My Favorite Mistake: A Friends-to-Lovers Romance (A Love Like That) Page 10

  “You’re not the one drowning in it.”

  “I’m sorry. What can I do to help?”

  “Get my purse. I think I have a pad in there.”

  “Like, for your period?”

  She blinked at me. “Or for when you’re going to have semen coming out of your pussy for the next couple of hours.”

  I jumped to my feet. “Purse. I’m on it.”

  I turned on the light and hurried out to where Madeline had left her purse by Blake and Caleb.

  “Hey, where are you going?” Blake said.

  I snatched the purse up and said, “I’ll be right back.”

  When I got back to the office, Madeline was standing up and wiping her thighs.

  She looked up when she saw me. “Could you get me a wet towel? I’d go to the restroom, but I’m not wearing any pants.”

  I grabbed a towel from the closet. “Be right back.”

  I could have gone to the bar again but chose the restroom instead. I didn’t want Caleb and Blake to question why I was going back and forth.

  I brought the towel back. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

  Madeline took it from me. “No, I think I’m good now.”

  “Are you okay?” I asked. I really wanted to know if she was mad at me, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to ask that.

  “I’ll be fine. But the two of us need to get tested right away, okay?”

  “I’ll make an appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning when the clinic opens,” I promised.

  “Same.” She tilted her head toward the door. “Now, get out of here, so I can finish cleaning up in private.”

  I nodded and left her alone.

  I needed a drink after everything that had happened. When I got back behind the bar, I lined up three shot glasses and filled them all with my favorite whiskey.

  I set two of them in front of my friends and downed my own.

  Blake tipped his head back and swallowed his down, but Caleb stared at me.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Now that the adrenaline had worn off, everything was becoming clearer, and I was a little freaked out.

  “Depends on your definition of okay.” I chuckled. Just an impromptu sex session in my place of business that was my livelihood and a pregnancy and STI scare. I supposed I was okay. The customers weren’t the wiser, and Madeline was on birth control. I sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Everything okay with Madeline?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Because you keep looking back toward your office,” Caleb said.

  “Dude, you’re not boning your bestie, are you?” Blake asked.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Jesus, Blake, a little class?”

  “Thank God,” he said.

  “Why do you say that?” Caleb asked.

  “Because friends with benefits almost never works. One of them usually gets too emotionally involved, and then the friendship is over because the other doesn’t want to get serious. I know two couples it worked for. In one, they both sincerely didn’t want to get serious. They’re both married to other people, and they’re still friends. The other, they both wanted to take their relationship to the next level, and they’re married. But I find both of those are the exception, not the rule.”

  “How many people do you know?” Caleb asked.

  “A lot. I lived in Vegas, remember? The capital of drunk friends getting married and then calling things off.” Blake looked at me. “All I’m saying is, the two of you have been friends forever. Do you really want to ruin that for some nookie?”

  “That’s surprisingly wise, coming from you,” I joked because I didn’t want to think about what he’d said.

  Madeline was my best friend, and I didn’t want to lose her just because we were both a little horny.

  What have I done?

  Madeline came back, looking the same as when she’d left the three of us earlier.

  “Everything good?” I asked her.

  “Yep,” she said, getting back on her stool. “Can I get some water?”

  “Coming right up.”

  “So, what did you and Griffin talk about?” Blake asked her, wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said with a smile.

  “Duh. That’s why I’m asking.”

  She looked at him over the water I’d poured for her. “And that’s the way we’re going to keep it.”

  “You’re no fun.”

  “Hey, Madeline, did you get anything good for your birthday?” Caleb said. He was probably trying to change the subject, so Blake would stop bothering her.

  “Yes. Lots of money and gift cards. Everyone knows me so well.”

  “We know she likes to pick out her own things,” I added.

  “Exactly. This is why I have to tell Griffin what to buy me every year.”

  “And what did he get you this year?” Caleb asked.

  “I couldn’t believe it. He got me—”

  “I got her a gift card too.”

  She frowned in confusion and looked at me.

  I didn’t have the balls to meet her eyes. “In my defense, she didn’t tell me what to get her even though I had asked.” I shrugged. “So, she got a gift card.”

  “Boo,” Blake said. “So boring.”

  “I know,” I admitted.

  I could feel Madeline’s eyes on me, but I avoided them as much as possible. I couldn’t tell her that Blake had worried me. And I didn’t know how to tell her that I thought we shouldn’t sleep together anymore before things went too far. Not after we just had sex. It felt like I was using her even if she had initiated it. I hadn’t exactly put a stop to it.

  I licked my lips and caught a taste of Madeline on the upper one. I wished I had taken more time going down on her since it wasn’t going to happen again.

  Twenty-Two

  Madeline

  Friday evening, I was sitting on a plush white sofa, drinking champagne, while I watched Christina do a fitting of her wedding dress.

  Her sister and maid of honor, Hope, was running the show, so I was sitting and listening to her go over wedding things.

  It sounded exhausting, and if I ever got married, I was going to have a small wedding or get married at the courthouse.

  “After Troy’s brother and me, it’ll be you and Griffin, then—”

  “I’m sorry,” I interrupted Hope. “What are you talking about?”

  “The procession line.”

  “I told Hope that Troy and I wanted you and Griffin after the maid of honor and best man. If it wasn’t for the two of you, we wouldn’t have met.”

  I grinned. “I love it.” And I loved that I wouldn’t have to walk down the aisle with a stranger.

  Hope listed off everyone else as Christina did a couple of twirls in her dress. “Did I get everything correct?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Christina turned to look at her sister. “But what if Mom asks to look at the list?”

  Hope pulled out another sheet from her binder and grinned. “I got that covered.”

  “Can I see?” I asked.

  She handed over both lists, and I scanned the names. The first list said I was second after Hope. This one said I was following behind Chantel. “Who’s Chantel?”

  “Our cousin,” Hope said. “And Mom is forcing Christina to put her in the wedding.”

  “I’m only doing it to make my mom happy. And Chantel is not going to be happy when she finds out that she’s last.” Her smile was a little evil, and I laughed.

  “She’s that bad, huh?” I asked.

  “Horrible. Stuck-up and has always thought she is too good. I was shocked that she even said yes. The only reason I’d asked her was because I thought she’d say no and it would make my mom happy.”

  My phone’s message tone I had set just for Griffin went off in my purse, so I pulled it out.

  Griffin: I know we have plans tomorrow, but I can’t make it now.

  I frow
ned.

  Me: Can I ask why?

  “What’s wrong?” Christina asked.

  I looked up. “Griffin. He’s been acting strange since Wednesday.” Since the day we’d slept together.

  I had gone to the doctor right away and gotten tested. When I’d told him, he’d barely said two words to me.

  I was worried that I had scared him with my pregnancy joke or that he thought I was mad at him.

  I had been a little irritated that we had forgotten protection, but the frustration was at both of us and the situation. I had tried to show him that I wasn’t mad.

  I couldn’t figure out what had happened between him leaving his office and me coming back to the bar.

  I had considered that he’d told Caleb and Blake what happened, and they had given him crap about it. But there was no way Blake would know something like that and not make even one joke about it to me. Besides, neither of them had given me curious looks or anything like they had been let in on a secret.

  No, I was ninety-nine percent sure Griffin hadn’t said anything.

  Which left me back where I’d started. Griffin had been acting odd, and now, he was canceling on me. And the plans were his idea.

  Griffin: Troy needs help with something.

  “And now, Griffin is canceling our plans tomorrow, so he can hang out with Troy,” I told Christina. I met her eyes. “He’s not lying to me, is he?”

  Hope looked confused. “You and Griffin are dating?”

  I shook my head. “No. We’re really good friends.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “Hope, will you hand me my phone?” Christina asked.

  Hope moved some stuff around on the sofa, grabbed Christina’s phone, and handed it to her.

  She started typing.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Asking Troy if he has any plans on Saturday. We’ll see if he brings up Griffin’s name.”

  “Good idea,” I said and started tapping my foot.

  Thankfully, Troy answered right away.

  Christina looked at her phone. “He says that he and Griffin do have plans.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t lied to me.

  Christina’s phone beeped again.

  “Oh.”

  “Oh? Oh what?” I pressed her.

  “He said that Griffin asked him if he wanted to do anything. Troy was going to tell him no because he had a rough week at work, but Griffin insisted. Then, he said, The things I do for friends.”

  Christina and Hope both watched me. I supposed to see what kind of reaction I would have.

  I opened up my message thread with Griffin. I was mad and upset. He had never blown me off before. But I didn’t want him to know I had checked up on him. Not because he’d be mad, but because I didn’t want him to know I cared so much since he obviously didn’t care that much back.

  I had to wonder if this was the beginning of the end of our friendship.

  Me: Have fun.

  “What did you say?” Christina asked.

  I shrugged. “I told him to have fun.”

  She looked at me like I was crazy. “If you canceled plans on me like that and begged April or someone else to hang out with you, I’d be pissed.”

  “Oh, I’m pissed. I just don’t want him to know.”

  “Why?” Hope asked.

  “Because revenge is never as much fun if the other person knows it’s coming.”

  Christina laughed. “Ooh. What were you going to go and do tomorrow?”

  “Go shopping.”

  “Shopping? No wonder Griffin canceled.”

  “It was his idea,” I defended myself. “I was going to go and use my gift card for lingerie.”

  “Are you sure you two are just friends?” Hope asked.

  “A single guy helping his best girl friend in a lingerie shop is an excellent way to attract women,” I fibbed. It wasn’t the real reason he had wanted to come with me, but it was true. When women saw a guy doting on his partner, they thought it was sweet. When they found out he was the single friend, they thought it was hot.

  “Ah,” Hope said.

  “Maybe I’ll go shopping with you tomorrow instead,” Christina said. “And maybe I’ll send Troy some pics while we’re there with some beautiful shoppers in the background, and maybe he’ll show Griffin everything he’s missing.”

  I laughed. “I like the way you think.”

  Meanwhile, I would share a couple of pictures of my own. I was going to make sure Griffin knew what he was missing.

  Twenty-Three

  Griffin

  “Should we go get something to eat?” Troy asked me.

  “Sure.” It wasn’t like we had anything else to do.

  I had come over to Troy and Christina’s place an hour or so ago, and so far, Troy and I had sat on his couch and played video games.

  “Aren’t you hungry?” Troy asked me.

  I shrugged. “Not really.”

  The guilt I felt about lying to Madeline had made me lose my appetite. I should have just told her the truth. That I thought we were getting too close and that it wasn’t a good idea. Instead, I had made up a story that Troy needed help with something.

  He didn’t need help with anything. So far, we’d done nothing productive.

  “Well, I’m starving. It’s almost one, so I say we get out of here.”

  “Okay. Let me hit the head first.”

  I was in the middle of washing my hands when I heard Troy speaking to someone else.

  “Ooh, I think you should get that one.”

  I walked out of the bathroom to see him holding his phone in front of him.

  “Model it for me,” he said with a grin.

  “Who are you talking to? I sure hope that’s Christina,” I joked.

  He flashed me the screen for a second. “Christina and Madeline.”

  Upon hearing Madeline’s name, I walked around the back of the couch, so I could see over Troy’s shoulder.

  Christina was holding up two baby-doll lingerie sets, which probably meant that Madeline was holding the phone.

  “White or black?” Christina asked.

  “Both,” Troy answered.

  “Sorry, no can do. They’re not cheap, and I want to buy some other stuff. So, you have to pick one.”

  “Hmm…surprise me.”

  Christina didn’t look impressed. She looked up and over her phone. “What do you think, Madeline?”

  “Hold them up in front of you.”

  Christina did just that.

  “I’d go with black,” I said.

  Christina grinned. “Thanks, Griff,” she said while her fiancé gave me a dirty look over his shoulder.

  “What? You weren’t picking one, so I did.” I patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll thank me later.”

  Christina grabbed her phone after hanging the white teddy up. “Since you’re so helpful, Griffin, maybe you can help Madeline decide which one to get too.” She rolled her eyes. “Madeline is being way more difficult than me though.”

  “I am not.”

  Christina nodded at us through the phone.

  “Just turn the camera around, so I can show them,” Madeline said.

  The camera flipped to show Madeline against a rack of bras with three different teddies that she had hung up in front for us to see. They were much more revealing than Christina’s pick, and my heart sped up.

  “They’re all the same style, but I can’t decide between black, white, or red. Black is classic, white has the whole innocent but not really innocent vibe, and red…well, red is sexy.”

  “Hold them up in front of you,” Christina suggested.

  “Try them on and send pics,” I blurted out.

  Madeline leaned into the camera. “I don’t think so.” She backed up, pulled each teddy off the rack, and held them up in front of her.

  Meanwhile, I pulled out my phone and sent her a text.

  Me: I need to see pics.

  I heard
Madeline’s phone beep through Christina’s phone.

  “Hold, please,” she said.

  Christina turned her camera back around and asked Troy something about Sunday. I wasn’t paying attention because I was waiting for Madeline’s response.

  Madeline: So you can jerk off to them later?

  Madeline: I don’t think so.

  Me: No, so I can tell you what to buy. I can’t tell you what to get when you only hold them up in front of you.

  Me: Please.

  Madeline: Sorry, dude. If you wanted to see it in person, you shouldn’t have canceled on me.

  Me: This isn’t fair.

  Madeline: Life’s not fair. But maybe Troy has something sexy he can put on for you.

  “I’m done,” Madeline said in the background. “If Griff and Troy don’t have any opinions, I think I’m going to go with white.”

  “I’d better go,” Christina said to Troy.

  “Not white. Red,” I shouted, but the call was already cut.

  I sent Madeline a text, telling her to get red, but she didn’t even open my message.

  “Let’s go,” I said to Troy.

  Troy’s face lit up. “We’re going to go and get food?”

  “No, we’re going to the mall.” I grabbed my keys off the coffee table, where I’d thrown them down when I got there.

  “But I’m hungry,” Troy whined.

  “You can get something at the food court. We need to go now.”

  “I have half a mind to tell you to go by yourself.”

  “But then you won’t be able to have Christina try on her little outfit for you.”

  He shrugged. “She’ll try it on when she gets home.”

  I shook my head sadly. “You’re not even married yet, and you’d rather eat than see your beautiful woman half-naked.”

  Troy gritted his teeth. “Fine. We’ll go to the mall. While my dick thanks you, my stomach is really pissed at you.”