“Will you wear a tux?”
“A tux?” He groaned and caught me laughing. “I’ll wear a tux if you wear a prom dress.”
“Prom dress?” I shivered. “A big pink frilly mess?”
“It doesn’t have to be pink; it can be a black frilly mess.”
“Or a purple one, I suppose.”
“What am I supposed to do when you guys go acting like high school kids?” Leeza’s voice was sharp and I looked at her bitter face.
I wasn’t sure what to say to my friend. I wasn’t sure why she wasn’t happy for me. Maybe it was because I was the girl that never had the best relationships. I was always the one that Leeza could look at and say well, “Lucky’s relationship is worse than mine.” We had bonded over our bad relationships the first two years of college, and she had understood my need to take a break from that scene after my parents had died. But she had never understood why I never went back to the partying scene. I suppose she didn’t think it was fair that I now had a hunky boyfriend and she still had no one. But that still wasn’t an excuse to be a bitch.
“You can do whatever …” Zane started, and Leo interrupted him.
“You can come with me to a comedy show if you think you’d like that.” Leo winked at me and I smiled at him, gratefully. I took in his appearance and I could see why Leeza was acting giddy around him. With his sun-kissed blond hair, and sky-blue eyes, he was as handsome as any movie star.
“Oh, that would be great. It’s so nice that there are still some gentlemen left in the world.” Leeza batted her eyelashes up at Leo and I could see her preening up at him.
I turned my face away as I saw her stick her chest out at Leo. Oh boy, this was going to be a long night.
“Thanks for that, Leo.” Zane pat Leo on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re willing to take one for the team.”
“Zane.” I poked him in the stomach. “Be nice.”
“I am.” He looked at me with an innocent face.
“Don’t you have a business meeting, Zane?” Leeza’s voice was loud. “Shouldn’t you be on your way? I’d hate for you to be late. Seeing as you’re so dressed up and all.”
“Leeza.” My voice was tight.
“Well, I don’t know anyone who has a business meeting at night and looks like he is on his way to the church to get married.”
“Leeza.” I bit my lip. “Stop it.” I looked over at Zane and I could see a murderous look in his eyes. I knew he was about to lose it.
“Can’t I voice what we’re all thinking?” She shook her head. “I’m not trying to say it behind his back. I think it’s rude and disrespectful that he is going out on my first night in town. What meeting is that important? Evan said you were a bit of a prick, and I understand why he said that.”
There was an awkward silence in the room after her words and I felt my blood boiling. “Leeza, come with me.” I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the kitchen. “What is your problem? Why are you being so rude and obnoxious?”
“I just wanted to voice my opinion, Lucky. Don’t you think he’s a little too smooth? I don’t trust him.”
“Well I do trust him, and I won’t have you berating and accusing him like that, again. He’s my boyfriend, Leeza. You may not understand our relationship, but, frankly, it’s none of your business.”
“I’m your best friend, Lucky.” Leeza looked at me with wide eyes. “It’s always my business.”
“What’s going on?” I took hold of her hand. “What’s wrong with you, Leeza?”
“I’m sorry, Lucky.” Tears flooded her eyes. “I’m just really upset and hurt.”
“About what?” I looked at her in confusion. “Because I’m with Zane?”
“No, no.” She started crying. “I really liked Evan, and everything was going great. At least, I thought it was. Then, he just broke up with me. Like I meant nothing to him. Out of nowhere.”
“He sounds like a jerk, Leeza. But that doesn’t mean Zane is.”
“He’ll break your heart, Lucky. That’s what those guys do. They aren’t made for girls like us. They don’t want a long-term relationship. They just want to screw us.”
“Zane is different.” My voice was soft, but firm. “I love him, Leeza, and he loves me. And yeah, he’s not perfect. He has issues, and sometimes it’s really hard, but I know, that at the end of the day, he loves me. He shows it in many different ways. And I know he trusts me and respects me. And maybe this won’t be the last relationship I’m ever in. Maybe something will happen and we’ll break up, but that will be because that’s life. Nothing’s guaranteed. But as sure as I’m standing here in front of you, I’m sure of Zane. Don’t you get it, Leeza? He’s the one. He’s my one. He’s my soul mate.”
“You don’t know him well enough to know all that.” She continued crying and looked at me with a worried expression. “Look, I’ll admit that I’m slightly jealous, but something about him just seems off and I don’t want you to get hurt. Not after last time. I was so worried, Lucky. Your parents had died and you were devastated by that, and then, well, you know. You were heartbroken. I don’t want to see you like that ever again.”
“Zane wouldn’t do that to me.” I hugged her to me. “I love you for being concerned, but Zane wouldn’t do that to me.”
“I’ve made a fool of myself, haven’t I?” She wiped her eyes. “What’s Leo going to think of me now?”
“Oh, Leeza,” I laughed. “He’s going to think you’re a spirited woman and a concerned friend.”
“I’d rather he think I was hot.” She fingered through her hair. “I’m going to go back upstairs and redo my makeup, okay?”
“Okay.” I followed her into the living room, and watched as she ran up the stairs, before I spoke to Zane and Leo. “She’s a bit emotional because her ex-boyfriend dumped her.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say Evan was her boyfriend.” Zane’s voice was dry.
I gave him a warning look. “Be nice.”
“Your friend is a bitch.”
“Zane!”
“Sorry. Your friend has issues.”