it sounded better than the truth, and she wanted to attract the kind of man interested in a woman like that. Angel made her promise to tell him where and when she’d be meeting someone and to call him if she felt uncomfortable for any reason.
She took a deep breath and set about picking an outfit, finally settling on a simple dark blue V-neck sweater that matched her eyes, with a black pencil skirt and knee-high black leather boots. She hoped the outfit said casual, hip, and with-it. Though she was the farthest thing from it. She applied makeup and gave herself a silent pep talk. This doesn’t have to be a big deal. Just a baby step.
She grabbed her cell, desperately wanting to hear Angel’s voice. He always calmed her down when she got worked up, but she knew she had to stop running to him with every single problem in her life. She played his last message to her, needing to hear the deep, familiar baritone of his voice. “Hey, Julia, call me when you get back from your date.” There was a long pause. “I’m proud of you. Okay, bye.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. He wouldn’t be proud if he knew what a wreck she was. Maybe she should cancel. She still had an hour before she had to leave.
The doorbell rang. Shit! Her heart raced. What should she do?
She stepped out to the living room and stared at the door. Wait. She was supposed to meet her date at the café. Anthony didn’t know her address.
She peeked through the peephole. Nobody was there. Maybe she had a delivery. She opened the door and looked down. No package. A ping rang out against the gutter on the side of the house. She looked up, was it hailing? Suddenly she was blindfolded, a soft cloth covered her eyes and wrapped around her head from behind. She screamed and a hand covered her mouth. She fought her attacker, elbowing them in the gut, and was pulled tight against a hard male chest.
“Shh, it’s me,” he said in her ear.
Angel! She stopped struggling, but her heart still raced, morphing from fear to excitement as she remembered Damon from Fierce Longing and how he’d grabbed Mia from behind, his hand over her mouth, before taking her to his estate and having his wicked, wicked way with her.
He turned her to face him, his hands restraining her arms at her sides, preventing her from pulling off the blindfold.
Her pulse pounded in her ears. “What the hell are you doing? You scared me!”
He kept a tight hold on her, and her mind flashed to the dining room table where Damon seduced Mia into an open surrender. “My name is Angelo, and I’m your blind date.”
A laugh bubbled up inside her. “Is that why you blindfolded me? I don’t think this is how blind dates work.”
“I’m someone new you’re meeting, and we’re having our first date.” She could hear the smile in his voice and found herself smiling back.
They’d never had an actual date. Two hookups, one almost hookup that Angel stopped, and ten years of friendship, but no date.
“What about my actual date?” she asked.
“I left word at the café that you had to cancel permanently.”
“Angel!” She struggled to lift her arms to take off the blindfold, but he was stronger and determined.
“Leave it. And answer me honestly, did you really want to meet this guy, or were you dreading it?”
She pressed her lips together, not wanting to admit the truth. He knew her too well.
“I thought so,” he gloated. “Wait here while I get your coat and purse, and no peeking.”
She heard the front door open, and then a few moments later, he was back, locking up for her. He helped her on with her coat and put the purse strap over her shoulder. A frisson of excitement ran through her. He held her by the elbow, his other hand on her lower back as he guided her down the front porch steps and to his car.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Someplace special.”
She heard the door creak open on his Honda Civic. They’d bought identical cars together, years ago, to get a better deal. He guided her in, his hand on her head to prevent her from bumping it. His scent lingered in the car, heightened by the blindfold, a little bit of his cologne—ocean and subtle spice—a lot of Angel.
Once he got in and started the car, she spoke up. “Do you know why I signed up for online dating?”
“Yeah, because you’re ready to date.” He backed out of the driveway and turned on to the main road. “You warm enough?” He cranked the heat, but it took forever in the old car to really get warm.
“I’m fine. Angel, I…please don’t take this the wrong way—”
“It’s Angelo and, whatever reason you signed up for that dating site, I don’t care. You wanted to meet someone new, and tonight you’re meeting someone new.”
“But I know it’s you. Can I please take off the blindfold?”
“No
. That’s part of the surprise.”
She found herself smiling. “Is it Burger Shack?” They often went there for special occasions. Neither of them had a lot of money. She’d donated the money she’d received on Brad’s death to the Wounded Veterans Alliance to help other soldiers get back on their feet. She hadn’t wanted to benefit from his death. Not after she’d wronged him.
“Does that sound like a surprise?” Angel asked. “No, someplace fancy like you deserve.”
“Angel,” she said softly. She didn’t want him spending a lot of money on her.
“Angelo,” he corrected.
“Angelo—” the name felt foreign and new on her tongue “—you can’t afford that.”
“I have money stashed away.”
“For your house!” He’d been saving for a house for years.
“This is more important. You’re more important.”
She got quiet. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her best friend. But wasn’t this date just leading him on?
“Ang—”
“Say the whole name or I’m not answering.”
She bristled at his bossy tone. “Angelo,” she said tightly, “I’m not sure what you think this…date is, but—”
“What did you think your blind date would be today?”
“Horrible,” she admitted.
He barked out a laugh. “I knew it. You want to know what tonight is? This is our do-over. Big time. We just met. I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever clapped eyes on, and I’m dying to touch you.” He took her hand, his larger hand enveloping hers in warmth, the firm clasp immediately relaxing her. She’d so missed his touch, even if it was wrong to crave it.
“You’re so forward, Angelo. We just met.”
He chuckled. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman, I promise.”
“Do you ever regret—”
“I regret nothing,” he said fiercely. “Not one thing I’ve ever done.” He paused and then continued in a more relaxed tone. “Tell me what you do for fun.”
“I enjoy cooking and hiking and sunsets.”
He laughed. “Me too. I’m also in a motorcycle club.”
“I knew that the minute I saw your black leather jacket.”
“Did you peek? Because I believe you’ve been blindfolded for this entire blind date.”
She reached over to feel the sleeve of his familiar leather jacket and met with the soft feel of a suit jacket. “How fancy is this place?”
“You’ll see.”
She shook her head, smiling. This was so much better than the ordeal she’d thought she’d be going through tonight, but still…was it right? She leaned her head back on the headrest, letting herself imagine for a moment that she was on a first date with a man named Angelo. That he was taking her someplace special. That he thought she was beautiful. And he was funny and kind and smelled wonderful. What would she do in that situation? For just a little while, she wanted to pretend, to enjoy what he was offering.
“Where are you from, Angelo?”
“I’m from Clover Park, Connecticut, raised by two loving parents, five older brothers who had my back, and a community of people who really cared. How about you?”
“I was adopted by two loving parents and always wished for a sister.” Angel had helped her come to terms with being adopted, further helped along by Brad also being adopted. The shared sense of abandonment over being given up by their mothers was what bonded her and Brad tightly together. His situation had been far worse, stuck in an orphanage until he was five, then a series of foster homes before he was finally adopted at ten by a strict couple he couldn’t seem to please. Though he tried his best to make them glad they adopted him, they were never close. Brad told her never to bring up his adoption issues to her parents or his; it was a touchy subject and something he only wanted to share with her. She agreed, deeply touched that he’d confided his painful past to her. It wasn’t difficult to keep his confidence since neither of them were close to their parents. She’d since made amends with her parents, though the sense of abandonment never left her. It made her cling tighter to what she had, which made Brad’s death even more difficult.
“My husband was adopted too,” she added. She held her breath, wondering if she was allowed to bring up Brad. She would if she really was on a first date, especially since her profile said she was a widow. She’d been prepared to discuss it.
There was a long silence.
“Forget I said that,” she blurted.
“I’m glad you both found your forever families. I remember your profile said you were a widow. Can I ask what happened to your husband?”
“He died a hero, throwing himself on an explosive device to save his unit.” She’d rehearsed that line so she could say it smoothly. It was the truth, but she still found it hard to say. She’d had nightmares about it for years. Her husband was a hero, and she’d betrayed him. The heavy guilt weighed on her, making it hard to breathe.
Angel broke into her dark thoughts. “Take a breath.”
She did, trying not to think about how well he knew her, knew her frailties, and accepted them.
“I’m sorry to hear about your husband,” he said. “How long has it been?”
“Five years.”
“And are you ready for a new relationship?”
The question hung in the air. Was she ready? Her whole single life had been wrapped up in Brad. He’d been her first kiss, her first lover, her first everything. How crazy was that? She was twenty-eight and this was only her second “new” date her entire life.
“You don’t have to answer that,” Angel said. “Let’s just see how tonight goes. No pressure. You like cats? I have three.”
She burst out laughing. He didn’t. But he sure could get creative. “I love cats. I have ten.”
“Ten, huh? We should have a cat party. Catnip, feather toys, the whole deal.”
“My cats would love that.”
“How you like living in Fieldridge?”
“It’s okay.”
Angel, playing the part of Angelo to the fullest, kept up a steady stream of small talk she imagined people had when they went on a first date. She’d spent her first date with Brad drunk at a party in someone’s off-campus apartment.
A short while later, they arrived at a restaurant with soft music playing and low conversation. She hoped she wasn’t underdressed. Angel spoke quietly to someone and then guided her to her seat, one hand on her lower back. He removed her blindfold while standing behind her. She blinked, adjusting to the light, and took in a fancy French restaurant with white tablecloths and too much silverware.
“Oh,” she breathed. “It’s so nice.”
He sat across from her, and she burst out laughing.
“What?” He bit back a smile, his dimples showing in his clean-shaven cheeks. He wore a thick fake mustache that curled up at the ends.
“Take it off,” she gasped through her laughter.
He cocked his head quizzically. “Take what off?”
She couldn’t stop laughing.
“What? I needed a disguise so it feels fresh. You just met Angelo. Hey, it’s not polite to laugh at your blind date.”
She tried to restrain herself. He looked like he just got back from a disco. “Where’s my disguise?”
He held up a finger and reached under the table. Then he held out black-rimmed glasses with clear lenses and handed them to her. She wore contacts to avoid glasses like this, part of her awkward, nerdy high school years.
“Put ’em on,” he insisted.
“What else are you hiding under the table?”
“Never you mind. Put them on.”
She slid the glasses on. “How do I look?”
He flashed a devilish smile. “Nerdy.”
She huffed. “You look like a porn star from the seventies.”
He crossed his arms. “That’s exactly what I was going for.”
She giggled. “You’re something else, Angelo.”
; He leaned across the table, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “So are you, Julie.”
“Julia.”
He straightened. “Ah, sorry. Still getting used to the name. Julia.” He gave her a warm smile, and her gaze locked with his in a bond she never wanted broken. Her throat got tight. No amount of pretending could change the fact that their friendship needed to stay exactly that.
He picked up the menu and looked at her over it. “What do you think porn stars eat?”
“Oysters?”
“I’m thinking steak. A nice, juicy steak.” He snapped his teeth at her.
She flushed and picked up her menu.
“Get whatever you want, Jill.”
“Thank you, Andrew.”
They cracked up, and the tension dissipated. They had a good time, trying each other’s meals, sharing a dessert. She felt a lightness and easiness between them that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
When they got back to her place, Angelo walked her to the door. She suddenly got nervous. If he kissed her, she’d cave. She knew it. She didn’t want to go down that shameful path again after the good time they’d had. And she knew it would be the death knell for their friendship.
She held out her hand to shake. “Thank you for a lovely dinner, Angelo.”
He took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed the back of it, his fake mustache tickling her fingers, his lips like warm velvet. “My pleasure, Julia.” The silky words left her brain fuzzy. She could do nothing but stand there and stare.
Then he turned and left.
She went inside on shaky legs and quietly shut the door. She peeked out the living room curtains to watch him go, catching Angel doing a fist pump before he strode back to his car, got in, and drove away. She walked like a zombie to the sofa and flopped down.
What the hell just happened?
Chapter Five
Angel missed Sunday family dinner for the first time in years for his date with Julia, and he didn’t give it a second thought until his stepbrother Jared texted him later that night. Where were you tonight?
He hadn’t wanted to tell anyone about his plan to be with Julia. The situation was too delicate, and his family was not known for their subtlety. He texted back, I told Mom I wasn’t feeling well. Didn’t she tell you?
A Tempting Friendship (Clover Park #10) Page 4