Dinner at Eight-epub by Jess Dee Read Free Book Online Page A

bitch.
    He gaped at her. “You never told me.”
    “You never picked up on my not-so-subtle hints. Seriously, Jar, how many times does a girl have to press her boobs into your chest before you realize she’s into you? Jeez, I might as well have held up a banner declaring my feelings. Ava loves Jared .”
    His answering smile was unacceptably smug. “I have a brilliant idea. Try again. Go ahead and press your boobs into my chest now. Who knows? Maybe this time will be the lucky charm.”
    “Pffft.” She started walking, pulling him along with her. “A girl can embarrass herself just so much before she moves on.”
    “You must have moved on fast. As I recall, your last year of high school was monopolized by Ryan Caswell.”
    “Ryan Casting,” she corrected. “And at least you noticed something about me that year.”
    “I noticed you hanging out with him all the time.”
    She shot him a lofty, sidelong glance. “You weren’t interested. I moved on.”
    “You sure di— Hang on.” He ground to a halt again. “Greg knew? My brother?”
    “That I was into you? Of course. Who’d you think was telling me to show you the girls? He convinced me it would work.”
    “Son of a bitch.” Jared tugged his phone out of his pocket and tapped on the screen.
    “Oi, I’m telling you all about my teenage heartache—of which you were a key player—and you’re playing on the phone?”
    “Shhh.” Jared put the phone to his ear. “It’s ringing.”
    She propped a fist on her hip and glared at him. “That’s the last time I tell you anything private.”
    “Apparently not so private if everyone at school knew. Well, everyone but me.” He tilted his head, listening to the phone. “Yeah, it’s me. Just checking in to see if there’s anything you wanted to tell me about Ava.”
    Jared quirked an eyebrow as the person on the other end of the line responded. “No, Greg. I mean anything about Ava and school. Our HSC year, to be specific. Something you knew that maybe I didn’t?” His gaze found hers, his eyes dancing.
    “Yeah, that ,” he said and then listened. “Now? You’re telling me this now ?”
    “You’re discussing this with him now ?” Ava asked. “You can’t wait ’til you get home?”
    “When I was seventeen. That’s when,” Jared told Greg.
    Silence.
    “Of course it was my business. She had the hots for me .”
    Ava sighed out loud. “I should never have told you. Now you’re just getting all bigheaded about it.”
    He winked at her. “Is there anything else you never told me?” he asked his brother.
    Thirty seconds later, Jared winced. “I meant about me, not you. Christ, I didn’t need to hear that.”
    He shook his head. “Yeah, you’re right. I asked. My bad. Next time I’ll be more specific. Later, bro.” Jared placed his phone back in his pocket.
    “Are we all done with our phone calls now?” Ava asked patiently.
    “He really did know.”
    “Of course he did. Everyone knew.”
    “Except me.”
    “Except you.”
    Jared held up his arm in invitation, and Ava tucked herself under it. In perfect unison they began walking again.
    “I’m blown away.”
    “Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”
    “You know…” He drummed his fingers against her upper arm. “It almost makes sense, in a cosmic kind of a way.”
    “What does?” The gentle tap-tap-tap of his fingers distracted her. It felt good. So did his arm, all solid, warm and secure around her shoulders.
    “My not knowing you were in love with me.”
    “And how does that makes sense cosmically?”
    “I think it’s called fair play. Or tit for tat. I’ve been in love with you for years, and you’ve never noticed.”
     
    Ava tripped. Had Jared not tightened his grip around her shoulders, she’d have broken her fall with her nose.
    “Easy, tiger.” He released her shoulders to hold both of her arms, steadying her.
    “Wh-what did you just say?” Her voice trembled as she gaped up at him.
    They stood on the