Page 26 of Friends with Benefits

I am one lucky man for getting to share bedtime her. That’s what I’m thinking as Becky turns her head on the lounger next to mine and lowers her book to her chest.

‘Jake, if you’re trying to be inconspicuous, it isn’t working.’

Cover blown, I readjust my cap.

Sarah sits up on the lounger to my other side and brings her legs over so she’s facing Becky and me. ‘To make sure I’ve got this. You two are best friends, right? I mean, you don’t need to answer that because I can see how well you get along. You’re like the other half of each other. But you’re also sleeping together.’

‘Only when we’ve had a drink,’ I correct, ‘and we don’t do the sleepover thing. Well, we were never supposed to.’

‘Aha, right. So, you adore this woman. We love her, just so you know.’ Becky nods too, as she comes to sit and join the tag team against me. ‘And you’re totally hot for her.’

I know where this is going. I look around for some moral support but none of the guys are paying attention to the three of us.

‘Tell me again why you aren’t together.’

I can feel myself getting defensive and my words coming out curter than I intend. ‘Sarah, you know as well as anyone that men and women can be friends. Look at you and Drew.’

She raises her hands. ‘Absolutely. The difference is, I’ve never slept with your brother. Nor have I ever wanted to sleep with him. No offense, Becks.’

Becky laughs. ‘None taken.’

‘Look, she doesn’t want more and neither do I. Why would we ruin a good thing?’

Our attention is stolen by a burst of laughter from Jess. The three of us turn our heads to where she’s standing by the speakers with Marty. His hand is resting on the small of her back as he leans across her shoulder, pointing to her iPhone, where I suspect she’s scrolling through music.

Every muscle in my body tightens.

‘That’s why,’ Sarah says. ‘And don’t roll your jaw at me, Jake Harrington.’

Groaning, I drop my head back on the lounger. Yeah, so I can’t stand Marty, or any man, being near Jess, for that matter. That doesn’t mean I’m ready to risk our friendship by changing things between us. Or putting myself out there just to be shot down by the guards she keeps armed and ready on the high walls she’s been building around herself since she was nine years old.

‘He needs to take his filthy hands off her.’

I know I’ve said that out loud when Sarah gets up from her lounger and heads over to Jess and Marty, faking a reason to get Marty’s attention.

‘She’s so amazing,’ Becky says, watching Sarah. ‘I think she could turn me.’

I laugh. I hope Drew does propose; I’d like Becky to stick around.

On cue, Drew comes over, hands Becky a virgin mojito and slides onto the lounger behind her, pulling her back between his legs to rest on his chest.

‘Jake, did Drew ever tell you how we got together?’

I narrow my eyes. ‘Kind of.’

‘Well, I bet he didn’t tell you about his note and my mediocre desserts.’

‘Ah, don’t do this to me, Becky,’ Drew grumbles.

‘Sorry, baby, but I think it’s for the greater good,’ she says. ‘Obviously, desserts are my thing. I’m a patisserie chef, after all. I gave Drew some sample desserts one night when he came to the restaurant. I was thanking him for buying me breakfast, which is another story, and because I was trying to convince him he could be a sweet man.’ Drew rests his chin on Becky’s head and tightens his hold around her. ‘So, he took my desserts in a doggy bag. The next day, he came to the restaurant and left a note for me. Do you know what it said? It ranked my desserts out of ten. He gave them all five or six. Then at the end, he signed off with something like, “I’m still not a fan of mediocre desserts”.’

‘You’re such a dick,’ I tell him, as the three of us laugh. ‘That’s so uncool, man.’

‘Jake, have you grasped the point of my story?’ I feel my eyes narrow. ‘Clothes are Jess’s passion and every day, you basically call her mediocre.’ There it is. The penny. Falling. ‘You tease her. You flirt with her. But what you’re actually telling her is the exact opposite. She looks good. You’re proud of her. And the even bigger point is, you’re just like your brother. All the five out of tens you give her now are going to lead to you two being together once you both get your shit together.’

Once we both get our shit together? Do we have shit to get together?

‘You’ve been spending too much time with Sarah,’ I say. ‘I hear what you’re saying, but Jess and I aren’t like you and Drew. We’re already friends, you know? I wouldn’t give her up for the world. And I know too well how easy it is to mess up a good thing.’

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