“Hey, Joe!” I say, trying to look happier than I feel.

“What’s up, dude!” he yells, slapping me on the back. “I was early so I already ordered, hope that’s ok?”

“Cheers, man. How’s it going?” I ask, as I take a seat opposite him.

“Ah, you know. Can’t complain.”

“Things all better with you and Gina now?”

“Yeah, of course! I’ve been a good boy this week,” he says, winking at me. “Need to save up bad boy credits for Tahoe, don’t I? Can’t wait! Gorgeous leggy blondes looking all cute with their snow gear on. They’re gonna be lining up to strip off and get in our private hot tub!”

I remember then. Only two weeks until the big bachelor party. “I’m not going,” I announce.

“What? All the plans are made. You can’t not go. We’ve got three condos in Squaw Valley and last time I checked twelve of us going. We need to sort out a big grocery shop and then figure out some pranks for the groom to be.” He’s got a wicked grin plastered across his face and I feel sincerely sorry for the poor groom to be, David.”

“I’m not going,” I say again, this time even more firmly.

“Aw come on dude, it’s gonna be epic! I’ve heard the chicks down there are crazy on spring break.”

“How is that unlike spring break anywhere else?”

“You’re only saying that because you’re all loved up,” he sniggers.

My expression must have given me away, because he practically pounces on me. “Whoa, what happened with the hot brunette?”

I shrug. I don’t want to discuss Lauren with Joe or anyone else.

“Come on, man. Get if off your chest.”

“I don’t know. I thought it was going well. But she got crazy at me last night for feeding her dog some cake. Reckons I might have made him sick.”

“Women!” he says, rolling his eyes. “They’re so unpredictable. Gina gets mad at the weirdest things. Well, most of the time, I don’t even know why she’s mad. I just say sorry and buy her something.”

I narrow my eyes. “Somehow, I feel like she has plenty of reasons to get mad at you!”

“Hey, whose side are you on?” he says, grinning, knowing full well what a handful he is.

“What you need to do is organize some grand romantic gesture,” he continues. “Sweep her off her feet and make her feel like a princess. If she’s worth the effort, of course.”

The waiter places two steaming plate of buffalo wings in front of us.

“Best wings in the Bay area,” he says as he takes a particularly plump one from the pile and pulls off all the meat into his mouth in one go, like a pro. “So good,” he mumbles.

We chew in silence until he breaks it, “Or maybe you should just forget about this Lauren chick until after Tahoe?” he says, winking.

But Tahoe girls are far from my thoughts. Lauren’s the only one I can think of. Inside, I’m hurting. Somehow, I have to win back her trust. I rack my brain to think what she would like. She doesn’t seem like the kind of girl to lavish with flashy nights out and fancy hotels. She’d see through that bullshit. It has to be something really special.

“Daydreaming about Tahoe girls?” Joe asks me, grinning and as clueless as ever.