Enemies with Benefits

Chapter Nineteen

"What in God's name are you wearing?"

Hailey glanced up at me with eyebrows raised. "What do you mean? I was going for the whole 'Cali vibe'. Like a palm tree...beach babe...type...thing?"

"How do I say this...You look like a piece of asparagus."

Her face fell to a look of feigned hatred, and I couldn't help but laugh. Within seconds, she joined in. Even when our bubbling laughter settled, the smile on my face remained glued to my lips. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed being able to joke with a friend without having to watch for knives in my back.

But even still, a knife to the back seemed less painful than guttural loneliness. Well, sometimes.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that. Dramatic ass. Are you ready?"

I glanced down at my tank top and jeans. Frowning, I turned my eyes back to Hailey. "When you said to get dressed, I didn't realize you meant to look actually decent. Do I have to change?"

She rolled her eyes and looped her arm through mine, dragging me with gusto towards the door. "Your outfit won't matter when it's on the floor later."

"On the—What? What'd you do?"

"Nothing! Let's go."

I dug the heels of my shoes into the floor. "Hailey," I warned.

"Seriously, Rach. I haven't, I promise." She held her hand up. "Scout's honor."

"You weren't a scout."

"God, stop overthinking and get your sexy ass out the door! I need bread to soak up all the wine before it hits me like a bus."

_

"This is the best bread I've ever fucking tasted in my entire life."

Hailey moaned and her eyes rolled back in her head. She gripped tight to the roll in her fist and leaned her forehead down, resting it on the edge of the table. Every few moments, her hand would disappear and would return with a large chunk taken off the bread. When it was gone, she kept her head down and blindly fumbled around until her hand landed in the basket and she snagged the last roll.

The waiter returned with eyebrows raised. "Alright! Are we ready to order?"

When Hailey's posture didn't falter, he turned to me. "Is she okay?"

I closed my eyes and nodded, reaching for my glass and frowning in disappointment when I lifted it to my mouth and found it empty. "She's having a moment with the bread. Can I have another, please?" I saw her drink mimicking mine. "Actually, can you make that two?"

With a quick nod, he jotted the additions onto his notepad and left. I looked around for my phone, but it wasn't on the table where I thought I'd left it.

"Dammit," I growled, looking around the floor with no prize in sight.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't find my—"

As I sat up, my eyes met with Hailey's as they bored back at me. She had a wicked gleam in her gaze, and when I looked to the far end of the table, my phone sat face down.

"—phone." I glared over at her with an unspoken accusation blaring from my face.

"I wanna go dance!"

"Hailey, what did you—" my friend shot away from the table and flounced away towards the dancefloor. "Oh, goddammit."

I groaned and folded my forearms on the smooth surface of the table. Leaning down, I dropped my forehead to rest on them, willing the uneasy flutters in my stomach away. When the sound of a glass hitting the table sounded and it shook slightly under my arms, I jolted back upright. In my peripheral vision, I caught sight of the waiter's back, and the two new drinks we'd just asked for were sitting there in front of me, waiting to be consumed. The poor guy looked at me concerned, probably wondering what in hell was wrong with the two of us.