With a whole binder full of women. Yeah, I knew that. “I’mnot going to change my mind.” It didn’t matter that I had a stupid crush onPenny. Or if I slept with half the women in New York. I wasn’t going to findsomeone to replace Brooklyn. I just wasn’t. She wasn’t replaceable. She waseverything.
“Okay.” He patted my shoulder. “No more lovers are stoppingby. Let’s go have the best damn guys’ night in the history of guys’ nights.” Heraised his glass to mine.
I tapped mine to his and we both took a drink.
“Let me get rid of Georgia and Stacy. Then please rejoin usat the table.” He nodded and then walked over. Georgia blew me a kiss beforelooping arms with Stacy and pulling her over toward a different table filledwith hopefully single men looking for what I assumed was not true love.
I took a deep breath before rejoining my table.
“Are you two finished with your lover’s quarrel?” Rob asked.
I did not find that joke funny.
“Because if you really want to be set up, as your best friend,I have a few people in mind.”
I cringed. First Penny. Then Tanner. Then James. Now Rob too?Was Mason also suddenly going to be a matchmaker?
“I’m his best friend,” Tanner said. “And I’ve got thiscovered.”
Rob laughed. “You’re surely mistaken. I’m Matt’s best friend.Tell him, Matt. Tell him I’m the one that’s going to help set you up.”
James jumped in to save me. “Enough about Matt’s dating life.If he wanted any of our help, he’d ask us.” He gave me a small smile. “Anyway,how are renovations on your place going?”
Thank God for the change of subject. “Good. I’m almost done.”
“So are you finally going to have us over?”
I never invited anyone back to my place. Ever. None of myfriends or family had ever been to my place. None of my one-night stands. I valuedmy privacy. And I didn’t want them poking around. “I’m actually just going tosell it, so no housewarming party needed.”
“You’re selling it?” Mason asked. “I thought you loved thatplace? You went on and on about how quiet the street was when you made a bid.”
Too quiet. I shrugged. “I changed my mind.”
“You decided you want to live on a noisier street?”
“I just outgrew the place. I have Bill stopping by to figureout the listing price.”
“Oh, so you mean like right away,” Mason said. “We all haveto come over before you sell then…”
“Really, it’s fine. I’ll have you guys over to my nextplace.” I wouldn’t. They’d ask too many questions. They wouldn’t understand. Justthinking about them peeking around made me start to sweat.
“You okay?” Rob asked. “You look a little pale. Please don’ttell me you’re secretly a serial killer and have a bunch of dead bodies in yourbasement or something. Did you guys hear about all the crazy people in Penny’sold neighborhood? James was just telling me about it the other day.”
James laughed. “I’ve banned Penny from going home for alittle while. There’s a serial killer loose. Or maybe a few.”
“Really?” I shook my head. “The world’s a crazy place.”
“Just imagine how crazy it was living in London while it wasbeing bombed during World War 2,” Tanner said. “All those air raids?” He closedhis eyes, his eyebrows pinched together, as he took a sip from his drink. “Thatmust have been terrifying.”
“Are you a big history buff?” Rob asked.
Tanner opened his eyes again and cleared his throat. “Historyis a fascinating subject. As long as you don’t get stuck in the past.”
I felt like that was a jab at me.
“Hmm…” Rob looked back and forth between me and Tanner. “It’sinteresting that you have a love for history. Matt finds history very boring. Mostbest friends enjoy the same hobbies.”
“History isn’t a hobby,” I said.
“Can we have a word in private, Matthew?” Rob said.
God, I was sick of all these sidebars. I followed him over tothe bar. “If you called me Matthew I must be in trouble.”
“I need you to tell Tanner once and for all that I’m yourbest friend. This isn’t funny.”
“It’s a little funny,” I said, smiling as I took a sip.
Rob punched my shoulder a little too hard.
“Ow.”
“Who’s known you the longest? Who was there for you when you hadfood poisoning sophomore year at Harvard and were projectile vomitingeverywhere?”
That was a gross night.
“Who had sleepovers with you every weekend growing up? And actedlike an idiot so girls you’d like would choose you?”
“You did that on purpose?”
“Shut up. Whose kids call you Uncle Matt?”
“James’ do too…”
“This isn’t about James. This is about you and me. I was yourwingman. And now you have Tanner parading randos in front of you when you’resupposed to be hanging out with us?”
“Right. You were my wingman. But you guys are allmarried. I needed a single friend.”
“Daphne wouldn’t care if you needed me to wingman for you.”
“Daphne would care.”
“Fine, she might care a little. But she’d understand that youneeded me.”
That was true. “It’s not easy, you know. Being the seventhwheel.”
“You’re not the seventh wheel. And if you’re actually lookingfor a girlfriend, I can help.” He lowered his eyebrows as he stared at me. “Ididn’t realize you were ready. We’ve never really talked about…”
“I’m not ready.” I wasn’t going to have this conversationtwice today. “I have no idea why Tanner brought those girls here. I’m notinterested in anything but a one-night stand.”
“Oh.” Rob nodded. “Okay. Well, good. That makes me feelbetter. Well, not better for you. I’m sorry, man.”
“It’s fine. Really.”
“If you want to talk about it…”
“I really don’t,” I said. “You know what would make tonightgreat? If no one brought up my love life again.”
Rob laughed. “You know what would make tonight great for me? Ifyou just told Tanner that you and I are besties.”
“You’re both my friends. Can’t you try not to be jealous andget along?”
“I’m not jealous. I’m protective. That shady guy isdefinitely up to something on Tuesday nights. And I’m going to find out what itis.”
“Until then…be nice?”
“Fine.” He put his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll be
