If We Were Perfect - Ana Huang Page 0,34
“Big fan of parties, aren’t ya, bud?”
Milo responded with an enthusiastic bark.
“I’m Aaron.” He addressed Olivia and stuck out his hand. “Sammy didn’t mention his date was so beautiful.”
Sammy snorted. Aaron had been the class player in high school, and though he was happily married now, he could no less turn off his flirtatious nature than a leopard could lose its spots. Aaron would never cheat on his wife, though, and Melissa was confident and good-humored enough to put up with his indiscriminately charming ass.
“Olivia. Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand. “I’m Sammy’s plus one, but we’re just friends.”
Friends, huh? Sammy supposed that sounded better than “we’re just roommates.”
Aaron threw his head back and laughed. “Friend zoned. Ouch.” He nudged Sammy in the ribs.
Sammy nudged him back. Hard.
“He’s a tough guy. He can take it.” Olivia bent to pet Milo. “Your dog is adorable.”
“He knows it, too. Uses those puppy-dog eyes on us every time he can—usually when we’re at the dinner table. He can teach you a few things about picking up girls,” Aaron added, grinning at Sammy.
“Hilarious.” Sammy sighed in exasperation but smiled. “If you’re done ragging on me, let’s join the party. I’m starving.”
The guests had gathered in the backyard, taking advantage of the state-of-the-art grill and pool. They were mostly Sammy’s friends from high school, but since it was an open invitation party, there was a good number of significant others, coworkers, and friends of friends in the mix.
Sammy introduced Olivia to everyone he knew and left to catch up with Aaron and Trey after a group of women drew Olivia into a discussion about Stanford and the best brunch spots in the city.
“What’s the deal with Olivia?” Aaron flipped a hamburger patty with a deft motion. “Don’t give me any of that ‘friends’ bullshit, either. I can cut the sexual tension between you two with a butter knife.”
Sammy cracked open his beer. “I don’t think so. Like she said, we’re...friends.”
“You hesitated.” Trey pointed an accusing finger at him. “Didn’t he hesitate?” He directed his question at Aaron.
“He did,” the host confirmed.
“Nothing is going on between us. We’re friends,” Sammy repeated.
His friends pinned him with matching that’s-bullshit expressions.
“And roommates,” he added grudgingly.
“Really?” Trey’s eyes lit up as his gaze swung toward Olivia and raked over her body. She wore a white sundress that bared her long legs and smooth shoulders, and her face glowed with animation as she laughed at something one of the other women said. She looked so beautiful it almost hurt. “Lucky you. Please tell me she walks around in one of those tiny little pajama sets women love. Or just a T-shirt and panties. Can’t decide which is hotter.”
Sammy took a swig of his beer and resisted the urge to poke one of his oldest friends’ eyes out with a metal skewer. “Stop being a perv.”
“I’m not being a perv. Any red-blooded man would wonder the same thing. So, which is it? PJs or T-shirt and panties?
“Neither.” Sammy’s tight smile came off more like a snarl, but he didn’t give a shit. “Yo, Aaron, are the burgers done yet? I’m dying here.”
“Nuh-uh. You’re not getting off that easily.” Aaron waved his spatula in the air. “You’re friends, roommates, and...? Are you banging her?”
Sammy’s forced smile morphed into a grimace. “No, and pay attention to the grill. I don’t want charred burgers.”
“The burgers are fine. Stop deflecting.”
“Jesus, you’re nosier than a middle school girl.”
“Still deflecting,” Aaron sang.
This was what Sammy got for staying in touch with his high school friends. They’d known each other too long and could sniff out each other’s bullshit like bloodhounds.
“We used to date,” Sammy finally said in a clipped tone. Might as well throw them a bone so they’d get off his back.
Aaron’s brows furrowed. “When did you...” Realization dawned. “Wait. Olivia. Shanghai Olivia?” He jabbed his finger in her direction.
“Stop.” Sammy yanked Aaron’s arm down. “Do you have to be so freakin’ obvious?”
“But that’s her!” Aaron whisper-yelled. “You’re living with her? What the hell? Tell me everything. I want all the details.”
Yep, he was exactly like a middle school girl.
“What’s going on?” Confusion lined Trey’s face. “What am I missing?”
“Remember that girl Sammy was all broken up about after he came back from New York?” Aaron slid the cooked patties onto a waiting tray. “That’s her.”
It took a few seconds for Trey to connect the dots. Once he did, his eyes bugged out of his skull. “Holy shit, that’s her?” He cast a second, even