Winning my Best Friend's Girl - Piper Rayne Page 0,28

the back with Greta from Sweet Suga Things and a few other locals, people Selene would have wanted to sit with. I’m at the family table up front.

“I guess we’ll find one another after dinner?” she says, tapping her place card against her full red lips.

I swallow deeply. “I guess. Maybe you can score the donut recipe from Greta.”

She laughs, and we part ways. I watch her walk to her table and put down her place card. The people at her table all stand and welcome her home, which makes her ebony eyes shine with happiness.

“You’re swimming through murky waters,” Austin says, clasping me on the shoulder.

Easton lies asleep over one shoulder. Austin’s suit jacket is gone, and his sleeves are rolled up. I guess when you’re a parent, you don’t really give a fuck what you look like as long as you’re comfortable.

“It’s nothing. Just gave her a ride.” I shrug.

Austin huffs. “I’m not gonna give you advice. The heart isn’t something you can negotiate with.” He looks at Easton. “All I ask is that if this doesn’t go as you’d like, don’t lose it. Okay? Just come to me and we’ll work it out.”

I nod, my eyes never straying from her.

“Forget it. I can already see that look in your eyes.” He walks away, and I briefly hear him talking to Holly about love and recklessness and no control.

At the bar, I grab a drink and think about grabbing one for Stella, but that’s weird. She’s not my date and I’ve already glanced over enough to know she’s drinking the wine on the table. And she’s holding her own at the table. She doesn’t need me to intercede.

“Hey.” Phoenix pokes her finger into my chest. “We have a problem.”

Sedona waddles up—there’s no other word for it— alongside Phoenix, laughing and asking for a club soda with a lime.

I brush my hands down my suit. “Hands off the suit, okay?”

“You bring up this ridiculous adventure race and now Griffin’s ready to train all winter in order to be prepared. He and Denver are talking about it nonstop. You better hope that Cleo or I don’t put a hit out on you.”

Sedona laughs.

I run my hand through my hair, chuckling. “He doesn’t have to do it if he doesn’t want. It was just me putting the opportunity out there.”

“And you think my survivalist boyfriend wouldn’t want to go? You’d think that him almost dying would knock some sense into him, but nooo, he still went out with Cleo and Denver for that stupid reality show.” She knocks on the bar. “Give me the strongest thing you have.”

“Phoenix,” Sedona says.

Phoenix doesn’t glance in her direction. “What?”

“This isn’t like a movie. You have to tell them exactly what you want.”

I fist-bump Sedona behind Phoenix’s back as Phoenix says, “Fine. Give me a Shirley Temple.”

I quizzically look at Sedona as she does me.

“Shirley Temple?” I ask.

“I’m getting it for Maverick, okay? He loves them.”

“Speaking of the big man.” I raise my hand up as Maverick comes to the bar. He hits my palm, but not with the gusto Dion does. Hell, Phoebe might smack harder. “Phoenix is getting you a Shirley Temple drink.”

His nose scrunches. “I’m not drinking that, Phoenix.”

“What? We can ask for extra cherries in it. I thought they were your favorite?” Her lips turn down and she glances at Sedona.

“That was last year.” He’s probably way too used to events with fancy clothes and bartenders who serve you whatever you want, thanks to the celebrity status of both his dad and Phoenix, not to mention his own mom. “I’ll have a Coke.”

Phoenix leans against the bar and sips the Shirley Temple like a sad little girl. Maverick gets his Coke and leaves, pulling his phone from his pocket.

“He’s gone. I’ve lost him,” Phoenix says.

“You have not.” Sedona wraps her arm around her twin’s shoulder. “A change in drink preference doesn’t mean anything.”

But it’s clear Sedona’s words don’t convince Phoenix.

“I need to talk to Griffin.” Phoenix pushes off the bar and weaves through the party-goers, a woman on a mission.

“What do you think she’s gonna do?” I ask Sedona.

She runs her hands over her swollen belly. “I’m afraid she’s going to make one of these.”

“That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?”

Sedona looks lovingly at her stomach. “No, but I’m not sure Phoenix is ready. It changes a lot.”

“Hey, you want to talk?” I knock my shoulder to hers.

She sips her drink and never looks at me. “No. Nothing is going