Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating - Christina Lauren Page 0,33
you, he’s a captivating pain in the ass.”
“Must be why you get along so well,” she says with a winning smile.
“Ha, ha.”
“So where is he?”
The coffeemaker gurgles in the background and I carry the plates to the table. “He went back to bed.”
She looks at her watch and then back up to me, lips turned up in a knowing smirk. “What did you do to him?”
“Me?” I do my best to look innocent. She isn’t buying it. Busted, I set her muffin down in front of her and turn back to the kitchen. “Let’s just say date number two was a doozy.”
“Remind me again? The coffee guy and—” She pauses when she sees me nodding. “Oh dear.”
“Yeah.”
“You guys were excited for that one. It wasn’t fun?”
I’m not sure I’d describe it as fun, but it was definitely something.
Going off what little I’d told him about McKenzie, Josh had arranged for us to spend the day fishing on the Columbia. I’d been so excited I was up and dressed and in the kitchen making sandwiches before he was even out of bed.
We were set to meet and check in at the dock before sunrise. Hot barista—aka Kota—was already there, a drink tray with four coffees in hand. Points for the boy. I made a mental note to thank Dave, because looking at Kota? Dave did not oversell.
The sky was sherbet-colored and blurry, the air still dawn-cold while we introduced ourselves. Kota had dark hair that was shaved over his ear and dyed red at the tips. He had earrings, and a tattoo that peeked out the back collar of his shirt. I’m not even going to lie, I was smitten.
Then McKenzie pulled up.
We’d been standing at the side of the boat, conversing easily as we warmed our hands on the cups of coffee, when a red Honda Civic pulled into the lot. I noticed the way Kota stumbled in his story about the time Dave ate a bad egg salad sandwich at the shop. But he was still talking, and he was still pretty, so I didn’t let it distract me too much.
I heard a car door close and then the sound of boots crunching across gravel echoed through the early morning. I turned to McKenzie and smiled, waving an arm over my head. As she waved back Josh quieted, obviously checking her out. I assume it went something like this: Hot, good body, not immediately crazy. I owe Hazel big.
At least it should have.
But next to me, I felt Kota stiffen, and watched as recognition straightened his easy smile. As McKenzie neared, I saw it flicker across her face, too.
Huh.
Shrugging it off, I rushed forward to meet her.
“You’re here!” I said, wrapping her into a tight hug. She smelled exactly like the salon I’d grown to love and I hoped Josh was paying attention as I subliminally threatened his balls if he somehow screwed this up. I stepped away, bouncing a little on my feet and clapping. “I’m so happy you came.”
“Of course!” Her eyes flickered over my shoulder, her spine stiffening.
I turned, looping an arm through hers as I led us back toward the guys. “Everything okay?”
She fell into step at my side, covertly looking at me from beneath her lashes. “What’s that guy’s name?”
The waves crashed against the pier as the tide came in, and a seagull squawked overhead. “That’s Josh! The friend I told you about. I swear you’re going to love him, he—”
“No, the other one.”
I glanced up at them, and then back again. “His name’s Kota. Do you know him?”
“Sort of,” she said under her breath, just as we reached the others.
“Josh, this is McKenzie.” Josh reached out to shake her hand and—huh. He gave her his pretty-boy smile. Not the small, sweet version he saves for the cashier at the grocery store, but the one I love—the one that reaches his eyes and carves a dimple into his cheek.
His unexpected, sun-coming-out smile.
Easy, Josh, let her settle in before you hit her with both barrels.
“And Kenzie,” I said, “this is—”
“Hey, McKenzie,” Kota cut in, a muscle twitching in his jaw.
Josh glanced to me, and then back at them. “You two know each other?”
“We went out a few tim—” Kota started to say, before Kenzie held up her palm.
“Fucked. We fucked a few times—and then he didn’t call me back.”
“Euuusssh” was pretty much the only sound I could make as the awkward ballooned around us. I looked to Josh for help.