“A matchmaking event? Exactly!” Scarlett grinned triumphantly. “Remember that guy with the eight-pack I mentioned?”
Shit, I knew she was up to something.
“His name is Chris, from Silvermoon Pack,” Scarlett continued. “Twenty-eight, gorgeous, built like a god, and here’s the kicker – he hasn’t found his fated mate yet! Maybe it’s you!”
“Scarlett, I don’t need-
“You absolutely need this!” She cut me off. “Tonight, ‘no’ is not an option!”
The hotel ballroom looked like something out of a fairy tale. Crystal chandeliers cast soft light everywhere, with flowers and ribbons decorating every surface.
Scarlett and I found a relatively quiet corner to sit, and a server quickly brought us champagne.
“This place is beautiful,” I admitted, taking in the scene. “Though I’m still nervous.”
“Just relax, think of it as drinks and conversation.” Scarlett clinked her glass against mine. “So… how are you doing? Really?”
“I’m fine. Just keeping busy with work.” I avoided her concerned gaze.
“Sable, we’re friends. You don’t have to act tough around me.” Scarlett looked at me seriously. “You know what I’m talking about.”
I stayed quiet for a moment. “I really am okay. The past is the past.”
“Alright, let’s talk about something else.” Scarlett suddenly grinned. “Like how Peter won’t stop pestering me.”
“Oh?” My interest was piqued. “What’s the situation with you two?”
Scarlett waved dismissively. “Don’t even get me started! Alcohol is the root of all evil!”
‘Details. From the beginning. Start with how you two ended up sleeping together.”
“That night…” Scarlett took a sip of her drink. “Remember when we were at the bar drinking? You were wasted out of your mind.”
“Vaguely. It’s pretty fuzzy.”
“Peter showed up out of nowhere, said he was looking for us.” Scarlett rolled her eyes. “That idiot suddenly blurted out that he’d liked me forever.”
“And then?”
I’d had plenty to drink too, felt all dizzy.” Scarlett covered her face. “He looked so sincere when he said it, I got a little… moved.”
So you accepted his confession?”
“No! I said we should get you home first and then talk.” Scarlett gestured. “We dropped you off and you were unconscious the second your head hit the pillow.”
I suddenly remembered the dream from that night. “Wait, Scarlett, was it just you and Peter who took me home?”
Scarlett glanced at me. “Yeah. Sable, are you having hallucinations again thinking Caelan was there too?”
“Again?” I asked.
“Oh honey, you were crying and screaming that night at the bar, saying you saw Caelan and yelling for him to come out.”
I wanted to disappear into the earth immediately, get abducted by aliens, or immigrate to Mars. “Oh god no. Seriously?”
Scarlett hugged my shoulders comfortingly. “It’s okay, babe. I understand. Besides, there’s nothing embarrassing about it. As long as you don’t think it’s embarrassing, then everyone else should be embarrassed instead.”
Her logic made me laugh despite myself. “Okay. Back to our previous topic – what happened after you and Peter dropped me off?”
“Peter said he wanted to walk me home.” Scarlett’s voice got quieter. “When we got to my place, I was going to say goodbye, but he said he wanted to come up and continue our conversation.”
“And?”
“My brain was foggy from the alcohol, so I let him come up.” Scarlett buried her face in her hands. “We sat in my living room talking, and maybe it was the booze, but we just… we just…”
“It happened?”
“Yes!” Scarlett exploded with embarrassment. “Right there on my couch! I still can’t believe I did something like that!”
I couldn’t help grinning. “So how was it?”
‘How was what?”
‘Don’t play dumb! How was Peter? Stamina, size, hardness – give me the details.”
“Hey! You pervert!” Scarlett paused. “Okay… um… he was definitely top tier compared to other guys I’ve been with.”
“Wow, doesn’t sound like his first time at all.”
“Oh, he definitely was a virgin. You know how I know?” Scarlett leaned in and whispered, “Because he couldn’t even find the entrance at first. Ha! So I’m positive he was a virgin. Plus he came super quick the first time. He felt so ashamed that he went at it four more times! God, I literally passed out from exhaustion afterward.” She paused. “But that’s not the point! The point is it was completely just drunken sex!”
“Maybe it wasn’t?”
“Of course it was!” Scarlett insisted. “I don’t have those kinds of feelings for Peter at all! We’ve known each other forever, always just as friends. Never had any romantic thoughts.”
Without thinking, I said, “Not necessarily. I used to think of Caelan as just a brother- The words stopped dead as soon as they left my mouth.
Damn it, why did I bring him up? I slapped my own mouth in frustration.
“It’s fine.” Scarlett patted my shoulder gently. “But you’re right – sometimes feelings between friends can change.”
“Are you sure you don’t have feelings for Peter?”
Scarlett considered this. “Saying I have no feelings would be a lie, especially after that night… but that was more physical response. Real emotions are different, you know? Like when you see someone and your heart races, when a single look makes you blush, when you want to know everything about them.”
“You don’t feel any of that with Peter?”
“Not at all. Scarlett shook her head. “When I see Peter, I think about all the stupid stuff we used to do together, how he drops food when he eats, how he sings off-key when he’s drunk. All sweet memories, but not love.”
“What about him? Is Peter serious?”
“He says he is.” Scarlett sighed. “But I don’t understand why he’d suddenly confess now. If he’d liked me for so long, why wait until now?”
“Maybe he didn’t realize his feelings before either?”
Scarlett shrugged carelessly. “Whatever. I’m not planning to date him anyway. We’re all adults – everyone should understand how these things work.”
“After all this dating around, have you ever met anyone who made your heart skip?” I asked curiously.
Scarlett shook her head disappointedly. “I want that feeling of blushing and racing heart when I see someone, a person who truly gets me, someone I can talk to for hours. But after all these years, every guy I meet is either boring, arrogant, or only interested in my body.”
–
“You just described three things, and Peter only fails at one the heart-racing part. Maybe if you gave him a chance, something different might develop?”
Scarlett fell into thoughtful silence, then suddenly laughed. “Enough about me. I think you might have a surprise tonight.”
Just as I was wondering what ‘surprise’ Scarlett meant, a deep male voice spoke behind us.
‘Ladies, mind if I interrupt?”
I turned to see a tall, handsome man standing there. Dark brown hair, green eyes, definitely attractive. He wore a sharp but casual outfit – dark jeans, a crisp white button-down with the sleeves rolled up, and a charcoal blazer.
“Chris!” Scarlett jumped up immediately. “You’re finally here! I thought you weren’t going to show.”
“How could I not show up? Chris smiled naturally. “When you invite me so formally, I wouldn’t dare stand you up.”
He turned to me. “You must be the friend Scarlett’s been raving about?”
Scarlett pulled him into the seat across from us. “Chris, let me officially introduce my best friend Sable. Sable, this is Chris I told you about.”
Chris extended his hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, Sable. Scarlett’s told me a lot about you, but she didn’t mention how beautiful you are.”
I felt a bit shy. Thanks for the compliment.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “What do you mean I didn’t mention it? I said from the beginning that Sable was gorgeous. Otherwise why would you even come?”
Chris laughed. “Could you not call me out in front of Sable?”
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