"Um, I don't think so. The title doesn't ring a bell."
"Oh, maybe next time. You should request it. Or Goodbye Girl. Now that's a classic."
"Pinot noir for our special guest," Peyton said, handing a long-stemmed glass to
Alexis.
"Just in time," Tyler said through clenched teeth. As his best friend, Craig seemed to enjoy Tyler's discomfort a bit too much.
"Thank you," Alexis said, careful not to spill the wine on her dress. "Should we go outside?" Peyton suggested. "The air is perfect tonight." "Sorry about that," he whispered, as they trailed behind the Keelers.
Tyler squeezed her hand and an electric current shot through her body.
"He's just having a good time making you squirm. I think it's pretty funny, actually."
Tyler sighed inwardly. He knew Craig was dying to bust his balls, but he didn't want his dream girl frightened off in the process. He was lucky enough to have this second chance at winning her and he wasn't about to have that chance scuppered by a well-meaning, albeit annoying, friend.
"So what have I missed out in Tyler's life?" asked Alexis good-naturedly, once they were seated on the patio. "I want all the embarrassing details."
Craig eagerly rubbed his hands together.
"Play nice, Craig," his wife warned him. She turned back to Alexis. "As everyone here knows, Tyler is obsessed with his music and with good reason." "Yes, he's very talented," Alexis agreed. "I was afraid he'd be awful and I'd have to find a way to sneak out and never see him again."
Tyler looked at her with mock indignation and she gave him a sly smile in return, taking a delicate sip of her wine. She'd been a wine drinker for a long time, until whiskey had taken over. She'd forgotten how pleasant it felt to have a nice, smooth drink and be sociable.
Their exchange didn't escape Peyton's attention. To her, they seemed to act very much like a couple, whether they realized it or not.
"He spends time outdoors whenever the mood strikes him," Craig offered.
"That's why he's a better surfer than me, that bastard."
"I don't have a wife to cater to, a child to chase after, or a business to run," Tyler said diplomatically.
"You could've had any of those things," Craig countered. "Not like you didn't have the chance."
They fell silent and Alexis sensed a sore subject had inadvertently cropped up.
"Is she coming tonight?" Tyler asked.
Craig shook his head. "She's visiting our grandma in Orlando for Christmas. Grandma Mabel's too old to travel now." Craig turned to Alexis, not wanting to exclude her. "My little sister, Shelby, had a thing for Tyler. Took her a long time to realize that he wasn't going to change his mind about her."