“Whatever you want to call them. Weird little goblin elf shoes. The guy is clearly bonkers,” Rob said.
“I’ve only ever seen him in normal colored tuxedos,” I said. “And normal shoes. And I don’t think his hair is long enough for a man bun.” The sides of Tanner’s head were shaved, and even though his hair was long on the top, I’d never even seen him touch it, let alone pull it into a bun.
“It was him. I swear it was. He’s up to something sketchy, I’m telling you.”
“Of course he’s up to something sketchy,” Mason said. “He owns Club Onyx.”
“But you didn’t strut around in weird clothes when you owned it,” Rob said. “I’m telling you, Matt, I really don’t think you should be hanging out with him. The guy’s hiding something.”
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s like Mason said. He is hiding something. Club Onyx is literally a secret club.”
“I’m not talking about Club Onyx. He’s hiding something else. I’m sure of it. And I think it would be best if you stopped seeing him.”
“Stopped seeing him? What are you, my mom?”
“Nah, I’m not as good of a cook as Mrs. Caldwell.”
No, he most definitely was not. “Could you just try to be nice? Tanner’s supposed to join us tonight.” I looked over my shoulder to see if he’d arrived yet. Tanner was rarely late, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“You invited him here?” Rob sighed. “To hang out with us? So much for a fun night.”
“Rob, give him a chance,” Mason said. “Yeah, he’s a little different, but he’s a nice guy.”
Rob mumbled something under his breath.
James cleared his throat and turned to me. “Help me grab another round, Matt?”
I looked down at his glass that was still full. I’d been waiting for him to pull me to the side and threaten me to stay away from his wife. Might as well get it over with. “Sure.” I followed him to the bar.
He didn’t say a word as he waved down the bartender for our order.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
His fingers drummed along the top of the bar like he was nervous. “You could have come to me, you know.”
“For…” I had no idea where he was going with this. To ask his permission to fuck Penny? That was a pretty weird request. Were they swingers? Or was he talking about something else?
“I used to be your wingman,” he said.
“That was a long time ago.” James hadn’t been my wingman since we were teenagers. Rob had been more of my wingman before he’d met his wife. Now my only wingman was Tanner. And why did everyone I know keep wanting to insert themselves into my lack of a love life?
“It doesn’t mean I couldn’t help you with this stuff now,” he said.
I didn’t need help. Especially his help.
The bartender dropped off our drink order, but James didn’t move to go back to the table.
“Is Penny really the best person to ask for help with this?” James asked. “She doesn’t really know anything about what you’ve been through.”
What I’ve been through? That was a very cordial way to say that my fiancée had died. But I knew he was implying more than just that. Penny was one of the only people in my life that hadn’t met Brooklyn. Penny didn’t know I was in love once. She didn’t know I had been engaged. She didn’t know about any of it.
I picked up my fresh drink and took a hearty sip. “No one knows what I’ve been through. And that includes you.”
“Matt.” He didn’t say anything else. He just lowered his eyebrows at me as I took another sip of my drink. Like he was worried that I was an alcoholic or something. Hadn’t he gotten the memo? That was him.
“I really don’t want to talk about this.” I took another sip.
“You don’t want to talk about dating? Or Brooklyn?”
Hearing her name out loud felt like a punch in the gut. Great, he was here for me now. But he hadn’t been there for me when I’d needed him to be. He’d flirted with Brooklyn behind my back. He’d kissed her. He’d fucking proposed to her. He didn’t get to stand here and pretend he had my back when his favorite pastime in high school was stabbing it. “I’m not talking about her with you.”
“It’s been 16 years.”
“It doesn’t feel like that long ago to me.” It felt like yesterday when I’d held her in my arms. I downed the