Page 1 of Pucking Your Best Friend

Prologue

If Madison James had to plan the perfect Monday night, she would be on the couch with a tequila sunrise in her hand, watching a romantic movie. She would order Pad Thai from the local spot down the street, turn off her phone, and cuddle with her favorite pillow in her pajamas while someone met their soulmate on the screen.

This was not a perfect Monday night.

This night, as Shakira screamed in her ear that her hips didn’t lie, Maddie made her way through the dancing crowd to the bar, wishing her own hips were a little slimmer. Then she wouldn’t be colliding with so many strange bodies. It smelled of sunscreen, fruity drinks, and sweat – the unmistakable scent of every bar on the Santa Monica Pier – and Maddie wished she still had last week’s cold. At least then her sense of smell wouldn’t be so keen. Besides, she would have had an excuse for not coming.

Nothing against this particular bar. She actually liked the Sunny Umbrella. It was less than 50 feet from her dating agency, so if she went out for a drink, it was there. Simply put, Maddie was too damn tired and just wanted a mandatory appointment with her couch and then her bed, not her sister. Besides, she never went out on weekdays. Because –

“What are you doing here? You always say going to a bar during the week is a single person’s frustrated cry for help. Besides, only rich people and students can afford the luxury, since every other sensible person has to go to bed early.”

Yes, exactly because of those reasons. “Hey, Tara,” she said with a smile, nodding to the waitress who was squeezing in behind the bar. “Can I have a tequila sunrise and a new pair of eardrums? You guys have the music way too loud.”

Tara laughed and ducked behind the bar so that only her afro was visible for a few seconds. She reappeared with a cocktail glass in her hand. “Oh, Maddie. You’re twenty-eight but sound like my grandma.”

“Why, does she like drinking tequila sunrises, too?” Maddie retorted innocently.

Tara snorted. “No, but she likes to wreck the ceiling with her cane when the boys in the apartment above her turn up the volume too loud.”

Well, that wouldn’t happen to Maddie. She lived on the top floor. “Your grandmother sounds like a great person. I’d like to meet her,” she replied cheerfully.

“I’m sure you would. So, are you here just to complain about our music? Or are you searching for a Prince Charming for yourself for once, instead of for everyone else?”

God, no. She was so much better at matchmaking for other people. “I’m not here for love today. But hey, if you want to sign up with us…”

“No thanks.” Tara grimaced as she stuck an umbrella into Maddie’s tequila sunrise. “If I’m ever looking for more than a single night with no strings attached, I’ll let you know right away. But then if you're not looking for new clients, what are you doing here?”

“Meeting Lucy. Have you seen her?” She stood on her tiptoes and peered over the dancing crowd at the few tables along the wall.

“Oh, yeah.” Tara grinned broadly and wiggled her eyebrows. “She’s here with some built demigod.”

Maddie sighed inwardly. Of course she was. If Lucy’s life were a book, it would be one of Greek mythology. The number of demigods who came and went in her life – as well as her bed – was impressive.

“They’re sitting outside on the terrace, where your ears should get a break.”

Maybe a little one. “All right, thanks. Oh, another thing, there’s a beautiful bench outside your door, covered in green velvet…”

“We threw it out. It’s on the curb for pick up.”

Maddie’s heart skipped a beat. This evening was going to be good, after all! She loved old furniture with a history that she could refurbish. “No, it’s going in my hallway!”

Tara laughed and pushed the cocktail across the bar to her. “You’re surrounded by hot guys and women and you’re pining over a piece of deadwood.”

“A piece of deadwood covered in green velvet!”

“Yeah, yeah, of course, that changes everything. Anyway, feel free to take it with you, but it’s really heavy.”

“I’ll manage!” Lucy could help carry it in exchange for Maddie coming here tonight, ignoring her bed's calls. Then again, her little sister had started a new job today and her first day hadn’t gone smoothly. At least, she had sounded angry on the phone. The only reason Maddie was here now was because she was incapable of saying no to her family, no matter how small the request.

She paid for the cocktail and was about to make her way through the dancing crowd toward the patio when a dark-haired giant blocked her path.

“Hey, cutie,” he said, lifting the corner of his mouth, “Are you – ”

“— not interested?” she finished for him, smiling. “Yeah. How did you know?”

The guy blinked at her with his mouth gaping. She wasn't going to wait around for a fly to land. She left him standing there and fought her way outside. She wasn’t going to meet the man of her dreams in a bar. First, it was unromantic and, second, the men here weren’t interested in anything serious. And that wasall a man would get from her: forever and ever. Nothing else. So far, she hadn’t communicated that clearly enough – at least, if her only ex-boyfriend was to be believed – and she wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Her sister, on the other hand, was of a different mind.

---