by Anna Paige
Aubrey caught the look and nodded in agreement. “Oh yeah. He’s batshit. Basically harmless, but batshit.” She looked around the apartment. “Ethan not back yet?”
“No. He had some errands to run this morning but said it wouldn’t take long.”
She looked over at Dana and nodded toward the dessert covered table. “I hear you’ve been baking your ass off the last few days. I can’t wait to see what you brought.” Her voice dropped as she leaned in. “I’ve been so excited for today. Especially when I heard about your pies.”
Just like that, they were huddled together, going through the boxes while Aubrey made almost sexual noises at the sight of each of Dana’s creations.
I went back to cooking with a huge grin on my face.
This was going to be an amazing day. I could already tell.
Chapter Forty-One
Emily
Ethan walked into the loft half an hour later, with Jared right on his heels. “Look what the cat dragged in!” he announced, slapping his friend on the back.
“Jared!” Aubrey dropped what she was doing—chopping sweet potatoes for the casserole—and darted over to give him a huge hug. “I missed you.” She giggled as he lifted her off the floor, smiling broadly over her shoulder as she squeezed the hell out of him.
She twisted her head and said something in his ear before kissing his cheek.
He nodded as she stepped back, and his gaze fell on Dana and I standing at the counter.
Aubrey plucked a bouncy Dammit from the floor at Jared’s feet and stepped out of the way.
Ethan came over to me and put an arm around my waist, urging me forward as I hurried to dry my wet hands. “Jared, this is Emily Westin. Emily, Jared Shaw.”
I offered my hand, my pulse racing as I watched him look me over. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Jared. Ethan has told me so much about you.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled down at me and took my hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Nice to meet you too, Emily.”
His voice was soft, his words measured. We just looked at each other for a moment, and I felt like maybe he was sizing me up. Not in an asshole way—just curious. At least, I hoped that’s what it was.
Dana cleared her throat behind me, and I turned, dragging Ethan over to her. “Dana, meet Ethan Chase. Ethan, this is my best friend in the world, Dana Merrick.”
She smiled at Ethan and shook his hand. “So good to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he said, patting the back of her hand with his other one. “Oh, Jared, come meet Dana.”
Jared offered the same quiet greeting he’d given me, still smiling but not talking much.
Ethan mentioned several times that Jared was quiet, so I tried not to listen to that nagging voice in my head telling me his silence was a sign of dislike or indifference.
He’s not chatting you up because he knows you’re temporary. Why waste his time getting to know someone Ethan is going to blow off soon anyway?
Whack!
That shut her up.
I shook it off and gave Ethan a quick kiss and a slap on the ass, shooing him and Jared out of the kitchen so the girls and I could work.
As soon as they were gone, Dana leaned in and whispered, “He’s just shy. Don’t take it personally.”
“I wasn’t…”
“Bullshit. I know you. And I know that look on your face.”
“What are we talking about over here?” Aubrey came over and handed us each a mimosa.
“Nothing,” I said, tipping my head in thanks for the much-needed drink.
“Emily—”
“Nothing,” I repeated, glaring at Dana.
“It’s Jared, right? You were worried about whether or not he’d like you, and you think he took one look at you and immediately disapproved.”
“Damn, she’s good,” Dana muttered.
“No. I just wanted to make a good impression, and here I am with flour all down my shirt, no makeup, and hair that probably has bread crumbs in it or something equally embarrassing. I wasn’t expecting to meet him until I’d had time to get cleaned up.”
They both looked at me and shook their heads.
Aubrey spoke first. “You look great. And he’s always quiet, trust me.”
“I guess.”
“Bitch, stop worrying.” Dana threw an arm around my shoulders. “To know you is to love you.”
“Agreed.” Aubrey winked. “They’re already Team Emily, and once you’ve fed this crowd, you’ll have them as fans for life.”
I nodded, finding a genuine smile.
Guess it was time to stow my insecurities and get back to work.
I had a band to feed.
The turkey was resting on the counter, the sweet potato casserole was bubbling in the oven—toasting the marshmallows—and everything else was spread on the table and nearby counters.
I’d never seen so much food in all my life, much less cooked that much. Dana and Aubrey helped a lot, but since I cooked when I was nervous, I was pretty sure I did three-quarters of the prep while they tried to keep up.
I called Ethan in to help me set the turkey on the serving platter just as the door flung open and the remaining three members of the band spilled into the room, their noses high as they took in the various aromas.
“Holy shit, it smells amazing in here,” Kane said, eyes roaming over the assortment of dishes.
Lennox gave a little moan and headed straight for the pie boxes. “Oh hell, is that cheesecake?” He leaned in and inhaled loudly. “Banana cheesecake?”
Kade shook his head at them and came over to where Aubrey and I were putting the finishing touches on the green bean casserole and the stuffing. “Ladies, we’re gonna have to be rolled onto the stage tonight with dollies after a feast of this magnitude.” He kissed Aubrey softly on the lips and patted my shoulder.
Dana, who had stepped into the living room to ask Ethan a question, came back into the kitchen and froze, her eyes going wide.
Aubrey took Kade’s hand and signaled to Lennox and Kane to get their attention. Not an easy task when they were both so focused on taking inventory of the food.
“Guys, this is Dana, Emily’s best friend. She’s responsible for all those amazing desserts you’re drooling over.”
Kade spoke first, offering his hand.
Dana looked up at him for a second, and I could see how close she was to losing her cool. She swallowed loudly and blinked a few times before taking his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Kade grinned. “The pleasure is mine. Thanks for sharing Emily with us today. She tells me it’s usually just the two of you?”
Dana nodded, looking over at me. I smiled and could actually see her starting to relax. “Yep. Just us and Dammit.”
“Well, I hope you find our company to be a welcome addition to the celebration this year.”
She beamed up at him as he let go of her hand.
“This,” Kade turned to the side and pointed at Lenn, “is the official dumbass of the group, Lennox. And that,” he pointed at Kane, “is the second best-looking one.”
“True. Because we all know I’m the first.” Ethan cut in, stepping up to throw his arms around me from behind.
Lennox and Kane both snickered, and Kade flipped Ethan the bird.
“Nice to meet you, Dana. Those pies look amazing.” Kane smiled at her, taking her hand in his.
Lennox forcibly took her hand from Kane and kissed the back of it, giving her a sultry look. “That banana cheesecake smells phenomenal. You made it specifically for me, right?”
“Well…” she looked panicked for a second as she glanced around the room.
Kade slapped Lennox on the back of the head. “Back off the cheesecake and the baker, asshat. You’re freaking her out.”
“I’m just being my usual charming self.” He grinned wolfishly at Dana.
“You’re not charming. You’re a lecher.” Kane grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back a step. “Behave or I’
ll make you sleep in the hall again.”
Jared snickered from his spot leaning against the wall. “I hear you got a free prostate exam from the maid last time.”
It was the most I’d heard Jared say at one time. He had a slow drawl that lots of guys in the south had, but he didn’t have the southern accent. He was from the same town in Pennsylvania as the rest of the band, minus Lennox, who lived a few towns over, if memory served.
Everyone snickered except Dana, who looked to me for clarification.
“Long story. I’ll explain it later,” I told her.
When I glanced back at Jared, he was watching me with that same half smile. I still wasn’t sure how to take it, mostly because he wasn’t saying anything much to me. Just sort of watching.
When we sat down for dinner, Ethan was on my left—at the head of the table—and Dana took the spot on my right. There was a brief scuffle between Kane and Lennox over who would get the seat beside Dana, but Kade fixed that by snatching the chair away and offering it to Aubrey. I gave him a grateful smile, and he winked back at me as he took the seat at the opposite end from Ethan. That left the other side open for the remaining three band members.
Aside from Ethan, of course, Kade was turning out to be my favorite. That surprised the hell out of me.
Dishes were passed, the turkey was carved, and the conversation was minimal as we all dove in. There were lots of grunts and moans from the band, however.
Lennox muttered a proposal as he reached for another huge helping of my mashed potatoes, which I found hilarious.
Even Jared muttered a quiet, “Damn, girl” as he ate.
That two-word compliment meant so much to me, for some reason. Way more than the groans of pleasure from the others.
My mom’s voice tried to cut in again and remind me that it didn’t matter, that Ethan was leaving me whether his friends approved of me or not, but I ignored it. I wasn’t letting that nagging doubt ruin what was shaping up to be an amazing celebration with Ethan and the guys.
Dammit whined from somewhere in the living room, and Kane frowned, his gaze on the hallway between the two rooms. “Can’t we let him out of his carrier? He needs turkey, too.”
“He’ll get turkey. But not while we’re eating. Trust me. He’s the fastest little thief on the planet. You’ll look down and find an empty plate in like two seconds flat.”
“I feel like that dog is my spirit animal,” Lennox said with a mouth full of food.
“Bet his table manners are still better than yours.” Kade shook his head, averting his eyes from Lennox’s face. “Damn, man. Slow down. You’re gonna choke.”
“Bwoh me,” he countered, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.
Dana chuckled beside me, and I realized for the first time that she wasn’t engaging. Not really. And it didn’t seem to be shyness. She was distracted.
“You good?” I whispered as the guys continued to plow through their meals.
She picked at her turkey. “Me? Yeah. Just taking it all in.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.” She took a big bite of food and smiled at me as she chewed. Once she’d finished, she tipped her head toward Lennox and whispered, “I just try not to talk with my mouth full.”
I snorted a little, and she did too, but hers felt forced. Something was off with her.
“I’m sorry they’re making you work. Well, not they…he…the asshat manager with no heart.”
She shrugged and dropped her eyes to her plate. Bingo. That was what was bothering her. “It’s okay. I need the money anyway.”
“Still, I hate that you’re going to miss the concert.”
“Me, too.”
Aubrey cut in, keeping her voice low as she nudged Dana’s arm. “Hey, why don’t I slip you a couple of tickets and maybe you can bribe your boss with them? I’ll give you a VIP pass for yourself and two front row seats to use for bribing the asshat.”
Move over, Kade. Aubrey just took the lead in the favorites department.
Dana considered a moment and nodded. “That would be amazing, thank you. I don’t think it’ll work, but it’s worth a try.”
“If he tells you he doesn’t want the tickets, you know for sure he’s beyond saving,” I told Dana while giving Aubrey a grateful look.
“So, what happens after the concert? Isn’t there some late-night show appearance?” Dana asked, spearing a slice of turkey and swirling it through her potatoes.
“Yeah.” Aubrey nodded. “They’ll get cleaned up after the show and haul ass to the studio. It shouldn’t take that long, though. Which is good since they have to be up so early tomorrow. They’re pretty used to functioning on basically no sleep, but after a meal like this, the turkey coma is inevitable.”
Ethan had finally let me in on the little excursion the band had planned for the wee hours of Black Friday, and just thinking about it made me smile.
Dana didn’t know what they needed to get up early for, but she nodded along like she was totally in the know. “Sounds exhausting to have to be so many places in such a short amount of time.”
Aubrey snorted softly. “They thrive on it. Especially this time of year.”
Lennox loudly scraped his plate and wiggled his brows in Dana’s direction. “So, about that cheesecake…”
“Guess he’s fueling up for the busy couple of days ahead,” she muttered to Aubrey and me as she rose to help him with the slicing.
“Hook me up, pretty lady,” Kane said a moment later, stepping in close behind her at the counter.
“You still have half your dinner left, Kane.” I chuckled, looking from his plate on the table to the fresh plate he was presenting to Dana.
“Got to get it while I can. You see how Lennox is shoveling it in. If I wait, there’ll be none left.”
“All those pies and you two idiots are fighting over that one cheesecake.” Ethan cut his eyes at them like he thought they were being stupid.
“Banana cheesecake,” they both corrected, like that somehow made a difference.
Dana served them both with a flattered smile and returned to her seat. She didn’t flirt or even acknowledge when both of them flirted with her, which I found odd. At the very least, I would have expected her to egg them on a little, maybe tease them or talk some shit. I mean, this was Dana, after all.
I seriously needed to get her alone for a talk because she was setting off all kinds of warning bells in my head.
“Em, you okay?” Ethan leaned closer and I met him halfway for a quick kiss.
“Me? Yep. I’m great.” I glanced at my friend.
He followed my line of sight and discretely tipped his head in Dana’s direction. “Something up with your girl?”
“Maybe. But now’s not the time. I’ll talk to her later,” I whispered, turning in to kiss him softly on the lips.
“Okay, beautiful.” His hand swept up and down my leg in a comforting gesture as he resumed eating and chatted quietly with Kane.
For some reason, that hand on my leg, the warmth of his touch, and the fact that he’d noticed that something was amiss with me, almost brought me to tears.
That hopeful voice was back, reminding me that only someone who was really connected would have noticed. Someone who might not see this as a fling. Someone who cared on a level far deeper than that of someone looking for a tryst.
And I was realizing the hopeful voice was far more dangerous than the jaded one who sounded like my mother.
The hopeful voice was going to get my heart broken.
Chapter Forty-Two
Ethan
Traffic between my place and the concert venue was a total fucking nightmare. The streets were still flooded with people who’d come out for the Thanksgiving Day parade. There were detours everywhere, and it took us over an hour longer than it normally would to get there.
We’d expected it, of course, but I was on edge because I hadn’t gotten five minutes alone with Emily all afternoon.
It was obvious
something was going on with Dana even before we finished dinner, but afterward, it got so much worse.
Everyone was settling into the couches in the living room when she mistakenly thought there was a bathroom on the second floor and started up the stairs. The whole room went into panic mode at the idea of her discovering my studio, and Emily, in her haste to stop Dana, sort of barked at her.
It wasn’t a mean thing, just a startled, “No!” but Dana looked genuinely hurt by it.
We’d played it off, and Lennox’s stupid ass hinted that I had some sort of sex dungeon up there—which started a debate on whether a dungeon could exist on the second floor or if it was by definition a basement room.
Dana played along but I saw the looks she was giving Emily. She knew we were keeping something from her and—worse than that—so was Em.
I hated, fucking hated, that Emily was in a position to lie to her best friend because of my secrets.
They’d both sort of drawn into themselves after that, and when it came time for Dana to head to work, she didn’t even want Emily to walk her out.
I needed to get Emily alone to make sure she was okay, but Jared and Lennox had hitched a ride with me while the twins and Aubrey took Kade’s rental car.
I was used to not having much privacy, and it didn’t generally bother me, but I needed—physically needed—to get her alone for a few minutes before the show so I could try to get that forlorn expression off her gorgeous face.
I had to fix it because it was my fucking fault she had to lie to her friend. It was my fault they were both hurting.
When we finally got where we were going and managed to get waved through into the private entrance area, I told Jared and Lenn to go on ahead and stayed in the car with Emily.
She was doing an admirable job of faking a smile, but I knew better than to buy it.
“I’m so sorry about what’s happening with you and Dana. It’s my fault. All of it.”
“No, it’s not.” She shook her head and reached for my hand. “She was off even before I barked at her.”
“Still, this hasn’t been easy on you, keeping things from her. And that’s because of me. Because I was selfish and dragged you into my insane situation.”
