Page 63 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

“Well, we’ll change that tonight. And you’re welcome here whenever you need a pizza escape.”

“I might take you up on that,” Daisy says. “This house is beautiful.”

“Thank you. It’s a lot for one person, though.”

Nicole and Daisy look at me with raised brows. I shake my head. AJ and I haven’t talked about anything as serious as moving in together. If that’s what he’s hinting at, it’s news to me.

“Anyway, pizza. There’s a place down the street that I always order from. Are you guys okay with that?”

“Sure. You know the area,” Nicole says. “I have to admit, I’m a plain cheese girl, though.”

“I am, too,” I say.

“Cheese is fine with me,” Daisy adds. “I’m not picky.”

The guys, it turns out, are a lot pickier. AJ orders two large pizzas, one cheese and one covered in meat.

We take seats at the dining room table. AJ and I sit kitty-corner to each other on one end. Nicole and Josh do the same on the other end, with Nicole sitting next to me. Jack and Daisy sit across from us.

AJ bought snacks to enjoy before the pizza arrives. There are bags of chips and bowls of dip and salsa, plus cheese and crackers.

“You went all out!” I say. “You didn’t have to do all this.”

AJ smiles. “I wanted to.”

We dig into the food while we wait for the pizza.

“So, how did all of you meet?” AJ asks, taking a chip and filling it with the onion dip.

“I met Amber in college,” Nicole says. “I met Josh there, too, actually.”

“And I met Amber at work, and I met my husband at the gym.”

“Wow, nice. I’m glad you could all be here tonight.”

“We appreciate you inviting us over,” Daisy says. “We need to make sure you’re good enough for Amber.”

I gasp, but AJ only laughs.

“I’ll work hard to prove my worth to you,” is his response.

We continue to make small talk until the doorbell rings, signaling the arrival of the pizza. AJ grabs it and brings it into the dining room, along with plates and napkins.

“How much do we owe you for the pizza?” Josh asks.

AJ waves him off. “Don’t worry about it. This is my treat.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Josh shrugs. New York is expensive, and if he’s planning on proposing in December, every extra penny will go toward their wedding. I’m sure he’s relieved to get a free dinner. Daisy and Jack, too. They have a baby to raise. And maybe another on the way! Daisy hasn’t taken a test yet, but they’ve been trying, and she thinks she might be. When AJ offers us all wine, she passes, just in case.

“You’re a doctor, right?” Josh asks.

AJ nods. “I am. Dermatology. What do you do?”

“I work at the hospital, but I’m in med school.”

AJ’s eyes widen. “Really? What’s your specialty?”

“General surgery. I like getting my hands dirty.”

My boyfriend laughs. “Nice. Good for you, man. Let me know if you need any help with courses. It’s been a long time, but I managed to pass everything.”

“I definitely will. Thanks!”

“Jack, what do you do?”

“I’m a graphic designer.”

“Nice! Do you have a card on you? I’ve been wanting to rebrand my dermatology practice. I’d love to see some of your work.”

Jack grins and searches for his wallet. “Yeah, of course. Here you go.”

AJ slips the card into his pocket. “Thanks. I’ll check you out and be in touch.”

I watch as AJ continues to converse with my friends and their significant others while we enjoy the delicious pizza. He does so easily, like it’s perfectly natural for the six of us to be in a room together. It doesn’t feel like this is the first time we’ve gathered.

With AJ taking care of the conversation, I let my mind wander. As much as I try to convince myself it doesn’t bother me, I still feel like AJ is keeping me hidden. All these people know me, not him. Of course he won’t be worried what they think. He’s probably more concerned about strangers in public. The people who matter.

I hate that my ex has made me so insecure. If it weren’t for my past, would I still feel this way? Have I been ruined forever because one guy was embarrassed to be seen with me in public?

But I just can’t shake this feeling. The same unease from our date in the restaurant settles in my stomach. Everything points to AJ’s being embarrassed to be seen with me. Why else would he only want to see me in private rooms at restaurants or at his house? He couldn’t even get out of the car to have coffee with me!

“Amber?” Nicole asks. I look up to see five pairs of eyes on me. “You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry, lost in thought.”

“It’s okay,” AJ says. “Happens to me all the time. We were just talking about heading downstairs.”

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