A Malibu Kind Of Romance

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“Julie.”

Raymond grinned and sipped on the drink in his hand. “Nothing, she’s just trying to do a good job.”

“When did we officially make her a partner?”

Raymond chuckled. “We didn’t. Julie always tackles a job like she’s got it. By the time she’s finished putting the pieces together, people wonder why they wouldn’t partner with her.”

Dante was in that exact predicament. She had pulled together the best contractors in the area and drilled them on their ability to perform. After seeing her in action, he wondered why he should look for anyone else.

“She knows her stuff. I thought we were meeting for brunch the other day, and she’s setting up interviews with potential contractors.”

Raymond frowned. “You met her for brunch? When?”

“Tuesday. I thought you knew?”

“I knew she was checking out some contractors but not that she was meeting with you to do that.”

Dante leaned back on the black couch and spread his arms across the back. “I thought she had agreed to a date.”

Raymond sat up straight and put his drink on the table. “You asked her on a date?”

“After you left her at the pool to hang out with that other woman, I didn’t think you’d have a problem.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you thought you were going out with her? I told you about us.”

Dante raised a hand. “Hold up. Us—what us? She was at the party for a second, and you walked away with another woman.”

Raymond slid forward on the chair and tugged on his black leather pants before holding out his hands. “That woman from the party doesn’t mean anything. Julie is the one. The one I’m going to settle down with. After I finish, you know.” Raymond popped his collar. “Enjoying myself.”

“What makes you think she’s going to want to settle down with you after you finish sleeping with half of the female population?”

“Because of the pact we made in college. If we’re both single, then we’ll get together.”

“So you think she’s just going to sit around being single waiting on that day to come?”

“She has so far,” Raymond said smugly. “Julie hasn’t gotten serious about any guy since getting her heart broken a few years back. I was the guy who helped her get through that. We would have hooked up then, but, you know, my career was just starting. She said she didn’t want to hold me back or make me keep promises. So we agreed to be friends.”

“Why does that make you so sure she’s waiting for the day you two can finally be together?”

Raymond grinned and sat back in his chair. He crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, the epitome of someone used to getting his way. “Whenever I need her, she’s there. Don’t get me wrong—I’m there for her, too. We’re cool. She doesn’t bug me about the women I date, but she still calls me when she’s having trouble figuring out a man’s she’s with. I give her advice.”

Dante’s eyes narrowed. “What type of advice?”

“I tell her rules that men date by. Then she ends up calling a dude on his crap, breaks things off and lets me know that, yet again, I helped her out.”

“You’re sabotaging her relationships.”

Raymond shook his head. “No. I tell her what men think. Julie’s smart enough to figure out the rest. Every once in a while she meets a decent fellow, and I tell her that. In the end, she breaks up with them.” Raymond smiled. “Now you understand?”

“Understand what?”

“She’s breaking up with ratchet dudes and good dudes. She’s waiting on us.”

“I see that you’re keeping her waiting in the wings. Besides, I don’t think she sees things the same way you’re seeing them. She says she’s not interested in you.”

“What’s she supposed to say? ‘I’m waiting for the day that Raymond and I can finally be together’?”

Dante knew no woman would admit to holding a torch for one guy for years, but he didn’t believe that was the case with Julie. He’d watched her and Raymond. Granted, it was just one time, but he could tell a lot about what a woman was thinking by watching her. Julie had been happy to see her friend but also annoyed there was a party going on instead of a business meeting. She hadn’t watched Raymond with any sense of longing, and no telltale signs of desire or attraction popped up when they were together. If anything, Dante figured Julie had listened to Raymond’s advice enough to know he was trying to keep her waiting in the wings. Maybe she was doing the same with Raymond, letting him think there was a chance one day so that she could still rely on her friend when she needed him.

Or maybe you don’t want to believe she’s really not interested in you.

“I take it that you’re telling me this because you want me to stay away from Julie,” Dante said.

“I’d prefer it if you would. I really like Julie, and while I don’t think she’ll fall for you, it would be weird later when she and I get together for you two to have history.”

“Do you really like her, or are you just trying to hold on to her?”

The smug look left Raymond’s face. “I do really like her. She’s beautiful, hardworking and confident. I’ve only seen Julie cry once in the years I’ve known her. Once. You know how often women like to throw around tears. I’ve had a crush on her for years, have wanted to get with her just as long, but the timing is never right. If we would have hooked up back when she was hurt, it would have worked for a while but not long.”