Chapter Twelve

NOAH

“What was she like? Did she have the red lips on? Is she as tiny as the magazines depict her?”

Kate and Charlie are throwing a thousand questions at me, interrupting my meal. Charlie’s an excellent cook. Tonight—chicken parmesan. It looks so delicious, the cheese melts to perfection on top of the breaded chicken. I take a bite, ignoring them for a moment, hoping Lex will save me from the interrogation.

“What about her face? Does it look like she’s had a nose job? Because those before-they-were-famous pics floating around look nothing like what she is today,” Eric says in one breath. “Word on the street is that she was sleeping with Beverly Hill’s top plastic surgeons.”

I lift my gaze to meet Eric’s waiting stare. We met last week during one of his so-called impromptu visits, and after several warnings from both Charlie and Kate, he’s exactly who they described him to be.

Lex shakes his head while enjoying his dinner. Throw me a lifejacket, I beg him with pleading eyes. I attempt to sway the topic to something else, but every time I try, we wind up right back where we started.

Finally, after much deliberation, I tell them, “I haven’t met her yet.”

The girls look at each other confused, then focus their attention back on me. Eric is tapping his fingers on the tabletop with an annoying beat.

“What do you mean, you haven’t met her? I thought that was today,” Charlie expresses with disappointment.

“She was tied up with some movie shoot. We met her assistant instead.”

“Argh, movie stars. So unpredictable,” Eric complains.

“This is so exciting,” Charlie squeals, changing her tune. “Can you imagine if you marry her? You’ll be Mr. Winters. And imagine the guestlist at the wedding? It’ll be like an episode of Dynasty.”

“What the hell is Dynasty?” Both Eric and I say out loud.

“Never mind. Not a TV show from your generation. Something my mom used to watch,” Charlie rambles on. “I could be related to Scarlett Winters. She could end up being my BFF, which would bring me closer to Leonardo DiCaprio because they star in that new movie together. It’s like six degrees of separation.”

“What exactly do you think will happen if you meet Leonardo DiCaprio?” Lex questions her, jealous, and clearly not impressed by her enthusiasm.

Charlie grins. “Two words for you, baby… Hall. Pass.”

“So, what happens to me, your original BFF?” Eric asks with a slight hurt expression.

“One problem at a time,” Charlie huffs. “You’re the OG. You’ll never be replaced, so chill the hell out, drama queen.”

Lex mumbles something which prompts a mini argument, and to stop the pettiness, I throw in my two cents.

“Listen, can you guys seriously lay off the marriage talk?” I warn them. “You’re jumping the gun a little, don’t you think? Plus, do we even know if she’s single?”

“According to her Glamorous Stars interview, she’s single. She just broke up with that guy, the one who was photographed naked in Cabo and hung like a horse,” Charlie informs us, spreading her hands to measure the length. Thank God, the girls are busy playing in their toy room.

“Oh,” Eric mouths, followed by a cheer. “Hung, like hung?”

“Hung,” Charlie drags out with her eyes wide open.

Lex stops the conversation. “Will the two of you stop saying hung? I’ve completely lost my appetite.”

I nod, agreeing with Lex. The image alone is disturbing. Is this what women really talk about? Again, the only woman I spend a lot of time with is my mom. If she spoke about hung horses, I think I’d send myself to a mental institution.

“Interesting,” I voice curiously. “So, Scarlett just broke up with a hung horse, which means the next guy she’s with will be somewhat of a rebound. I thought I was supposed to stop prowling for the broken-hearted?”

“This doesn’t count. It’s Scarlett Winters,” Charlie repeats. “This is where your experience will come in handy. Sure, she may be looking for a rebound, but why not turn that rebound into something more?”

How convenient for Charlie. It wasn’t long ago she was all up in my business about my past, but now, she’s encouraging me to fall back into my bad habits for the sake of finding true love. I feel like a pawn in their sick and twisted game.

“Uh, are you forgetting the deal?” Kate interrupts, lifting her head from her cell.

“No,” I groan. “The deal is to find someone to settle down with. It doesn’t have to involve marriage. De facto relationships are up fifteen percent in the last year.”

Both Charlie and Kate stare back at me with confused faces.

“It’s true,” Lex intervenes, his eyes diverting from his cell.

Thanks. The lifejacket—five minutes too late.

“I don’t even know where to begin with that.” Charlie shakes her head. “Of all the facts you can retain in your head, it’s the percentage increase in de facto relationships? Yet, when it comes to the car keys, you have no idea where you’ve placed them.”

“That’s because car keys have these tiny legs like a robot and move when you put them somewhere,” Lex states seriously, shortly after breaking out into a silly smile.

“Do you see who I married?” Charlie says, laughing, grabbing his chin and bringing his face close to hers.

Ugh, honestly, these two are so in love it’s sickening.

“Yes. A guy with a logical answer,” I respond, distracted by the beep of my cell. Opening the message, I see an unknown number sitting on the screen.

Unknown: I’ve got an opening tomorrow afternoon if you’d like to begin working on the marketing plan for Miss Winters. Regards, Morgan Bentley

Morgan. Cute name. It’s a very formal message, and with Charlie and Lex talking in the background, and Kate on her cell, as usual, I think of an appropriate way to respond. Eric is watching me like a hawk. It’s quite bothersome, so I shift my glance back to the screen.

Me: I’ll take your opening. Just name the place and time. Sincerely, Noah Mason

After hitting send, I regret it and worry that it came off as unprofessional. I’m glad she finally has an opening. I just wonder if she can read between the lines. I’d love to see her opening. Fuck, you need to let this one go.

Jokes aside, I want to text her back and see if she has an affirmative date for when I’ll meet Scarlett. I decide against it and check my emails instead. There’s an email from Presley. She says that Ms. Bentley has contacted her for a meeting. The same meeting she just invited me to.

I scroll through the email, wondering why she chose to message me rather than include me in the email—odd behavior from the frigid lesbian. Morgan texts back moments later with a place and time. Bored with the uneventful text, I respond with a ‘see you then’ and tuck my cell back into my pocket.

“Okay, this is why it sucks having two males in the house,” Charlie goes on.

I have no idea what they’re talking about, having been engrossed in the boring exchange of conversation with Morgan Bentley.

“So, I was thinking of apartment hunting this week,” I say casually when their conversation dies down to silence.

“Really? Are you sure?” Charlie asks, her expression concerned. “Don’t you think it’s too soon? Plus, there are so many bad neighborhoods in LA. I really think you should hold off.”

“I have a spare room,” Eric offers with a wide-spreading grin. “And a nudity clause. As in free feel to make yourself at home, clothes off.”

Kate snickers, shaking her head while throwing a napkin at Eric.

“C’mon, guys. You know I think you’re awesome, but I don’t want to impose any longer.”

“Impose is far from it,” Lex reassures. “But if you need a pad to let off steam, I feel your pain, brother.”

Charlie pinches Lex’s arm, scolding him once again for encouraging my behavior. “Just hold off for a while. And if you really need a “letting-off-steam” pad…” she air quotes, “… I’m sure Lex can hook you up with a suite downtown.”

“Okay, guys, I’ll hold off for a bit. More time to have tea parties, right?” I joke.

She smiles, putting down the sippy cup in her hand, and wraps her arms around my waist to hug me. “Except the next time we play tea parties, I promise it won’t be air but tequila instead.”

“Now you’re talking,” I laugh. “Desperate for a drink, much?”

Charlie nods her head, rubbing her stomach, which looks like it has gotten bigger overnight.

“You have no idea.” She lets out a huge breath before composing herself. “So, what are you two up to tonight? Or should I brace myself again?”

“Hey!” Eric pouts. “Why wasn’t I invited?”

“You’re a cockblocker,” I tell him with a smirk.

Kate covers her mouth while trying to hold in her laughter, knowing all too well that in the short time I’ve known Eric, it’s way too easy to rile him up for amusement.

“I’m so offended.” Eric places his hand on his chest, glancing toward his left to ignore us. “Plus, annoyed you’re stealing my BFF.”

“You said I was your BFF?” Charlie berates him.

“One drama queen at a time!” Eric yells before leaving the table and exiting the room.

I turn to face Kate, shrugging my shoulders. It’s her last night on the West Coast before she takes the red-eye back to New York.

“I have something planned.” Kate winks, yet I’m wary of her so-called ‘plan’ after our last incident.

“Does it involve nudity?”

Kate shakes her head. “No… we’ll keep all clothes on.”

“Does it involve drinking?”

This time, she nods her head. “Sure, something old-fashioned, perhaps?”

“You’re an impossible woman with your cryptic clues,” I tell her, grabbing my wallet and phone. “Can I at least drive?”

Kate lets out an annoyed huff. “What’s wrong with my driving?”

“I don’t have a death wish…” I mutter beneath my breath. “Let’s go.”

Charlie calls our names as we both walk away. “Behave, or you’re both grounded.”

A laugh escapes Kate as she leans into me, “Did you hear what mommy said? Behave, naughty boy.”

I knock her shoulder, making our way toward the garage where our argument continues on who will drive.

This time, I win.