Page 293 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 5
I cleared my throat before they could start making jabs at each other. “We were just talking about the four of us in high school.”
“Ah,” Tanner said. “All the fighting?”
Bee laughed.
“No, we were actually talking about all the good times,” I said.
“Interesting.” Tanner took a sip of his beer. “From a slightly outside perspective, maybe it would be better if we did dive into all the fighting though, yes? In order to move on?”
“We have moved on,” Rob said. “Or else we wouldn’t all be sitting here right now hanging out.”
“Have you though?”
Rob stared at him. “Yes, I just said that.”
“But haaaaave you though?”
“We have,” James said. He looked over at me.
I pressed my lips together. I knew James wasn’t really a dick. Yes, he’d acted like one when we were teenagers. But he’d had my back ever since. It was fall though. And I was always more likely to snap on him in the fall. Because it reminded me so much of Brooklyn. So yes, we’d moved on as best I was able to. I couldn’t offer any more.
“Hmm.” Tanner put his glass down on the table. “If you were all really over it, why did Matt drug you during your bachelor party, James?”
Bee started laughing harder.
“You what?” Penny said.
“It’s not a big deal…” James started.
But Penny cut him off. “Yes it is a big deal. Why the hell would you do that, Matt?” She was using her authoritative mom voice that always made me feel in trouble but also slightly aroused.
I opened my mouth and closed it again. I wanted to say I didn’t know why. But I did. It was because James had been about to get married. And I was jealous. I felt like he’d robbed me of that with Brooklyn. Like he had the life I was supposed to have. And I had been drunk myself that night. And maybe a little high. And maybe a lot an idiot.
“Did he really?” Penny asked Daphne.
Daphne had been at the same resort as us during James’ bachelor party. It’s where she and Rob had officially met. So she’d unfortunately seen all the shenanigans first hand.
I winced when Daphne slowly nodded.
“Look, we all went a little overboard that weekend,” Mason said.
Bee tried to glare at him through her laughter. “What does that mean?” I couldn’t tell if she was actually upset or she was doing an overexaggerated glare because of her intoxication.
Mason laughed. “It was a bachelor party.”
She continued to stare at him. And even though it looked like she was seconds away from exploding with laughter again, the last thing I wanted was for Bee to be upset with Mason because he was trying to cover for me. The bachelor party had actually been very tame and very lame.
“I’m sorry, okay you guys?” I said.
Tanner clapped me on the back. “That’s a good start, Matt. But I have an idea. James, you should just get him back. It’s best to just get even. Who has some drugs?”
James shook his head. “I’m not going to drug Matt.”
“Leave it to me then,” Tanner said.
“I don’t want you to drug him either.”
“Noted. I’ll think of something better.” Tanner snapped his fingers. “Revenge is a dish best served hard, if you know what I mean.” He raised his glass.
