“LAST NIGHT WAS A COMPLETE and utter disaster,” I huff as I walk in the kitchen.

After Aiden dropped me off at Kingston’s apartment, I took a shower and made a list of things I needed to accomplish today in order to make tonight’s dinner with him a success.

Only I needed input from Paige, because not only am I novice at dating, I also can’t seduce a supposed manwhore of an NFL player because he has some hang-up about sex being bad luck during the season.

So I offered lunch, and she agreed.

Carefully, I place the bag of avocados, tomatoes, and onions on the island counter, then add a second and third bag. Basically, since I’m craving Mexican food, I had to buy everything at the store because I have no idea what Dallas keeps on hand in his kitchen.

Paige makes a noise, her back to me.

“Apparently, I made such a fool of myself that Aiden had to lock me in my own room so I’d quit bothering him while he slept. Have you ever?” I don’t wait for her to reply. Instead, I unpack the groceries, then wash and dry my hands before settling in to make homemade guacamole that we can snack on while I cook fajitas. “It was so embarrassing, and we really need to talk about what you and Dallas said guys like versus what Aiden likes. I’m pretty sure he’s a unicorn. No pigtails, no cheerleading outfit, and no revenge sex. We’re having dinner together this evening, so I have to redouble or start over... or stalk the crap out of him on social media to make sure he can’t turn me down again.”

“That’s good,” Paige mutters.

“Good?” I stop chopping up tomatoes and slam the knife down on the cutting board. “That’s not good—are you even listening to me?”

Finally, Paige turns around, tears in her eyes and her cheeks flaming red. “As much as I’d love to be super supportive right now, I don’t have time to listen to your problems.”

“Then why did you say it was okay for me to come over and make us lunch?”

“Because I was hungry and couldn’t think straight.” She rubs her temples. “I need to concentrate. While I don’t mind if you talk, I cannot be held responsible for the quality of my replies if you ask a question.”

“Does Nolan have you working tonight, or is he trying to weasel his way into Dallas’s house?” My old boss has a serious mancrush on Paige’s fiancé. Nolan tries to blame his wife Sarah for his obsession, but we all know the truth.

“If only.” Misery shines in her eyes. “I’m trying to be a great fiancée and have a party for Dallas, and—”

“You’re having a party without me?” I all but screech at her, then modulate my voice. “That’s wonderful. What’s the theme?”

“It’s for couples.” She smiles apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Don’t apologize.” I rush to her, grabbing her in a hug. “I’m the one who’s sorry for not being more sensitive to your needs.”

She squeezes me tight, and it’s then I catch a glimpse of the poor cloth napkin she’s attempting to contort into something fancy. Except it looks like a crime scene made of dead flowers, haphazard glitter, and twine. Paige has amazing taste, but she has no clue how to put it all together so it resembles what’s in her head.

“Oh, what shape is that?” I ask, trying to be positive. It looks like a duck with its neck snapped.

“Rectangularish oval?” She lets go of me and steps back while I move in closer to inspect her handiwork. “I know it’s probably not what you would have picked out, but I think... I think it will work and Dallas’s boss, like the big boss—head honcho, whoever signs his paycheck—is coming over with his wife. It’s horrible, isn’t it?”

“Not at all.” I nibble on the tip of my finger, then pick up the napkin and examine it. “If you... uh, just... um, maybe turn it over and start again—”

“I’ve been working on the stupid napkins all morning.” Paige’s shoulders slump. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so defeated in my life, not even when she ordered Dallas to give her space so she could think about their relationship going public or even forward.

And that’s saying something.

“Why don’t you let me see what I can come up with?” I mentally go over the time I have to prepare for Aiden’s arrival and the time I can spend with Paige, cooking and helping her out a bit with her party planning. “Tomorrow, I’m sure we can come up with even grander plans.”

“The dinner party is tonight.”

The napkin falls to the floor. “Tonight?” There is no way I can help Paige without cancelling with Aiden, and I need this dinner, to seduce him. I need to prove so many things to myself, and—

Paige sniffs. “It’s not enough time, is it?”

My heart turns in my chest.

What am I thinking? Paige is my very best friend. She’s always been there for me, even when I was stinky and gross from wallowing in bed and crying over Joe for days on end. I insisted she leave me in my misery, which she agreed to do... but not before convincing me to take a shower and brush my teeth.

Aiden didn’t show up until that afternoon, so he can’t take credit for dynamiting my tail out of bed... but he did have a part in it.

“Sure it is.” I put on a bright smile. “Now, what pin on Pinterest made you think of glitter?”

She shrugs helplessly. “I’m hungry and can’t think straight, remember?” She collapses in a chair and grabs a glass of white wine, tossing it back like it’s water. “Besides, you have plans tonight.”

“They’ve changed,” I assure her. As soon as I talk Paige down from the proverbial ledge, I’ll text Aiden. I’m sure he’ll be relieved.

She eyes me in disbelief.

“I promise to be here for as long as you need me.” I draw an X over my heart with my pointer finger.

“Everyone will be here at five thirty.”

Okay, so that’s cutting it really close. “How many RSVPed?”

“Six.”

Holy poopballs. “Eight total, then?”

My slight panic must have shown on my face, because Paige nods and says, “I’m so screwed.”

“Not with me at your side, you’re not.” Bending over to retrieve the napkin, I toss it on the table. “You order takeout from wherever for lunch, and leave the party to me.”

“Really?”

I nod. This is where I shine. This is where I can be more than simply Layton Price, jilted wife of Joe, who can’t even get a man to have revenge sex with her.

“Absolutely, sugar.” I shoo her into the living room. “Relax in there while I work my magic.”

“You’re the best friend ever.”

Until the moment I figured out that Paige needed my help more than I needed to convince Aiden he needs to sex me up, I wasn’t.

But I will be from now on.

“So are you,” I say softly.

***

“Aaaand done,” I say before collapsing in a chair. “The list of things to do during the party as well as the times everything should be taken out is on the island. Also, I have six timers going for you. I made another list of the times that directly correspond to the dish so you don’t have to figure out what comes out when.”

“You didn’t have to do this.”

My outfit is a mess.

My fingers are cramping from writing so much.

I have sugar and flour all over my jeans, and only God knows where else due to a freak baking mishap. I smell like a combination of steak and asparagus, and I’m pretty sure there are slivers of julienned carrots tangled up in my hair... but the look of awe and gratefulness on Paige’s face makes it all worth it.

“Yes, I did. Go take a gander at your dining room.”

She practically skips away.

“Holy shit! It’s beautiful. Amazing. Fabulous,” she calls out. “And the table place setting... I’m almost afraid to let anyone eat in here.”

Pleased as punch that she’s happy, I slouch lower in my chair, finish off the last gulp of wine, then place it on the counter. “Keep ‘em coming, honey. Keep them coming.”

“Perfection.”

“Okay, you can stop there.”

Paige comes back into the kitchen and sits beside me. “You are amazing. I actually have an hour before everyone arrives. To get ready.”

I glance at her. “Not if you don’t start before Dallas gets home.”

“That’s true.” Blushing, she grins big. “Guess I better—”

“Honey, I’m home,” Dallas sings out as he comes through the back door. “I got bruises and shit that need a lot of attention.”

I wriggle my eyebrows at her. “Told ya.”

Dallas’s gaze falls on me. “What are you doing here—no offense.”

“None taken.” I push myself up to a more ladylike position. “I'm helping Paige with the finishing touches for y’all’s party tonight. Check out the dining room.”

“Yeah, it’s great.”

“Gee, thanks,” Paige mumbles, but she doesn’t look too hurt by it. “I think you actually have to go to the dining room to see what it looks like.”

Dallas grabs her up in a bear hug, nuzzling her temple. “I’m sure it’s gorgeous, baby.”

She smiles. “Thank you. Layton did—”

“I just sat back and watched Paige work her magic while she listened to me complain about last night’s disaster with Aiden.” I sigh thickly, then shake myself out of my selfish misery to put the spotlight back on my bestie. “You have the most talented fiancée in existence.”

“I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are, and I don’t want to hear another thing about it.” He kisses her forehead, and she melts against him, making me want to cry in happiness for them.

Did Joe and I ever look like that?

Did I ever melt against him because he made my knees so weak?

I don’t want to think about the answers to either of those questions, because I know what they’d be.

“Back to you.” Dallas lets go of Paige, who leaves us to rummage around in the kitchen. He pins his gaze on me again, giddiness apparent in his eyes. “I managed to wring some highly confidential information out of Aiden, and from what I understand, dinner should be happening between the two of you tonight.”

“Oh no,” I groan before frantically scrambling for my phone. “I totally forgot to text him that I have to cancel dinner.”

“You can’t stand up my boy like that.”

“Stand him up? Yeah, right.” I laugh without mirth. “He’ll probably be relieved that I’m cancelling.”

“I don’t give a damn what he is.”

“He’s not interested,” I insist. “He doesn’t like pigtails, cheerleading uniforms, or sex. With me, I mean,” I add hastily, because the last thing I need to do is spill Aiden’s secret. “He still thinks of me as Kingston’s little sister, and he even mentioned boundaries.”

“You need to cross those boundaries. Most likely, you caught him off guard and he fumbled.”

“Or he ducked. Refused to catch. Purposefully threw the play.” I rack my brain for more sports-like terms, but come up with nothing.

Paige brings him a beer and me a bottle of water. “I think y’all need a drink.”

“Lookit, during his walk-through today, his practices were perfection. I got a good feeling about tomorrow’s game—best I ever had,” Dallas says.

“You think that's because of me?” I croak. “Oh my Lord. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a person.” I gulp down half my water, and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

“It has to be, because you're the only thing that changed.”

“We didn’t...” I shut my mouth, unwilling to share Aiden’s secret, even if it means I have to look and sound like a fool.

Dallas lowers his chin, looking around the room for a second. “I know about his superstition, okay.”

“Um... what superstition?” Better to play dumb than to assume and have Aiden mad at me.

“No sexy times during the season.”

So he does know. “I can’t take that kind of rejection every weekend.”

“He wasn't too happy about rejecting you,” Dallas says, as serious as anything.

I perk up a little. “He wasn't?”

“Nope.”

Paige perches on the arm of my chair and smooths my hair back from my face. “You don’t have to do anything.” She gives Dallas a meaningful look. “She doesn’t have to do anything because of your feelings.”

“That’s right, I don’t. Not even if I really, really want to.”

“Yeah, that really, really sounds like you don’t want to.” With a roll of his eyes, he leans against the wall. “You can’t mess with the man's head, Layton. He's gonna be worthless tomorrow if you do.”

“I'm sorry, but how in the world did I mess with his head?”

Paige arches a brow. “You’re heading into dangerous territory, Dallas. Like Wickham territory.”

“Damn book boyfriends.” He lets out a long-suffering sigh. “If you could do me the solid of keeping your dinner plans with Aiden, I’d owe you.”

Paige’s eyes narrow. “But...” she prompts.

“I’m getting to it,” he assures her, and I have to bite back a smile. “But if you’re not comfortable in any way and decide against it, then we’ll take you to Pan Asian tomorrow after the game. My treat for putting so much pressure on you.”

Pan Asian is my favorite restaurant. Paige’s, too.

“That’s so sweet,” Paige coos at him, and I swear his chests puffs out. “You are so getting rewarded for that.”

“Hey guys, can y’all wait until I leave?”

“For dinner with Aiden?” Dallas says hopefully. “I mean, if you want...”

I do want. It might be foolish or dumb, or more than my heart can take in rejections, but I’m not in love with Aiden. I’m barely in lust with him.

Yes, he’s hot.

Yes, our kiss was mind-blowingly amazing.

Yes, he could help me get over Joe super quick.

Wait. Why am I against having dinner with Aiden?

I rise from the chair.

“Don’t leave on our account,” Paige says, even though I know she wants to have alone time with Dallas before everyone gets here. Plus, I know that Paige needs time to get in the right state of mind for a party like this. Well, any party really. She’s more of a homebody. A ride-or-die-until-nine-pm type of girl.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about the hardcore partying either, but there’s something so energizing about one, about mingling and meeting new people.

“I’m not. I have to get ready.” I pick up my purse. “For a date with your boy.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Dallas makes a fist, pulling it down sharply. “I’m taking you to Pan Asian with Paige any way. Name the day and the time, and I’ll check my schedule.”

“Looking forward to it.” I finish gathering my things while Paige helps me. Dallas strides out of the kitchen, snagging a couple of hors d’oeuvres along the way.

“Don’t eat those,” Paige admonishes.

“Sorry.” Dallas jogs back in the kitchen, kisses Paige, and snags another bacon-wrapped asparagus. “I can’t help myself.”

“That man.” She shakes her head as he leaves for what I presume to be the final time.

“You love him.”

“A lot.” She loops her arm through mine, and walks with me to the back door. “If you want to rehash what happened with Joe... I’m here for you.”

“He married me, honeymooned me, and then left me, all with in a week,” I say softly. “That’s the sordid truth.”

“It’s not fair. I thought you had your entire life planned out and were well on your way to a happily ever after.”

I lean my head against her shoulder. “So did I.”