Count On The Kindness Of Your Friend's Boyfriend To Tell You The Truth
Day 196 of The Andie Chronicles
"Do you want the Margherita or Pepperoni?"
I was seated next to Malcolm in the middle of the round table. I realised once I laid eyes on Sophia's boyfriend it had been a long time since I had seen him or the two of them together.
I couldn't tell if I was a fair-weathered friend or if it had been this long since the group had been harmonious enough to be together like this.
"I'm ok; I'm waiting for the pasta." Malcolm smiled at me. "Have you been here before?"
We were at Baby Pizza in Richmond for GG's birthday. It wasn't the type of place I thought she would go for. As much as the food was brilliant, the service was immaculate; it wasn't one of those restaurants with white tablecloths and a carted dessert course.
But it was Taylor who picked this place, and I wondered if GG's sour expression was from the restaurant or because her gift from Taylor was a vase and not a piece of jewellery. Or an engagement ring, as I knew she suspected.
"Yes, I have," Malcolm responded. He looked across me at the spare chair beside me. "Where is your new man?"
"I decided not to bring him." In truth, I never even told Cooper about the lunch. It was too much after Friday night.
Come hang with my friends who weren't exactly the best around you when you met. And who didn't even acknowledge you paid for the entire meal, which exceeded a thousand dollars.
No, I wasn't going to subject him to that. Only when I knew they would be kinder than they had been.
"Probably for the best. I'm not sure they know what to make of Cooper."
I stared at Malcom. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the girls didn't think he was serious enough for you. His profession seems a bit wayward.
"So they're not happy I'm dating someone the total opposite of my ex? Because that went so well, now, didn't it?"
Malcolm nodded. "I agree with you. Why would anyone want a clone of Douglas? It's bad enough we have his brother here, let alone another him."
Malcolm paused and leaned into me, whispering so the table couldn't hear him. "Don't tell anyone, but I said the same thing to Sophia. It's probably why I didn't get invited on Friday night. She knew I would like him and not stick up for her."
I thought about my words carefully, but I could feel them tumble from my mouth with such ease. "Do they know who he is?"
"What do you mean?"
"I feel them being all snobby about him. But have they thought to Google him? He's fucking Cooper Crusher."
"Tell me about it. Do you think I could get his autograph?"
I giggled at Malcolm.
"How about we organise for you to meet him? Just you and not the bitches."
We both laughed. I was grateful someone was willing to give my man a chance and not judge him by the cover. It's all I asked for.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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