Page 133 of The Best Men
“Why do I feel like that’s more of a gift to you?”
No point beating around the bush. “I'm staying an extra night, and spending the weekend with Mark.” I don’t even attempt to joke about it or make it seem light. There’s nothing casual about my decision to fly to New York or to take Mark up on his offer.
Flip’s gray eyes bore into me. “Let me get this straight. You flew to New York. And you’re spending the weekend with my brother-in-law?”
“Correct.”
“So this is more”—he stops to sketch air quotes—“a little harmless fun?” he asks as he quotes me back to me. “A weekend with bennies?”
Actually, it’s not that at all. Not for me.
I wish I could tell him what it is. “I’m not sure what this is. The only thing I know is that I don’t want to end things with him,” I say, and I’m pretty sure I’ve shocked my best friend senseless.
Flip blows out a long stream of air. Takes a weighty beat. “Wow. Gotta say, I didn’t see that coming.”
I chuckle. “That makes two of us.”
Flip strokes his chin, eyeing me. “So, you and Mark Banks. I guess stranger things have happened, but not by much.”
“I know, but somehow it just kind of works," I say, and I haven’t entirely figured out why. I just know that it does.We fit.
Flip shrugs, holds out his hands to show he’s got nothing. “I can’t even give you a hard time. Or ayou better be carefulline.”
“Lucky me. I dodged a bullet,” I joke.
But his eyes turn serious, and I half expect he’s going to issue some kind of growlyif you break my wife’s brother’s heart, you’re dead to mewarning. “So, should I be worried about your heart getting broken now?”
Words I never expected to hear from Flip. But the last few months have been unexpected.
“Maybe,” I say, without any pretense.
“I have no idea who you are and what you did with my best friend. But I’ll say this—you better not back out of our hang gliding plans for next summer.”
“Flip, come on. I’m the one going hang gliding. You’re going to watch since you’re the guy with a kid on the way and a low tolerance for risk.”
He stares at me. "You do know your boyfriend has a kid. That means?”
I wag my finger back and forth. “No one’s using the boyfriend word yet.”
Emphasis onyet.
45
BETTER THAN TACOS
MARK
“Hannah, hey.” I smile at my sister and try to look casual. But it’s possible I have crazy eyes and mussed hair.
My poker face is gone forever, I think. It met its match in the form of Asher St. James.
“Hey to you,” my sister says, giving me a funny smile. “Did you read my text?”
“No. Why?” I pull my phone out of my pocket and tap on her name.
That message I didn’t want to read about Asher? It says:
Hannah: Mark, before you get here, you should know that Asher is here, and he is watching the door like a lonely dog at the end of the day. I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but please show up and put him out of his misery.
