I considered. “Kingsman and cranberry, please.”

Gideon shot me a warm look. “I’ll have the same.”

Cary poured and served, then sat back with a beer and took a deep pull straight out of the bottle. “So,” he began, “I’m flying to London next week for a shoot.”

“Really?” I sat forward. “That’s wonderful, Cary! Your first international job.”

“Yeah.” He smiled into his beer, then looked at me. “I’m stoked.”

“Wow. Everything has happened so fast for you.” A few months ago we’d still been living in San Diego. “You’re going to take the world by storm.”

I managed a smile. I was truly, genuinely happy for my best friend. But I could picture a time, in the not-so-distant future, when we’d both be so busy and traveling so often we would rarely see each other. It made my eyes sting to think of it. We were closing a chapter of our lives and I mourned a little for the end, even knowing that the best was yet to come for both of us.

Cary raised his bottle in a silent toast. “That’s the plan.”

“How’s Tatiana?”

His smile grew tight, his eyes hard. “She says she’s dating someone. She moves quick when she sees something she likes, always has.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“No.” He started peeling the label off his beer bottle. “Some dude’s blowing his load where my baby is. I think that’s sick.” He glanced at Gideon. “Can you imagine?”

“No one wants me imagining that,” he answered, in that even tone that screamed danger.

“Right? It’s fucked up. But I can’t stop her and I’m not getting back together with her, so … It is what it is.”

“God.” I reached for his hand and held it. “That’s tough. I’m sorry.”

“We’re being civil to each other,” he said with a shrug. “She’s less of a bitch when she’s getting laid regularly.”

“So you guys are talking a lot?”

“I check in with her every day, make sure she’s got what she needs. Told her I was good for whatever—except my dick, of course.” He heaved out his breath. “It’s depressing. Without sex, we really don’t have anything to say to each other. So we talk about work. We’ve got that in common, at least.”

“Did you tell her about London?”

“Hell, no.” Cary squeezed my hand. “Had to tell my best girl first. I’ll tell her tomorrow.”

I debated bringing up the question, but I couldn’t help myself. “And Trey? Anything there?”

“Not really. I send him a text or photo every couple days. Stupid shit. Stuff I’d send you.”

“So no dick pics?” I teased.

“Yeah, no. I’m trying to keep it real with him. He thinks I’m oversexed—which he totally doesn’t mind when he’s in bed with me—but whatever. I send him something every now and then, and he replies, but that’s it.”

My nose wrinkled. I looked at Gideon and found him typing something into his phone.

Cary took another drink, his throat working on a hard swallow. “It’s not a relationship. Not even friendship at this point. For all I know, he could be seeing someone, too, and I’m the odd man out.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, celibacy looks good on you.”

He snorted. “Because I’ve put on a few pounds? Happens. You eat, because you crave the endorphins you’re not getting with an orgasm, and you get less exercise, because you’re not practicing any mattress gymnastics.”

“Cary.” I laughed.

“Look at you, baby girl. You’re all tight and toned from Marathon Man Cross over there.”

Gideon looked up from his phone. “Come again?”

“That’s what I just said, dude,” Cary drawled, winking at me. “In so many words.”

After waiting in a line of limos discharging their passengers, we finally pulled up to the red carpet rolled out in front of a historic brick-faced building, home to a private members-only club. Paparazzi were as thick as fall leaves on the ground, lining the velvet ropes that cordoned them off from the walkway.

Leaning forward, I looked through the open glass entrance doors and saw more photographers held back on the right side of the entrance, while logoed backdrops lined the wall on the left for event and sponsor-branded photo ops.

Angus opened the door and I could feel the momentary expectation as the paparazzi waited to see who would step out. The moment Gideon did, it was like the mother of all lightning storms, camera flashes exploding in rapid, endless succession.

Mr. Cross! Gideon! Look this way!