Page 39 of Last First Kiss

Jordan nods.

A purple-haired, elderly waitress stops by to refill Jordan’s glass of water. She leaves a pile of napkins for Jamie too.

“Thanks, Marge,” he says.

Jordan forces himself not to laugh. This diner is almost too cliché to be real. The exact kind of place Jamie would be in love with.

“So,” Jamie drags out, “no Valentine for the night?”

This time, Jordan does laugh.

Today is just another day for him. Anotherworkday. It’s not as if he really celebrated Valentine’s before he started at 24 Carter Gold either. The last time he did anything remotely romantic on February 14 was buying Yazzie a massive stuffed bear senior year of high school. Because the guys on the basketball team insisted.

Because his mom demanded.

Jordan doesn’t need a holiday filled with overpriced flowers and the worst selection of candy ever to tell someone how he feels about them. Who even likes those chalkyBE MINEhearts? Monsters, that’s who.

“No Valentine,” he confirms. “No interest.”

Jamie blows out a breath. “Bullshit. Everyone wants a Valentine.”

“Only you and the imaginary friends that live in your head.”

“And Denz,” Jamie says, eyes crinkled with amusement.

“And Denz,” Jordan agrees. He forks at what’s left of his pie. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.” Jordan rolls his eyes. “The love guru without a date on this wholly overrated holiday?”

“It’s not overrated. And I never called myself a guru.” Jamie smirks. “I’m a loveexpert, remember?”

Unfortunately, Jordan does remember. Hismouthremembers.Vividly.

Jamie frowns. “My date ditched me.”

“They did?”

Jordan shoves pie in his mouth to disguise the surprise in his voice. He didn’t know Jamie was seeing anyone. Not that he ever asked.

“Sadly,” Jamie says, pouting. “He got back with his ex. The love of his life. Some hot, wannabe-British dude. They dated in college.”

Jordan’s eyes narrow.

“And it’s so hard,” Jamie continues, his voice breaking withlaughter, “because we’re roommates. Can you imagine? Sharing an apartment with the man you thought you were gonna spend the rest of your life with? Who’s now dating a One Direction reject?”

“Okay, okay.” Jordan sighs.

“He was supposed to tell his family about me!” Jamie cries. “In fact, he told his cousin. We saw him at a coffee shop and—”

“Lied about being boyfriends?” Jordan offers with a wry smirk.

He still can’t believe Jamie and Denz thought they could fool anyone into believing they were in a relationship. That they thought they could foolhim. Holding hands and using pet names in front of Jordan. As if he doesn’t know their tells. As if he’d ever believeJamiewould want to dateDenzinstead of…

Well, actually, he tries not to think about how he’d finish that sentence.

Jordan’s just happy Jamie backed out and Braylon came to Denz’s rescue.