A Flighty Fake Boyfriend (Men of St. Nachos #2) - Z.A. Maxfield Page 0,57

wore several piercings in her ears, eyebrows, and nose. Her hair was black and silky, cut in a fashionable bob. “Hello, Muse. Nice to meet you.”

We shook.

“And that’s Lonnie.” A younger, dark-haired man waved from the other end of the table. There were three other young men—Kellan, Zaid, and Max.

I waved at all of them, suddenly and acutely aware I was the oldest person there by at least thirteen years.

“What are you drinking?” asked Bea.

“He’s not drinking until he eats something.” Epic called the waitress over and ordered a couple of appetizers from the bar menu. “Is Oscar still here? Can you ask if he can make me a salad, pretty please?”

I tried to argue. “Epic that’s—”

“If he can’t, he can’t,” Epic argued.

“It’s fine. I’ll ask,” she assured him. “Anything to drink?”

I glanced at Epic, who graciously allowed me to order that for myself. “Maker’s Mark and a Moosehead if you’ve got it, please.”

“I don’t think we have that.”

“Get a Corona,” Epic muttered. “Thinks he’ll get a Moosehead in a Mexican restaurant on the central coastline.”

“Hey,” I complained. “It’s the first brand I thought of.”

“We need to expand your horizons.” Muse eyed me. “Get you out of your comfort zone.”

I glanced around the table. “Mission accomplished.”

“You’re a friend of my brother, right? Dan Livingston?” Lonnie leaned forward, hands wrapped around a glass of soda. No way was he old enough to be drinking.

“Yeah. You’re the youngest?” The kid nodded. “You’re in school, right?”

“I’m a freshman at Cal Poly.”

“What are you studying there?” I moved empty glasses toward the middle of the table.

“Sustainable agriculture practices.”

“That sounds great. Do you enjoy it?”

Lonnie nodded, but a whoop went up at another table, and I didn’t hear what he said next.

Our food came fast. I had the waitress put it into the center of the table. Epic grabbed a plate for me and loaded it up. Apparently, his salad plea had found favor because I got a nice garden salad to go with the mostly fried foods.

“Eat.” Epic narrowed his eyes. “Or I’ll drink your alcohol.”

“Can’t have that.” I’m sure Epic’s friends thought I was humoring him, but the way he micromanaged my health hit me like a blast furnace right in the solar plexus. Whether Epic pushed food on me, or slimed me with sunblock, or reached out in the middle of the night to drag the blankets over my shoulder, I could not get enough of his warmth or his kindness.

Epic leaned over to whisper, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I like looking at you.”

“But you’re staring.”

“No, I’m gazing,” I corrected him. “Right now, you are the object of my affectionate gaze.”

“Really?” One eyebrow lifted. “Is that what people did before television?”

“Oh, son, that’s what people did before porn.”

He nodded, all innocent. “Okay, we’re kicking it old school. I like it.”

“I live to serve.”

I guessed I said that too loud because Bea’s eyes widened. “Nice.”

“Now, have I eaten enough that I may drink?” I showed him my empty salad bowl.

“Oh, good job. Yes, now you may drink.” Epic inclined his head regally.

I heard a throat clear. “Ryan. You’re back.”

I turned to find Dan and Cam standing behind me. “Hey.”

I stood up, and people hugged each other in as many permutations as it took for the whole table to acknowledge one another.

“Lonnie,” Dan said. “Muse. Seems like Ryan’s hanging out with the cool kids. You got room for us?”

“Pull up chairs.” Lonnie’s happy expression made me miss my brothers. I resolved to take more time for family.

“I thought you said you weren’t coming up this week,” said Dan.

“Changed my mind at the last minute.” Lonnie shrugged. “I was gonna crash at your place.”

Dan frowned. “Ryan has first dibs on the guest room.”

“That's okay. I took an Airbnb so I’d have a place to myself,” I informed him.

“Okay, as long as you’re sure,” said Dan.

“Thanks for offering, but I need to spread out and do some work. I thought it’d be better.”

Dan gave a nod. “God, I get to see you twice in one year. How was the wedding? You took Epic, right? Epic, how’d you get on?”

“The resort was amazing. I hate weddings, but this one was nice.”

“You hate weddings?” I asked. “You never told me that.”

“God yes.” Epic wrinkled his nose. “If I had told you would you have taken me?”

“No.”

He grinned. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“What is it about weddings you hate?” asked Cam.

“The atmosphere for one thing. And the expense. If I get bored during a wedding,