Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 87629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
“Do you want to try these?” The obligatory offering to Frankie.
She grabs one of the small plates and helps herself to a nacho. “I shouldn’t. But these look fabulous.”
I heap several nachos onto a plate for myself and take a bite. Yum. Seared ahi is sublime, and with green onions, soy sauce and wasabi, just a touch of crema, piled on deep-fried flour tortilla chips?
Wow.
Frankie and I have nearly depleted the nachos, and I’ve placed another order, when Isabella and Jackson return to the table.
“Eating without me, Mandy?”
At least he didn’t add the Cake this time. “Don’t worry. Another order’s on the way. Seared ahi nachos.”
“Sounds great.” He downs the rest of his gin and tonic. “How is…everything?”
“Fine. We just talked on the phone today, Jackson.”
He raises an eyebrow, and it dawns on me. He’s asking about Lustr.
I raise my eyebrow back at him, mentally saying, Do not speak of that in front of my sister.
He seems to get it as he turns to Frankie. “Where’s Penn tonight?” he asks.
“I’ve no idea. He knew we were doing the fitting tonight, and you know. He can’t see me in my dress.”
Jackson nods. “Three months?”
“Yes,” Frankie says. “It’ll be at Penn’s parents’ place. Invitations will go out soon. We don’t have time to do a save the date.”
Jackson nods again as Jane brings the second plate of nachos and another sidecar for me.
“I’ll have another.” Jackson jiggles his glass that is now filled with nothing but ice.
“Right away.” Jane smiles.
Jackson grabs a plate and piles nachos onto it. “These look amazing.”
“They are.” I grab a few more for my own plate. “Frankie?”
“No more for me. I’m full.”
“Isabella?” I ask.
“Thank you, but no.” Although she eyes them longingly.
Jane brings Jackson’s drink, and he hands her his credit card. “Put all of this on my tab, love.”
“You don’t need to do that,” I say.
“I know. I want to.”
“Thank you, Jackson.” Frankie smiles. “I’m strapped right now with the wedding and all. I appreciate your generosity.”
“Yes, thanks.” This from Isabella, who I swear to God doesn’t know the meaning of intonation.
Seems to work for Jackson, though. After he finishes the food on his plate, he takes Isabella back to the dance floor for another spin.
While I order a third plate of nachos.
Chapter Six
Jackson
Dylan Andrews won’t be getting a promotion anytime soon. Going out for drinks tonight was his idea, not mine, and I agreed, since my date fell through. He works under me, and he’s gunning for a recommendation to the IT department. I’m in marketing management. So was he, until he finished his master’s degree in computer information systems. Now he wants to switch departments, and they want my recommendation.
Fine. Maybe I’ll give the recommendation just to get him the hell out of my department. If he thinks asking me to have drinks with him and then picking up a woman instead of talking to me will get him where he wants to be, he’s deluded.
Isabella Phillips is tall and great on her feet, and she’s not a big talker, so I can concentrate on the music.
I’ve danced with Mandy on occasion, but it felt…weird.
Both right and wrong.
In truth? Mandy’s a beautiful woman, and if she weren’t my Mandy Cake…
I’ve had some very un-best-friend-like thoughts about her lately.
But I can’t allow myself to go there. I don’t want to ruin her. In her sweet and innocent way, she’s so perfect, and nothing should taint that.
Least of all me and my limitations.
The song ends, and a slow dance begins. Before I can stop her, Isabella entwines her arms around my neck and we’re moving gently to the music. I glance over to the table. Mandy is noshing on more nachos, and if she sees Isabella and me, she makes no indication of it.
The next time I look back at the table, Mandy’s gone.
…
I call her an hour later.
“Jack?” she says into her phone. “It’s eleven o’clock.”
“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. You seemed to leave the bar in a hurry.”
“Didn’t Frankie tell you? I have an early meeting in the morning with Lily.”
“She didn’t mention it.”
In truth, I didn’t ask Frankie or anyone else where Mandy had run off to. Once I disentangled myself from Isabella, I took care of the tab and left. When I got back to my place, I called Mandy.
“Oh,” she says. “Well, I do.”
I don’t call her out on the lie. She never has an early meeting with Lily. Lily lives on the West Coast, so she’s on Pacific time. Here in New York, we’re on Eastern time so even a six o’clock a.m. meeting would be nine o’clock for Mandy.
Why is she lying to me?
More and more, we seem to be growing apart.
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. We’re different in so many ways. I want Mandy to be happy, and I know I’m not the one who can give her that.