Page 289 of His Virgin Romance Series

MILES

“Hi, man!” Zack said excitedly, the moment he saw me.

He pulled me in for a bear hug in the middle of the restaurant, and I laughed. “Get off me… geez.”

“Please… you love my hugs.”

“Can we please just sit and eat?” I asked.

“That’s always been your problem,” Zack said, with mock sadness as we sat down together. “So damn closed off.”

“Shut up and sit down,” I said. “I’m starving.”

“Dude, it’s been ages,” Zack said, shaking his head at me.

“Don’t I know it.” I nodded. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been terrible at keeping in touch. It’s just with all the shit that went down recently—”

“Hey, you don’t have to explain man,” Zack said immediately. “I get it. You were trying to stay out of jail.”

“Tried and succeeded,” I said, unable to keep a little edge of satisfaction from my tone.

Zack shook his head at me. “I know. You have to be the luckiest motherfucker I’ve ever met,” he said. “When I heard about your case I was sure you would be spending some time in the slammer.”

“Hey, I’ll be the first to admit that I got really, really lucky.” I nodded. “I mean… I had no one and nothing on my side, but the judge… he turned out to be a pretty decent guy. I think maybe I reminded him of his son or something, but I saw him softening towards me the more he questioned me. I think he actually kind of liked me.”

“It’s that pretty face of yours.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” I nodded smugly.

“Were your parents there?” Zack asked, softening his tone a little because he knew how sensitive I was on the subject.

“Of course they were there.” I nodded. “They wouldn’t miss a chance to see their little boy cuffed and dragged away like a common criminal.”

“Come on,” Zack said, abandoning his menu in favor of the conversation. “You can’t believe they would really have wanted you sentenced?”

“I do,” I said. “There isn’t a doubt in my mind that that’s what they wanted. How could there be? Dad basically said exactly that to my face.”

“Fuck,” Zack said, in a low voice.

“I shouldn’t have expected anything else,” I said, with a shrug. “He’s a fucking asshole, and he always has been.”

Just then the waitress appeared, and we ordered two thin crust pizzas after Zack had finished flirting with the waitress.

“What about drinks?” she asked.

“I’ll have a beer,” I said promptly.

“I’ll have a Coke,” Zack replied.

“A Coke?” I said, looking towards him. “Why aren’t you joining me for a beer?”

“Because it’s midday, dude,” Zack replied. “And I have to get back to work.”

“They won’t even notice.”

“Not the point.”

I frowned at him, but Zack turned back to the waitress. “Just a Coke for me, love,” he said, giving her a little wink in the process. “Thanks.”

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