Finding Mr Right Now_The Right Now Series Read online

  “Sure.” My glass was nearly empty. “What do you have planned for tomorrow? Wanna come to the party with me? I could use a friend by my side.”

  “Uh-uh. You’re not roping me into spending the night with a bunch of people who will look down their noses at me and my imperfections. I know I’m not the typical, plastic surgery, filler-injected, woman that will be there. I don’t want to deal with all the judgy bitches that I’m certain run with her crowd.”

  There was literally nothing anyone could judge about Gemma’s looks. She definitely didn’t need any plastic surgery, but I knew which buttons to push to get her to agree to come. “Who’s the one sitting here judging my step-mother’s friends. Plus, you might actually have fun. There’s gonna be Cristal flowing, good food and lots of dancing.” I smiled and cocked my head to the side.

  “Do you really need a date? What about Mila?” She sighed, and I smirked as I saw her bending already.

  “I can’t take Mila. She’ll require too much attention. What Mila and I have is completely casual and to be honest, I don’t care to introduce her to my father. Father has known you forever, and he loves you.”

  “Fine, I’ll go with you,” she conceded. “But you owe me. And don’t think I’ll forget. What should I wear?”

  “A dress.” Something I can slide up over your hips and fuck you up against the side of the mansion in. She was my best friend, but I still couldn’t stop the filthy thoughts from flitting through my head, especially once alcohol was flowing through my veins. The waitress returned with our refills, silently placed them before us and took our empty glasses away.

  “Ok, I’m sure I’ll find something that’ll work.”

  Time to switch the conversation back strictly to the friend zone. “So, what exactly did you need a male point of view on?”

  5

  Gemma

  This was the whole reason we had met up tonight. But what I had so desperately wanted his opinion on, felt so awkward coming out of my mouth. I took a long pull from my straw and chewed on my bottom lip for a few seconds. This was Baz, my friend and protector, he wouldn’t make fun of me.

  “Gem? Does this have something to do with Geoff?” The concern was evident in his voice all over again. I glanced up to find him studying me curiously. “Did he do something? I thought you said I didn’t need to make any heads roll.”

  “You don’t,” I sighed, as I finally expelled the breath I didn’t realize I’d even been holding. “What I want to talk to you about is, well, uh, it’s kind of embarrassing…” I trailed off, looking down at my drink.

  Baz reached across the pub table and gently lifted my chin so I was looking into his gorgeous dark eyes, which were completely judgement free. “Gem, what is it? You know you can talk to me about anything. I’ve always been here for you and I always will.”

  My heart sped up in my chest as his soft touch warmed me. “Ok, so…” His hand dropped back to the table and covered my own in a show of joint strength, as he waited patiently for me to continue. “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

  His head pulled back as if someone had hit him and confusion marred his handsome features, his thick eyebrow raising over his right eye. “Wrong with you? What’re you talking about? What do you think is wrong with you?”

  “I just,” I paused. “Uh, I mean, ever since, Steve, that asshole…” I drew another long breath. Spit it out Gemma, you wanted his perspective. “As you know, I’m a huge failure at romantic relationships. I guess I have a hard time trusting anyone after…” I stared off into the past for a few seconds.

  “Gemma, I think that’s natural. You thought he really cared about you. That was a long time ago though. I thought you had buried all that in the past?”

  “So did I. And I refuse to play the victim. I’m going to see Dr. Williams again on Tuesday. I feel like I need to talk with her.”

  “Good. I’m sure she’ll help you put all these resurfaced fears back to rest.”

  “I hope so. But here’s the thing.” Jeez, this was so much harder than I thought it would be. I tried a different direction. “What do you think of Geoff?”

  “What do I think of him?” His free hand touched his chest. “He seems like a good guy. I’ve only been around him a few times when we’ve all hung out. You’ve always maintained that he was a good guy too. What do you really think of him? Is there something you want to tell me about?” His voice took on a hardened edge as he spoke.

  “No, it’s just. Ugh. This isn’t really about Geoff. In fact, I think it has more to do with me than him, or any of the other men I’ve been involved with. C’mon, you know it’s no secret that I can’t seem to hold down a relationship for much longer than a few weeks.” I drank another long sip through my straw, a loud slurping of air accompanied it. I was plowing through these like they were water tonight. Almost as if she were psychic, the waitress chose that moment to come by and check on us. “One more please.” I lifted my now only ice-filled glass to her.

  I stood to slide my chair closer to Bastian so I wasn’t sharing my private information with the entire bar. It had gotten significantly louder and if I didn’t want to be broadcasting my business by yelling it across the small table, this was the only option. As I stood, I felt the vodka slide happily through my veins and I got light headed. The room spun for a few seconds. And as I was attempting to catch my balance, I heard a loud scraping sound. Then I felt a set of familiar, strong hands grasp my shoulders, as a hard-muscled chest came into contact with my back. Electricity crackled through me.

  “Jeez, Gemma. Maybe you don’t need that last drink you just ordered. You ok?” His scruff tickled and his breath was hot against my ear and neck as he leaned in so I could hear him over the crowd. I felt tingles race through me and something inside me begin to melt.

  “Yeah,” I giggled out.

  I turned in his arms, and there it was again. That elusive spark. The one I had been waiting to feel. But this was Bastian. My friend. He’s the only one who made me feel like this. He is only your friend. And then, for a quick moment, I swear I saw desire flash through his eyes. He felt it too. Unintentionally, I licked my lips, bit down on my bottom one and watched closely as his eyes followed the motion. It was as if I was being pulled forward by a force I couldn’t explain, and my eyes fluttered closed as my head tilted back.

  Abruptly, but gently, Bastian turned me back around and helped me into my chair. You fool, now you’re imagining things. It’s the alcohol making you feel like this. He’s your friend, you were only seeing what you wanted to see. Thankfully, he stopped you from making an even bigger fool of yourself.

  He sat next to me in his chair and picked up his drink. I watched fascinated as his full lips came into contact with the glass in his hand. “You going to keep me guessing all night here, Gem?” He teased lightly.

  “Oh, right. Um, ok, so here’s the thing. How do you know when you’re attracted to someone?” Another change in tactics, but maybe this would make it easier.

  “How do I know when I’m attracted to someone?” He repeated my question back to me. “This is what you wanted my perspective on? Well, I guess I’ve never thought enough about it to analyze it. I’d have to say there’s some sort of chemistry that I feel, some sort of connection, something that makes me want to explore the situation a little better.”

  “Exactly!” I pointed to him with one hand and touched the tip of my nose at the same time. “Ding, ding, ding, right answer.”

  He was looking at me like I had lost my mind.

  “See, here’s the thing,” I continued. “I’ve never felt that. I mean, I date these men, and they seem like they should be perfect. Geoff is a prime example. He’s good looking, smart, kind, and successful, right? But I don’t feel anything towards him on a deeper level. I kept thinking it would come, but, well, it just hasn’t. How long does it take for you before you actually feel a spark or something?”

  The waitress dropped my drink off in front of me, but I d
ecided to let it sit for a few minutes after my little dizzy spell. Well, that coupled with the fact that I almost made a fool out of myself by trying to kiss my best friend.

  “I’m a man, Gemma. I imagine we’re not quite wired the same in that respect. I know when I’m attracted to someone, usually fairly quickly. I will say, at least in my opinion, that chemistry is something that would be important for the long-lasting type of relationship you’re looking for. So, you don’t feel anything like that with Geoff?”

  “No. I don’t. He’s such a great guy, and Harper said she thinks he sees us as something that could make it long-term, but I just don’t quite feel like that. It’s like, I’d like for him to be the one, but he’s really just another one in the big picture. Does that make me a horrible person?” I played with the sweat dripping down the side of my glass, sliding my fingers up and down the cool surface.

  “I don’t think so. You can’t help what you feel. Why are you stressing about this? So, Geoff isn’t ‘the one’,” he threw his hands up and made air quotes with his fingers. “So what? You’re young, you have plenty of time to meet the one. Maybe you should focus on finding Mr. Right Now, rather than Mr. Right. And who knows, maybe someday that Now part will just fall off and you’ll see he’s been the one all along?”

  “Who are you, and what have you done with my friend? Baz, are you still in there?” I teased as I leaned forward and examined his handsome features closely, waving my hand in front of his face. “What happened to your brain? Did some alien being take over your mind and just tell me that I might actually find a Mr. Right someday?” I laughed out loud at my own joke. This man who didn’t believe in love, was actually giving me some pretty sage advice. I took a long sip of my new drink.

  “I know you believe in love, Gem. Just because I don’t think it’ll happen for me, doesn’t mean I don’t want it to happen for you.”

  “Well, I hope you’re right because it would be nice to not be a virgin for the rest of my life.” My eyes went wide and I instantly clapped a hand over my mouth. I can’t believe I just blurted that out. Damn you, vodka.

  6

  Baz

  Virgin. The word echoed through my head. I stared into the face of my beautiful friend, astonished by what she had just disclosed to me.

  “What did you just say?” I asked, knowing full well I had heard her correctly. Her reaction to her own admission left no room for confusion.

  She glanced down at the table and shook her head, “That’s what I wanted your opinion on, sort of.”

  “You wanted my opinion on you being a virgin?” I whispered it loudly as I leaned forward.

  I could tell the alcohol had more than loosened her tongue. This was one conversation I could have never predicted us having. I would have never, in a million years, have guessed she was still a virgin. For as close as we were, this had never come up before. I knew she always blushed whenever sex was discussed, but I just thought it had more to do with her being extremely private about sex rather than being uncomfortable.

  “Yes. I mean, no. I wanted your opinion, well not your opinion exactly…” she drew in a long breath. “But ok, so, if I don’t feel a spark, then whoever I’m dating probably doesn’t feel a spark either, right?”

  “I don’t know. I think one person can be more attracted to another in a relationship. That’s why sometimes you see people get asked out by someone they aren’t even remotely interested in.” I saw understanding dawn on her face.

  “That actually makes a lot of sense. So, like in this case, Geoff probably has no idea that I don’t feel about him the way Harper thinks he feels about me.” She gently shook her head. “The thing is, uh, I want to feel something with him. He’s perfect on paper. That’s why I think maybe there’s something wrong with me, like something is broken inside of me. Or I just keep choosing the wrong men. But I’ve dated so many. I should’ve felt something for at least one of them, right? What should I do? Why have I never experienced the stuff of romance novels? Where’s my spark?”

  It was like a slap to my ego to hear she’d never felt a spark. Granted we’d never dated, but I felt a damn spark every time I was in the same room with her. I knew we weren’t a good idea though. I chose my words carefully.

  “I wish I had the answer for you. You need to decide for yourself what you think is the right thing to do.” I knew there had been something off with her and Geoff. I’m surprised to find out it wasn’t him though, it was her.

  “What would you do? Like, if you were in Geoff’s shoes, what would you want the woman to do?” Her blue eyes were pleading with me to give her direction, so I decided to be brutally honest.

  “Honestly? I’d want the woman to end it. I wouldn’t want to be with someone who didn’t really want to be with me. Who wants to feel like someone is settling for them?”

  “You’re so right!” She exclaimed loudly and slapped her hand on the top of the table. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it that way before. I just kept telling myself that he really liked me and I should stick it out because I didn’t want to hurt him. But the truth is, by sticking it out I could hurt him worse, and he deserves better. He’ll find someone who will feel that spark towards him too, someone that will be able to give him everything I can’t.”

  “I don’t think it’s that you can’t, per se. But if you don’t feel it, that’s something that usually can’t be faked for long. And why would you want to waste the energy trying to fake it?”

  Some small part of me was glad to hear that she didn’t have those kinds of feelings for him. This new revelation about her being a virgin though, that made her even more off limits. If I wanted to protect her before, that was now magnified by a thousand.

  “Thanks, Baz. I knew you’d have the answers for me. You really are the best. What would I do without you?” Her red lips parted as she smiled sweetly at me.

  “Lucky for both of us, you’ll never have to find out. I’ll always be here for you.” Hence, the reason for the friend zone. Every time my mind wandered off in the direction of something more, it always came down to the fact that I had made her a promise years ago, and I intended to keep it.

  “Now, I just have to find the right way to break the news to Geoff.” She sighed as she fidgeted with her drink some more. “It just sucks because I hate to hurt people. Ugh. Oh well, it is what it is, I guess. Enough about my depressing love life. Distract me, help me forget.” The plea that fell from her lips made all those elicit images I had banned come roaring back to my mind. “Let’s dance.”

  “Sure.” The live band was covering some seriously good tunes tonight. I pushed back my chair and offered her my hand. Her small palm slid into mine and chills ran up my arm. I watched her closely, and saw her sharp intake of breath.

  No spark, my ass. In that moment, I knew I wasn’t alone in feeling something more than friendship. She definitely felt it too. Which meant I hadn’t misread the situation earlier, and that she had been waiting for me to kiss her. It was a damn shame I couldn’t act on it.

  I turned and led her to the dance floor. She wanted me to help her forget, so that’s what I was going to do. The songs all blended together as the night wore on. Our bodies swayed and ground against each other. Her ass fit perfectly against me and I took a small step back, placing a little distance between us as I again thought of my wet grandma and her wrinkly body for a distraction. We danced and drank both the night and our cares away.

  By the time the night ended, she was stumbling in her stilettos and I was more than content to be the one she leaned on for support. As we left the bar, I realized neither of us was sober enough to drive. “Should I call us an Uber? Or are you ok to walk?” Luckily, Gemma only lived a few blocks away.

  “I think I can walk,” she giggled.

  With one hand around her waist for support we walked most of the way in silence. I tried to ignore how her body fit perfectly against my side.

  “You really are the best, Baz. This night was just what the doc
tor ordered.” She looked up at me, pure gratitude shining out at me. As we rounded the corner to her house I noticed a car parked in her driveway.

  “Are you expecting company?” I tipped my head in the direction I was looking. Her steps quickly faltered.

  “Shit. That’s Geoff’s car.” And like that, the happiness that had been so evident on her face just seconds ago was replaced with dread. “What is he doing here? Damnit, I think he’s ruined my buzz. I intentionally avoided calling him back because I wanted to sort all of this out first.”

  “Looks like your time is up.”

  Geoff got out of his car as we approached. “What’s up, man?” I nodded to him. I wasn’t leaving until Gemma gave me the green light.

  “Gemma, what’s going on here?” He had his hands on his hips, his lips drawn tightly together, anger radiating off him.

  “Hi, Geoff. Baz and I were out for happy hour and we lost track of time I guess,” she shrugged still pressed against my side. “I think I had a little too much to drink. We decided to walk back, rather than drive.”

  “I can see that, Gemma. I got your text. Is this why you didn’t call me back earlier?”

  Possessive much? I thought to myself. Who did this guy think he was? He didn’t own her. She was a grown-ass woman who could do what she wanted, when she wanted.

  “Um, I told you last night, I needed some time. I was taking that time.” She stood up straighter and squared off her shoulders as she looked him in the eye. I was proud of her for standing up for herself.

  “Maybe you should go, Bastian. I’ve got her from here.” Geoff approached reaching out for her.