Page 80 of Saving the Rockstar

Dylan sputtered, his face flaming, and I couldn't help but laugh. It was just so them, this push and pull, this electric back-and-forth that had always simmered just beneath the surface of their every interaction.

Mason, looking entirely too pleased with himself, stood and stretched. "As much as I'd love to continue this riveting discussion, I should probably head out. Let you two have your brotherly bonding time, or whatever."

He paused, his expression softening as his gaze landed on Dylan. "I'll pick you up at eight on Friday, yeah? Wear something nice."

Dylan, still blushing, nodded. "Yeah, okay."

With a final wink and a nod in my direction, Mason sauntered out, leaving Dylan and I alone in the sudden, ringing silence.

With a rueful chuckle, Dylan said, "Okay, fine. You were right. I was in denial. Happy now?"

I reached across the table, squeezing his hand. "Very. You two have been dancing around each other for long enough. You're good for each other. Even if you're both too stubborn to admit it sometimes."

He grinned, his eyes soft. "Yeah, well. We got there in the end, didn't we?"

Then, as if a thought had just occurred to him, his expression turned panicked. "Oh god. I'm going on a date with Mason. Like, an actual date. What if it's a disaster? What if we run out of things to talk about? What if he realizes he's not actually into me and this was all just a heat of the moment thing?"

I stared at him, torn between amusement and exasperation. "Dylan, breathe. It's going to be fine."

But he was on a roll now, his hands gesticulating wildly. "But what if it's not? What if I spill wine all over myself and ruin my shirt? Or worse, what if I spill wine all over him? You know how particular he is about his clothes. He'd probably dump me on the spot."

I bit back a smile, shaking my head. "Oh, come on. You're being ridiculous."

"Am I?" he demanded, his eyes wide and slightly manic. "Am I, Ash? Because I seem to recall a certain incident involving you, Jared, and a wayward lobster claw that almost ended in bloodshed."

I winced, the memory of that disastrous first date still fresh in my mind. "Okay, fair point. But that was different. Jared and I were still getting to know each other. You and Mason have been dancing around this for months."

Dylan sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "I know. It's just Mason, you know? I don't want to screw this up."

My expression softened, my heart clenching at the raw vulnerability in his voice. "You won't, Dyl. Trust me. That man is crazy about you, even if he shows it by mercilessly roasting you at every opportunity."

Chapter 25: Asher

I was startled out of my brooding by a pounding at my door. I opened it to find Dylan, his arms laden with bags and a manic grin on his face, and Mason, looking equal parts amused and exasperated, standing behind him.

"Good, you're up," Dylan said, breezing past me. "We have work to do."

I blinked, taken aback. "What kind of work?"

Dylan dumped his bags on the coffee table, his eyes gleaming with a worrying level of enthusiasm. "The 'win back your man' kind, obviously. We're here to help you plan your grand romantic gesture."

I felt a swell of affection for my ridiculous, wonderful best friend, even as a flicker of trepidation curled in my gut. "Dylan, I don't know if a grand gesture is the way to go here. Jared and I have a lot to talk about, a lot to work through."

Dylan waved a dismissive hand, already rummaging through his bags. "And you will, don't worry. But first, we need to get his attention, to show him how serious you are about making things right."

He pulled out a stack of papers, brandishing them with a flourish. "Okay, so, I have a few ideas. First option is skywriting. We hire a plane to write 'I'm sorry, Jared' in giant letters across the sky. It's classic, it's romantic, it's..."

"Ridiculous," Mason cut in, shaking his head. "Not to mention expensive and impractical. Next."

Dylan pouted, but obediently shuffled to the next page. "Fine. How about a flash mob? We get a bunch of dancers toperform a choreographed routine to Jared's favorite song, and at the end, you appear with a bouquet of roses and a heartfelt apology."

I stared at him, torn between laughter and horror. "Absolutely not. Can you imagine how mortified Jared would be? He hates being the center of attention."

Dylan sighed, looking put out. "You guys are no fun. Where's your sense of romance, of adventure?"

Mason rolled his eyes, turning to me with an exasperated look. "See what I have to deal with? He's been like this all morning, coming up with one ridiculous scheme after another."

I watched their back-and-forth with a growing sense of amusement. It was comforting, in a way, to see that some things never changed.

---