“Nice. Still a shit movie.”
Pushing TB, I head for the door. When I get to it, I turn. “See you at six.”
“Just you?”
“We’re a couple, TB. Play nice.”
“See you at six,” he replies with a grin.
Chapter Five
TB
You ever do anything that you know you’re going to get your ass kicked for?
I told Athena to come to Mom and Dad’s for dinner and said it was just a family thing.
Just us.
Athena is going to throttle me when she sees Kris and Sophia sitting at the family dinner table. She’s never gotten over him. Sure, she’s been on dates, but no one seems to stick. I thought once she got her degree in journalism, Athena would find someone.
But that was before the attack.
After that, she came home, bought the house up on the hill that you have to be a billy goat to get to, and she became a recluse. Writing books is the only thing she does, and she doesn’t even go to book signings. I know she gets invited to them since I follow her on Facebook. Athena’s fans adore her, and her publisher is more than happy to pay for her to go, but she always declines.
I think life is too much for her some days. First, Kris left, and then she got attacked, and it feels like she stopped trying. Athena celebrates each book release with Mom and Dad and occasionally Todd, but that’s it. She has to want more out of life
Athena is only twenty-five. I’m twenty-seven, but I’ve traveled, and I’m lucky enough to have Ashlea who loves to travel too. Ash has family in India, and they’re wealthy. She talks about having bodyguards and security systems when she goes there. It’s hard to believe when she’s fair-skinned with long curly red hair. They are flying over for the wedding and should arrive next week.
“Ares Boswell, are you listening to me?”
I look up, and Ashlea is in front of me, hands on hips and a smirk on her face.
“Of course, babe.”
“What did I say?” I look at her and shrug. “You know you just agreed to move to the moon and open a café?”
“Sorry. I was thinking about Athena.”
Ashlea sits on my knee and drapes an arm across my shoulders. “Does she hate the dress?”
“What? No. I’m worried about her and Kris coming face to face.”
“It’s been seven years.”
“I know, and I may have lied and told her tonight’s dinner was just us, no Kris and Sophia,” I reply sheepishly.
“You did what now?”
“She wouldn’t have come otherwise.”
Ashlea stands and picks up her cell phone. “You can’t ambush her like that, it’s not fair.”
“What are you doing?”
“Texting her to bring a date.”
I bark out a loud laugh. “Oh, and who’s that going to be? Athena doesn’t date.”
“Forewarned is forearmed.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means Athena is a big girl and can take care of herself.”
I stand and put my hands on her shoulders. “I know that, babe. But Athena doesn’t really have a life. She spends most of her days cooped up in her house, writing. I wish she did things, had a partner, was in love.”
“You can’t project your life onto hers. Athena is happy. Yes, she gets lonely, but she’ll find someone when she’s ready, not before.”
I nod, not wanting to argue with my bride-to-be before the wedding. Athena stopped living two years ago. It’s like she gave up on the world.
“You ready?” I ask.
“How do I look?” asks Ashlea as she does a twirl.
“Perfect.”
“Pfft!”
“To me, you always look perfect. Now, get in the car, woman.”
Chapter Six
Athena
Kris and the Ice Queen are going to be at dinner.
I stop breathing as I read the text message again. Goddamn Ares. I flop onto my bed and look at the ceiling. I can’t go to dinner now. My cell begins to ring, I hold it up, and Todd’s face is staring back at me. I hit the little green icon and put it to my ear.
“Hello, Todd. How is my bestest buddy tonight?”
“What do you want?” he asks suspiciously.
“You rang me, remember?” I say sweetly.
“I was just checking on you.”
“Todd, remember that time I went with you to see that movie, Love Simon?”
“Yes,” he replies, drawing out the word.
“Would you say you owed me for that?”
“Athena, you said it was a good movie and you wanted to see it, too, if I recall.”
“That’s true, and I did, but I need your help. What are you doing tonight?”
“You asking me out?”
“Sort of, I need you to come to dinner at my parents’ house.”
“Okay, I love your parents. What’s the catch? Why are you inviting me? It’s not like I haven’t been there for dinner before.”
I suck in a breath. “Kris and what’s-her-name are going to be there.”
Todd’s laughter filters down the line. “You want me to go as your date?”
“Please? I’ll love you forever.”
“You know I love you, yeah? But this isn’t going to be a full-service date. I don’t do girls.”
“Todd! I can’t believe you said that!” I screech through laughter.
“Just making it clear.”
“Do you think you could pretend to be my date as in a date-date just for tonight?”
“As in a love interest?”
I sigh. “Please? I’m not sure I could go without you for support.”
“Hmm… okay, but if Kris Livingston suddenly swaps teams, I’m ditching you.”
I smile into my cell. “It’s a deal, but what about the friendship code?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I wouldn’t date any of your old boyfriends. It’s a rule.”
“Honey, I’m pretty sure none of my old boyfriends would date you either.” Todd pauses, and then I hear a tut-tut. “Although Harry might have. You would have liked him.”
“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have as he hurt you. It’s the code.”
“Right, the code.”
“Meet me there at six?”
“Six? That’s like twenty minutes away.”
“Yep.”
“Honestly, Athena, I need to shower, and I’ll pick you up seeing as this is a date. And I’m still ditching you if Kris swaps teams. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Todd doesn’t wait for me to say goodbye. He ends the call, and I’m left feeling slightly better at the thought of facing Hollywood’s hottest couple.
***
Todd arrives on my doorstep with slick-backed damp hair at ten past six. He has one of those styles where it’s long on top and short on the sides. I swear he uses more hair product than I do.
“You’re late,” I chastise.
“How do I look?”