Page 22 of Where There's A Will
Roman was talking to Bree, with Montana nowhere in sight. I checked to see if Hugo were still there, and he was, fiddling with his phone. He was probably adding in the stacks of phone numbers he’d gotten while at this dating event.
“Will, this is Bree.”
“I know. We spent a really great five minutes together.” I forced a grin. It wasn’t Bree’s fault her best friend couldn’t see what was right in front of her face.
Bree fluttered her eyelashes at me. “It was, it was a really great five whole minutes. Maybe we could spend some more minutes together?”
I knew exactly what she was insinuating. She wanted to go on a date. But dating Bree when I was totally into Montana was cold. It made me almost as bad as Hugo.
“Sure,” I heard myself say. “Why not?” I reached in my pocket for my phone and handed it to her. “Why don’t you put your number in there?” This was more than Montana and I had done, despite the fact I knew exactly where she lived and I’d been inside her; this somehow felt like a betrayal.
“I can take you to a football game.” She mimicked my accent as she said the word ‘football’. “And maybe you can teach me about soccer?” Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
“Sure.” I repeated. “Sounds like fun.”
“I’ve been trying to get this Brit to a football game ever since I met him and he’s always refused,” said Roman. “Apparently if I’d have had gorgeous blond hair and a knockout figure, I would have stood more of a chance.” He winked.
“Hey, Montana, over here!” Bree waved at her friend.
There wasn’t time for me to escape or hide as Montana joined us. I wanted to disappear.
Bree made some introductions, oblivious to the obvious strain that existed between Montana and I.
“You live in Will’s apartment block, don’t you?” Roman asked Montana. “I’m sure it’s where I’ve seen you before. I forgot to ask during our five minutes.”
“Yes, you’re right.” She gave me a sly, sideways glance. “We live a few doors away from each other and have done for about six months.”
Bree frowned. “Then how come you haven’t mentioned him before? A good-looking,single, guy who’s like, practically on tap?”
Montana answered with a shrug, her gaze straying over to Hugo who was chatting with a couple of girls. Her eyes narrowed and I thought she was about to go storming over there. Instead, she turned back to Bree.
“If someone as gorgeous as Will lived that close to you, wouldn’t you want to keep him a secret too?”
I knew she was simply saying it to make Hugo jealous, even though he wasn’t within earshot. “Likewise,” I said. “Highlight of my day yesterday, having you stop the elevator to get in with me.”
She tensed. Roman and Bree looked between us. I wondered if they sensed the same electricity I did.
“Makes a change from the smelly guy who lives on the top floor. He always seems to be lurking around the elevator when I get home,” said Montana.
It felt like an attempt to throw them off, to make sure they weren’t aware anything had happened between us. More than anything I wanted to tell them about us, how we’d connected last night, how she was making a mistake going back to Hugo.
Of course, I didn’t say a word.
“Ugh, he’s hideous!” agreed Bree. “I swear he tried to feel me up the last time I came to see you. I nearly barfed.”
I knew who they were talking about. I didn’t know his name, but he was a bit creepy when it came to the women in the apartment block. On more than one occasion, I’d stepped into the elevator after him and been blown away by the stench of body odour. Still, at least you always knew where he was.
Roman chipped in with elevator horror stories of his own and before long, the four of us were laughing and joking. In a strange, parallel universe, we could be double-dating. Roman and Bree would make a cute couple.
“Guys, sorry to break up the party, but it’s nearly time to go; we’ve got to close up,” the male organiser said. “We only had the upstairs booked until eleven-thirty.”
I glanced down at my watch. It was after midnight. After my exertions the previous evening, it was a wonder I wasn’t already asleep in my beer. Plus I had an audition the following morning, which I thought I had a shot at getting, so staying up much later wouldn’t be a good idea.
“It’s been a fun evening,” I said. I leaned toward Bree and kissed her on both cheeks, following suit with Montana, although I lingered a little, breathing in the scent of her perfume.
“We should do it again sometime,” suggested Roman. “A double date if you like.”
It was almost as if he could read my mind.
