His expression turned contemplative as he chewed on his lip. “I have this idea in my head that she’ll be a fantastic lay and now I can’t stop until I have her. You’re not a man. You wouldn’t understand.”
I didn’t think it was because I was a woman that I didn’t understand, I thought it was more because I wasn’t a Julian. My best friend was single-mindedly determined once he got an idea into his head. I lifted his hand and intertwined his fingers with mine.
“Even if you can get her to fall for your charms, what happens when she leaves and goes back to L.A.? You might miss her.”
I cast him an intuitive glance, because sometimes I wondered if he wasn’t more emotional than he let on. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t think Alicia was the one or anything, far from it. But I did suspect that his pursuit of her was indicative of a change in him. He was about to turn thirty. He couldn’t keep living the way he was living forever.
Julian arched an eyebrow. “When have you ever known me to wallow over a lost love, Rose? I’ll pick myself up and move on to the next, just like I always do. Besides,” he went on, lifting our clasped hands and bringing my knuckles to his mouth for a kiss, “you know you’re the only woman I’ve ever really loved, and that’s because I don’t want to have sex with you.”
I looked at him sadly. We’d had countless conversations over the years about his strange outlook on love and sex, and how for me the two went hand in hand, never separate, but for Julian, they had to be forever apart, never together.
“One day a woman will come along when you least expect her, and she’ll wash away everything that came beforehand,” I whispered.
He didn’t reply, but he didn’t have to. Though he might have argued otherwise until he was blue in the face, I knew that when it came down to it Julian wanted to find real love just as much as I did. I might have accepted his lifestyle and the choices he’d made along the way, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t wish for more for him. When you loved a person, you wanted them to be happy, no matter how unlikely the possibility, and you never stopped hoping they would be.
***
The following morning, I walked into Iggy’s studio with a takeaway coffee in hand and a determination to spend as little time in Blake’s company as possible. My head was full of plans and preparations for the party, which I was to throw on Saturday night, per Julian’s instructions. His birthday was on Sunday, but apparently the whole thing would be a wash if we threw it then because nobody went out on a Sunday night – his words, not mine.
When I saw Damon standing in a group next to Alicia and a few other cast members, I decided to go over and invite them all to the party. It made my stomach twist to see how she had her arm slid through his, like they were an item or something. The only saving grace was I knew by the look on Damon’s face that he was completely uncomfortable. He hated being in groups, so obviously Alicia was the one who’d forced her company on him.
She was almost as determined to win Damon as Julian was to win her. It was quite the predicament. If only some higher power could change the target of their affections.
“Hi, everyone,” I said, and gave a little finger wave. “So, I need your help. I’m throwing my best friend a surprise party for his thirtieth on Saturday and need some guests to make up the numbers. This means you’re all invited.” I was met with lots of positive noises, but when I looked at Alicia, she appeared less than enthusiastic. She knew exactly who the party was for without even having to ask.
“I’ll come,” said Damon quietly, and I shot him a thankful smile. Memories of last night flooded my head, how his hand cupped my face, his eyes flashing with heat and curiosity.
“I’ll come, too,” Alicia put in, suddenly finding the idea a lot more appealing now that Damon was going. Of course.
“And me,” came another voice. I instantly bristled as a warm arm slid around my shoulders. It was Blake. I stepped aside quickly, breaking the contact and eyeing him with barely concealed