“Good idea.” Tally had a different idea of how to comfort. I didn’t know which one I liked better.
The cab dropped us off right in front of the restaurant. A decent crowd mingled around the entrance, but we went inside, hoping some of them were just waiting around. I was about to give our name to the hostess when I saw a site I knew would throw Tally into a funk. Dylan and Ryan sat at a table with a couple of girls.
I headed back to my friends. “Do you guys really want to eat here?”
“What’s wrong?” Tally asked immediately.
“Your ex may or may not be here.” Before I even finished the sentence, Tally was peering around the corner.
“Darn it.” The look on Tally’s face was one I understood.
I was about to once again suggest we leave when I noticed a group of good looking guys watching us. I smiled, hatching a plan. One of the guys smiled back, and I took it as an invitation.
“Be right back.”
“Hey there,” the guy who smiled said as soon as I walked over. I didn’t need to turn around to know that Tally and Mallory were probably staring at me.
“Hi. I know this is going to sound really strange, but I have a favor to ask.” I couldn’t believe I was about to do it. I turned back around and saw the look of hurt on Tally’s face. It was the only motivation I needed. “Is there any way you guys would share a table with my friends and me?” I gestured over to Tally and Mallory.
I had all of the guys’ attention.
The first guy grinned. “That doesn’t sound very strange. Forward, but not strange.”
“You see, my friend’s ex-boyfriend is here. And, okay, my ex too, but this is about her. They’re here with girls, and I don’t want her to feel embarrassed.”
The guys all laughed. “I get it.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Not a problem.”
“Are you guys all at the Citadel?” I gestured to the hat one wore.
“Yeah. Why?” the one with the hat asked.
“My dad was Army.” Maybe common ground would make me seem less weird.
“Oh, cool.”
“I’m Juliet, by the way. Want to meet my friends?”
“Sure.” The first guy nodded.
“Well, hello there.” Mallory recovered quickly from her surprise when I walked over with the four guys. Tally grinned. It was worth the embarrassment for that smile.
We waited a few minutes before we got a table. Tally made sure to take a seat with her back partially to Ryan, but I wasn’t so lucky. I tried not to look at Dylan while I chatted with the two guys seated on either side of me. We hadn’t even gotten our first course when Ryan noticed us. The look of shock on his face when he realized Tally was with me was priceless. He nudged Dylan who looked right at me. He looked confused for a moment but then quickly got up and walked over.
“Where’s Reed?” Dylan cut right to the chase.
“We broke up.” I refused to look down. Dylan couldn’t intimidate me anymore. It hurt to talk about Reed though.
“Oh.” His shoulders relaxed but then he looked at Chad, the guy on my right who had just put his arm around my shoulder. His friend Mike was doing the same thing with Tally.
Ryan looked like he was going to be sick. He walked over right as Mike said something to make Tally laugh. The timing was perfect. She turned and met Ryan’s eye.
“Hi, Ryan,” she said in an overly sweet voice.
“Hey, Tally. You, uh, look great.”
“Your date looks great, too.” She nodded toward the girls at their table. They watched us with confusion.
“She’s not my date. We’re here as friends.”
“Whatever.” Tally looked back over at Mike.
Dylan was still looking at Chad and me, trying to figure it out.
“Well, it was nice seeing you guys, but I think your friends want you back.”
Dylan recovered first. “Oh, yeah. I guess you’re right. But if you ever want to talk or meet for coffee or something, just give me a call.”
“Good night.” I didn’t think I needed to bother turning him down. I never thought I’d live to see the day when Dylan asked me out for coffee.
The rest of dinner was pleasant. It actually seemed like Tally and Mike were hitting it off. That’s the reason I was more than willing to go with the guys to a house party.
We hung out with them a few hours, and I took Chad’s number strictly as friends. He said he wouldn’t mind an invite to any of my sorority parties. I promised him I’d keep him in mind. Maybe it wasn’t the best Valentine’s Day ever, but it did fix things with Tally. I had just turned off the light when I knew it for sure.
“Thanks, Juliet.”
“What am I being thanked for, exactly?”
“For being you.”
I laughed. “It takes a lot of work to do that.”
“And you manage to make it seem effortless.”
“It’s called talent.” I went to sleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Nineteen wasn’t a big birthday the last time I checked.” I set aside my history book.
“Any birthday is a big birthday. Well, until thirty, then it goes downhill. Or that’s what my mom says.” Mallory continued browsing the dresses in my closet.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about going out, I just don’t want you guys to feel like you have to make a big deal of it.”
“You made a big deal out of mine.” Cara smiled. I had a feeling she was daydreaming about Aaron.
“What time are we going?” I joined Mallory at my closet. I had no clue what to wear.
“Nine. And I think you should wear this one.” Mallory held up a simple, black halter dress. It was short, but not too short.
“I was going to pick that one.”
“Great minds think alike.”
I laughed. “That they do.”
I had just put away my makeup bag when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but based on the extra digits, I had a suspicion about who it might be.
“Hello?”
“Juliet, hey. Please, let me talk.”
Cara and Mallory waved as they slipped out of the room.
I realized that I was over being angry with her. Besides, I’d missed hearing her voice. “Hi, Amy.”
“I’m sorry. I messed up, but I was only trying to help you.”
“I get that, and I forgive you. But next time, let me handle it myself.” I’d always gone to Amy for advice about everything. It was time I grew up and figured things out on my own.