“Alright.” Jo arches back in his chair at South Kensington Club. “Fill me in—” He gives me a nod. “Why’s Jules all of a sudden off his fucking rocker about flowers?”
“What?” laughs BJ, glancing over at me.
“Julian,” Jo gives him a look, “suddenly has become the ultimate authority on rose varieties.”
My brother gives a baffled shrug and I roll my eyes.
“Someone’s been sending Daisy flowers.” I sigh.
Henry squints over at me. “Is that someone…you?”
“No—” I roll my eyes. “The whole thing’s pretty weird—”
“What?” Jo scoffs. “Someone sending her flowers?”
Beej gives me a look. “She’s pretty fit, man — I feel like she’d get hit up a bit?”
“No.” I sigh again. Shake my head. “It’s — never mind.” I can’t be bothered to explain it. It sounds like I don’t care, which isn’t true. I’ve thought of it non-stop, but they’re not going to get it. Jo never takes anything seriously and it’s not the sort of thing we’d tell the boys.
“Julian is Julian — mountains out of molehills.” I say instead.
Henry stares at me for a few seconds and then blows air out of his mouth.
“Not you here pretending like he’s overreacting when you’re staking out a different florist every other hour…”
Jonah starts laughing.
I swipe my hand through the air, try to brush it off. They know the CliffsNotes version of me and Daisy. Know that I fell hard and then it didn’t work. They don’t know that she loved me back. They don’t know about her lifelong pursuit for normalcy and they don’t know how much it’s cost us both. They don’t know I still love her.
Because why should they? I come off like an idiot loving some girl who doesn’t want me back — or does maybe, or did before and now it’s too late because I probably should have picked her over this shit but I didn’t and now she’s got normal with someone else who can actually give it to her.
Beej nods his chin over at me. “How’s Vanna Ripley feel about you visiting florists for your ex?”
“Vanna Ripley’s in Mykonos.”
Henry shakes his head, rolling his eyes. “She would be in Mykonos, that minger.”
I roll my eyes. “We go to Mykonos.”
“Yeah, not anymore now,” he says, tossing back his drink.
Beej flicks his brother an amused look. “Not a massive fan then, Hen?”
“Of the raging bitch narcissist he’s shagging?” He points his thumb at me and I roll my eyes again. “Nah, can’t say I am.”
Jonah looks between us. “Must be awkward around the house?”
Henry and I trade looks and I yawn. “Henry doesn’t let her come over.”
BJ starts laughing. “How’s that one go over?”
I shrug. “Usually I just tell her Henry and Taura have weird sex so we should go to hers—”
And then the table tenses up.
Probably shouldn’t have said it. Definitely a sore spot for Jo and Hen.
Henry tosses me a look and Jo sniffs out his nose, looking away.
“Nice.” Henry nods, annoyed.
I shrug again. “Maybe you shouldn’t shag the same girl, then—”
“Maybe you should shut the fuck up,” my brother tells me.
I raise my hands in surrender.
I look over at Beej. “What about you, champ?” Nod my chin at him. “How are you feeling?”
“About?” He pretends like he doesn’t know and I give him a look. “Oh, Magnolia flying in? Yeah — fine. Haven’t thought about it.”
Jo nods his chin at him. “Is that why you got a haircut?”
“Got a haircut because I’m a model—” BJ pours himself some water.
“Ooh,” Henry chides. “He’s a model!”
Beej rolls his eyes as he shoves his hands through his hair, then shakes his head. “I probably won’t even see her.”
“At her own father’s wedding?” Jonah sniggers. “Okay, then.”
“Are you bringing Jordan?” I ask.
Jordan is BJ’s new girlfriend. Very new. Beej has never had another girlfriend besides Parks, it’s a pretty big deal. I don’t mind her. Henry’s not her biggest fan, but I don’t think that’s about her personally, if I’m honest.
BJ shakes his head and I lean back and fold my arms over my chest.
“Interesting.”
“Very.” Henry nods.
“How does Jordan feel about not being your wedding date?”
“Fine.” He shrugs. “Doesn’t care.”
“Ah.” Jonah nods. “Lies. The foundation of every healthy relationship…”
“Oh—” BJ clocks him. “Know a lot about those, do you? All zero girlfriends you’ve had.”
“Alright—” Henry scoffs. “Calm down over there with the whopping total of two that you’ve had.”
“Parks is coming back—” BJ shakes his head. “It’s not a big deal. Business as usual.”
“Yeah,” I snort. “Right.”
