Arm Candy (Real Love #2)(43)

“We go out. We stay in. Mostly we sleep over at each other’s houses.” I shrug as I spread Brie on a slice of baguette. I take a bite, feeling Roxanne’s eyes on me.

“What?” I ask around a bite.

“You’re sleeping over? Often?”

“Mm-hmm.” I nod as I chew, then take a drink of champagne. Perfection.

“That’s serious, Grace. I thought he was a man whore. Man whores don’t encourage sleepovers.”

“He was. He is. I don’t know.” The description doesn’t fit what I know of Davis. Has he changed, or am I seeing another layer of him now that we’re close? “We were only going to see each other three times, but then things…changed.”

“Sounds like it.” She eats an almond and sucks the honey off her thumb. I eye her suspiciously.

“Rox.”

“What?”

“Don’t what me. Tell me. What are you thinking? Something, and it’s not good.” My hands start to sweat at the idea she might share exactly what I don’t want to hear. I don’t know what I want to hear, but I’d rather know the truth than be in the dark.

“I think you should…guard your heart.”

“My heart?” I let out a hearty laugh and lift my champagne flute again. “I’m in no danger of losing my heart.”

Said heart gives a dangerous surge at the idea of falling for Davis Price. Of losing Davis Price. At one point our having a future would’ve been a laughable fantasy. Now, though…it could happen. And if it happened, that means when it ended, heartbreak could follow.

Or worse, I think morbidly as my dad comes to mind again.

“Are you sure you’re haven’t lost your heart to him already?” Rox asks with so much concern I have to ask myself the same question. “He’s being really good to you, Grace. What if he comes back from this trip to California and pulls away? What will you do?”

My friend isn’t doing a good job of easing my nerves.

“I’ll…pull back too,” I say. I mean, duh. This isn’t my first rodeo. Rox knows that. “I’m capable of unstringing myself from a man. I’ve been doing it since I was fifteen.”

Starting with a boyfriend, followed by dad and several other boyfriends.

“I appreciate your concern.” I continue defending myself. “Honestly. But there’s no need to worry.”

“I’m not concerned. I want to make sure you don’t end up in a situation you don’t mean to get into. Cornered…” She forlornly eyes a cube of cheese in her hand. “With no way out.”

My spidey sense is tingling. “What kind of corner?”

She drops the cheese cube on her plate. “Okay, so what if you wanted to just date him? Or just have sex with him? It should be perfectly acceptable to keep things light. Staying over can turn into moving in.” Her voice takes on a slightly hysterical edge. “Moving in can turn into getting engaged!”

“Rox.” I hate to bring up the obvious, considering she just bought her wedding dress, but she’s my friend and something is amiss. “Rox, are you…regretting your engagement to Mark?”

“What! No.” She lets out a loud lough that dies a quick death. “Not every day.” Her smile turns sickly. “Sometimes?”

She drops her face into her hands before smoothing her hair behind her ears.

By the time she looks at me, she’s reclaimed her composure. “I have cold feet. I used to be the girl who dated and liked dating. I liked mixing things up. Now I’m engaged and my mixing days are over.” She gives the ring on her finger a long, somber study. “I thought buying the dress would make this more real…would make me more ready. Is this part of the process?”

“Well, parting with three grand tends to help things sink in,” I tease. I reroute when she pales. As future maid of honor, I’ve got her back.

“Roxanne. Listen to me.” I reach over the table and clasp her hand in mine. “You were a dating phenomenon. I learned most of my best moves from you. But when you met Mark—after that first date—do you remember what you said?”

Eyes wide, she shakes her head.

“Yes you do. About the way he moved toward you after class?”

Her panic melts away and her face softens. “He moved toward me like he was meant to walk toward me. Only me.”

“Does he still make you feel like the only woman he should walk toward?” I ask.

“Every day.” She shakes her head and closes her eyes. “I’m freaking out. It’s too soon for a freak-out.”

“No. It’s the perfect time to freak out,” I say in her defense. “The wedding dress did what you wanted it to do—your future wedding became more real. And when you set a date and send your announcements and book your destination, it’ll become even more real. Until we’re on a beach and you’re exchanging your vows. Then it’ll be real.”

“You’re right. It’s new. Change is scary no matter what, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Look at you!” She gestures to me. “Miss I-don’t-want-to-date-nobody—”

“Anybody,” I correct.

“—and you’re practically living with a stock analyst.” Rox is grinning. “We’re going to get through this.”