a mini fortress. Grass is a luxury in Manhattan and people pay a fortune for a bit of green. Fairy lights are strung up and a fire pit is roaring toward the back of the courtyard.
Julia grabs a couple of beers from the cooler near the door, hands one to Will, and leads him to the side of the patio where several of her friends are gathered. Will is soon engaged in a conversation with a couple of her classmates and Anna leads Julia across the courtyard.
“Hey gorgeous.”
“Brad!” Her heart stops beating and she holds her breath. “What are you doing here?”
She dated Brad briefly before she came home this summer. The match surprised a few of her friends. They said he wasn’t really her type, which translated, meant, he’s not an intellectual. But that’s the beauty of not getting emotionally involved! You don’t have a type .
Brad’s in his late twenties, tall and very muscular, a bit rough around the edges, with a strong New York accent. They had a great time together, but she hasn’t given him a thought since she left in May.
Gabby strongly disapproved of her tryst, accusing Julia of using Brad to get over Will. Well, yes, that’s exactly what she was doing, and Julia wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Brad used her for sex and she used him as a diversionary tactic. He’s very good at diversion.
Worldly and wise in so many ways, Gabby is a romantic at heart and doesn’t believe in casual sex. “How can something so intimate be casual?” she asked, not for the first time. “Easily,” Julia responded. “Remove emotion, insert fun.”
It’s not very complicated.
Brad leans in for a kiss and connects with her cheek. Dear God, not in front of Will! She scans the crowd and watches him crossing the courtyard, in search of her.
“Come here, Jules…” Brad slips his arm around her waist and pulls her away from the fire pit, “I’ve got something to show you,” he whispers seductively, kissing her neck.
“Whoa! Hold on there!” she says, disentangling herself from his grasp, then holding her arms out to ward off further contact.
“What’s the problem, Julia?” he asks, annoyed.
“The problem, Brad…” Julia catches Will’s eye. He’s staring at them from the middle of the courtyard, apparently in a state of shock. “The problem is I’m not here alone,” she smiles stiffly.
Brad stares at her vacantly for a moment, the light of understanding slowly flickering on. It’s true , she silently concedes, he’s gorgeous, but not very bright . That’s what she liked most about him, she didn’t have to think when they were together.
Seconds later, Will is standing beside her. He isn’t smiling as he extends his hand toward Brad.
“Hi, I’m Will.”
“Oh!” She freezes, flustered, and says, “Will, this is Brad. Brad, this is my… boyfriend Will,” she winces as soon as the words tumble from her lips. Why did I say that?
“Nice to meet you, Brad.” Julia watches the two men squaring off, warily shaking hands.
“Yeah, you too.” Brad flexes the muscles in his chest and chuckles dismissively, “Will, is it?”
“Yes, I’m Will. Julia’s boyfriend.”
Brad nods, backing away, and extends his thumb and pinky, an imaginary phone. He places it near his face, and mouths call me as he turns away. Shit! Julia closes her eyes wondering how she’s going to explain this one.
Will grabs her hand and leads her to a bench in the corner of the yard. It’s still loud and crowded, but they have a modicum of privacy.
There, they sit in silence for a minute. Two minutes.
She has no idea what to say, can’t begin to imagine what he’s thinking. How would she feel if some girl wrapped her arms around him and kissed him in front of her? Like shit .
Finally, Will holds her hand to his mouth and kisses her palm, then takes a deep breath in before he speaks.
“I have no right to ask you this, but I want to know. Are you seeing Brad?”
“I was,” she mumbles, and stares into the
Julia grabs a couple of beers from the cooler near the door, hands one to Will, and leads him to the side of the patio where several of her friends are gathered. Will is soon engaged in a conversation with a couple of her classmates and Anna leads Julia across the courtyard.
“Hey gorgeous.”
“Brad!” Her heart stops beating and she holds her breath. “What are you doing here?”
She dated Brad briefly before she came home this summer. The match surprised a few of her friends. They said he wasn’t really her type, which translated, meant, he’s not an intellectual. But that’s the beauty of not getting emotionally involved! You don’t have a type .
Brad’s in his late twenties, tall and very muscular, a bit rough around the edges, with a strong New York accent. They had a great time together, but she hasn’t given him a thought since she left in May.
Gabby strongly disapproved of her tryst, accusing Julia of using Brad to get over Will. Well, yes, that’s exactly what she was doing, and Julia wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Brad used her for sex and she used him as a diversionary tactic. He’s very good at diversion.
Worldly and wise in so many ways, Gabby is a romantic at heart and doesn’t believe in casual sex. “How can something so intimate be casual?” she asked, not for the first time. “Easily,” Julia responded. “Remove emotion, insert fun.”
It’s not very complicated.
Brad leans in for a kiss and connects with her cheek. Dear God, not in front of Will! She scans the crowd and watches him crossing the courtyard, in search of her.
“Come here, Jules…” Brad slips his arm around her waist and pulls her away from the fire pit, “I’ve got something to show you,” he whispers seductively, kissing her neck.
“Whoa! Hold on there!” she says, disentangling herself from his grasp, then holding her arms out to ward off further contact.
“What’s the problem, Julia?” he asks, annoyed.
“The problem, Brad…” Julia catches Will’s eye. He’s staring at them from the middle of the courtyard, apparently in a state of shock. “The problem is I’m not here alone,” she smiles stiffly.
Brad stares at her vacantly for a moment, the light of understanding slowly flickering on. It’s true , she silently concedes, he’s gorgeous, but not very bright . That’s what she liked most about him, she didn’t have to think when they were together.
Seconds later, Will is standing beside her. He isn’t smiling as he extends his hand toward Brad.
“Hi, I’m Will.”
“Oh!” She freezes, flustered, and says, “Will, this is Brad. Brad, this is my… boyfriend Will,” she winces as soon as the words tumble from her lips. Why did I say that?
“Nice to meet you, Brad.” Julia watches the two men squaring off, warily shaking hands.
“Yeah, you too.” Brad flexes the muscles in his chest and chuckles dismissively, “Will, is it?”
“Yes, I’m Will. Julia’s boyfriend.”
Brad nods, backing away, and extends his thumb and pinky, an imaginary phone. He places it near his face, and mouths call me as he turns away. Shit! Julia closes her eyes wondering how she’s going to explain this one.
Will grabs her hand and leads her to a bench in the corner of the yard. It’s still loud and crowded, but they have a modicum of privacy.
There, they sit in silence for a minute. Two minutes.
She has no idea what to say, can’t begin to imagine what he’s thinking. How would she feel if some girl wrapped her arms around him and kissed him in front of her? Like shit .
Finally, Will holds her hand to his mouth and kisses her palm, then takes a deep breath in before he speaks.
“I have no right to ask you this, but I want to know. Are you seeing Brad?”
“I was,” she mumbles, and stares into the
Similar Books
