Page 33 of Good Time Boyfriend
“You’ve never asked about August.” She paused again. “Have you met him yet?” she asked softly, and I couldn’t read her voice. Maybe I was thinking too hard about it…or maybe I needed to know more. Paisley was becoming my friend and I knew this subject was delicate.
“I haven’t yet. Mostly because, well, Heath and I are taking things slow, I guess. And between our jobs, we don’t see each other too often? Okay maybe often, but not daily. We haven’t done the family thing yet. I don’t know when or if we will because I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
She smiled at me, and again I couldn’t read her. What had gone on between her and August? It wasn’t my place to ask. But I wanted to know. I wanted to know who had hurt who, and how sticky it would get for what was about to come.
“The Cassidys are really great. I didn’t get to know the sister. Greer. August and I weren’t married long enough, and they weren’t close enough for that to happen. But the brothers? They’re a unit. It’s nice. Even when they don’t think they’re close, that they can’t rely on each other, they can. Heath’s a good man, from what I remember. And while fate is being a bitch by throwing my past back in my face, I’m glad you’re seeing him.” She paused, looked at me. “Youareseeing him, right? And I’m not just making this even more awkward by bringing up a past situation?”
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “Yes, we’re still seeing each other. Like I said, just slowly.”
“How slow are we talking?” Then Paisley held up both her hands. “You know, we’re on the clock. And I shouldn’t ask such inappropriate questions when I’m your boss.”
“We are on the clock, and I know you have a meeting coming up. So how about we go out for a drink tonight?” I held up my hands. “Not at Heath’s bar.”
“You know what,” she said after a moment, staring at me with an odd intensity. I wished I could read her face. “That sounds good. I’d love to. Like I said, after I moved out here from Portland, I didn’t make a lot of friends. I was ambitious with my job, and I wanted this company to do great. So I made a lot of contacts, but no one I could go out and be comfortable with.”
“You’re going to regret saying that. I’m not a clinger, but I never let go of my friends. I mean, Addison left me for a bit so she could finish school at this top-notch program, and we had to do the long-distance friendship thing, which sucked. But now she’s back, and she’s my best friend, and the three of us are having a drink tonight. Just warning you.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”
“Addison doesn’t even know she’s coming tonight. I just invited her. So don’t worry, you guys are all mine. I promise. You’re going to love her.”
“She seemed nice for the two seconds that I got to meet her.”
I laughed right as my phone rang.
“Okay, 7:00 p.m. tonight? Is that too late?”
“No, that’s good, since we have that late meeting.”
“True. We won’t be out too late either. How about at P Six’s?”
“Perfect.” Paisley stood up. “Thank you. For being kind. And not asking too many questions.”
“You know I can’t promise anything after I’ve had a few drinks. I’m just saying. I probably can’t promise anything after I’ve had a sip.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Same. But I’ll try to restrain myself. I liked Heath. He was a good guy. And I like you, Devney. So, just have fun. And I’d say be careful, but that would sound ominous.”
She smiled and headed out of my office, and once again I wondered what had happened. But I knew it wasn’t my place to ask. Not until she was ready to tell me.
* * *
P Six was a rooftop bar in downtown Denver that had a gorgeous bohemian look to it. Half of the bar was indoors while the other half was outdoors, and it truly depended on the weather gods if where you sat was good. Tonight though, it was comfortably warm, not too cool, not too breezy. And there wasn’t snow or ice on the ground, considering it could snow in June in Denver, depending on those weather gods. They had the portable heaters turned on though; as soon as the sun went down, the temperature dropped, but it was still gorgeous out. I loved this place, and because it was a weeknight, it wasn’t too busy. I didn’t usually go out to bars with friends on a weeknight, but tonight was needed.
“I really don’t have time for this, but I’m so happy that you asked me here,” Addison said, and I smiled at my friend.
“Of course, you’re with me till the end of the line,” I said with a wink.
“It has been the week from hell at work, and I really can’t talk about it because half of it’s covered by an NDA, but let’s just say I needed this.”
“So did I,” I said as I reached forward and squeezed her hand. “Paisley should be here any minute. Her meeting was a bit longer than mine, and she told me to go on ahead.”
“I’m excited to get to know your boss. She doesn’t seem like a completely evil person.”
I laughed. “She’s not. She’s pretty cool. Even though I’m still getting to know her.”
“And she’s okay with you dating Heath? Considering he’s the twin of her ex-husband.”
“There’s a story there, but it’s not ours to know yet.”
