Love on Beach Avenue(71)

Gabe gave him a sour look. “Yep. Sometimes it’s unfortunate. I’m not interested in hookups with clients. Plus, my body is sacred. She kept pinching my ass.”

Pierce cleared his throat, and Carter could tell the man was trying really hard to look sympathetic. “That sucks, man. What’d you do?”

“My usual bit. Made excuses, avoided her, and flirted with Tony to make her think I’m gay.”

“Who’s Tony?” Carter asked.

“The waiter at Mad Batter. He’s gay and has a crush on Gabe, so he probably didn’t mind,” Pierce explained.

Gabe snatched his drink the moment it was set down in front of him and guzzled a quarter of the beer. He let out a sigh. “I’m tired of being treated like the community stripper by some of these clients. I’m up for this promotion, and I don’t want anything to screw it up.”

Carter frowned. “Why don’t you just tell Avery? She’ll understand and help you work it out.”

He shook his head. “No, I want to deal with this on my own. I need to learn how to handle the handsy clients, so this was a good test. I’m just fucking tired of it.”

The amusement faded as Carter looked at his new friend. Society still had a hard time deeming men who got hit on as a problem, figuring they’d be happy to bang anyone or anything. But for Gabe in a professional environment, it must be hard to consistently convince so many women that he followed a strict code of conduct and took his job seriously. “I’m sorry, man. Beer’s on me tonight.”

“Cool, thanks.” He settled, seeming to shake off his bad mood, and grinned. “So tell me what’s going on, my dudes. Carter, you have your sister’s bachelorette party this weekend, right?”

“Yep. I’m in charge of five wild women let loose in AC. Should be fun.”

“How are you and Avery doing?” Gabe asked curiously.

Pierce narrowed his gaze. “Wait. You guys are together?”

He hesitated, not sure how much to say, especially since both men were close to the sisters. “No. Well, kind of. I’m crazy about her, but I’m only here for the summer. I’d like to spend more time with her and figure it out.”

Pierce nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Avery works so hard and could use some fun. God knows she hasn’t even dated anyone in the past year.”

“She’s definitely into you,” Gabe said. “And you helping out at the Bankses’ wedding? That was huge. It’s obvious how much you respect what she does, and that means a lot to her.”

“I just don’t want to hurt her.” Frustration laced his voice. “She’s looking for a happy ending, and I can’t promise her that right now.”

“No one can promise that,” Pierce said.

“Just be honest with her, but don’t give up. I think you’ll be good for her.”

Satisfaction flowed through him. Knowing these two men approved of him pursuing Avery made him even more determined to try harder. Maybe it was time he pushed himself to give more than he thought he could. Avery was worth it. And after their shared kiss on the boardwalk, the need for her was eating him up like a virus, keeping him from sleep. He thought of her constantly. Could he really manage to walk away? Maybe a long-distance relationship was a possibility.

The bartender refilled their beers, and they ordered nachos to pick on. “You and Taylor seem really happy,” Carter mentioned in between bites. “How long have you been dating?”

Pierce began to choke, and Gabe pounded on his back until he caught his breath. “We’re not a couple. We’ve been friends forever.”

Puzzlement made him cock his head. “Really? You seem so in tune with each other.”

Gabe threw his head back and laughed. “Told ya.”

Pierce glared at him.

Gabe turned to Carter and explained. “Every time they’re together, he gets these moony eyes but swears there’s nothing going on.” He shot Pierce a knowing look. “I don’t know how you can stand being just friends with a woman you’re hot for.”

Pierce jabbed a finger in the air. “You do it every day, man. How’s that working for you?”

Gabe snapped his mouth shut and looked pissed.

Carter glanced back and forth between the two, sensing a challenge sizzling in the air. “Okay, what am I missing?”

“Nothing,” they both said.

“Talk about feeling like the third wheel,” he muttered, taking another sip of beer.

Pierce groaned. “Sorry, man. Let’s just say I’m not willing to mess up the best friendship I ever had with sex. It’s not worth it. As for Gabe, he’s got his own issues working with a woman who doesn’t seem to notice him.”

Carter remembered the words he’d uttered in the tuxedo place. Something about being hot for a woman who didn’t know he was alive. And if it wasn’t Avery or Taylor . . .

“Ah, crap, you’re in love with Bella?” he asked.

Gabe shrugged it off. “Nah, just got a soft spot for her. But she’s got zero attraction for me. Thought I was gay for the entire first year I worked there.”

Carter flicked a glance at the group of women currently eyeing Gabe with obvious interest. “I’m sure you have a lot of women to distract you,” he said. “Avery said you were named most eligible beach bachelor.”