Not If I Date You First

Chapter 33

ADA

I have Liam's driver drop me off at Jitters instead of my house after the party. I need to fix this weirdness lingering between Elodie and me, and I also really need my best friend right now.

It's a little after eleven by the time I get there. The coffee shop is closed, but I'm not at all surprised to see Elodie standing behind the counter, still hard at work. She's as dedicated to achieving her goals as I am. It's one of the many reasons we're friends.

What I am surprised by is the fact that she's holding a blowtorch and not the tiny, fits-in-one-hand kind of blowtorches I've seen on the Food Network. This thing's got a canister at least a foot long on it. Either she's attempting some crazy new drink, or she's decided to burn the place to the ground.

I tap my knuckles against the glass where a sign hangs reading, 'Sorry we're closed. Bean back tomorrow morning.'

Elodie's head snaps up. She doesn't smile when she sees me, but she does walk over to the door and undoes the deadbolts with a series of clicks.

"You look very Hollywood," she says as she takes in my dress and updo.

"Right." I glance down, running a hand over my silky skirt. "But you know what would've been awesome is if my best friend had been the one to help me get ready instead of some stylist. Who, I might add, was a lot less competent than you with a curling wand."

"Yeah, well." Elodie shrugs. "I definitely would've pulled out a couple more curls from your braid."

"See! Els, I'm a disaster without you."

"I mean, I wouldn't go straight to disaster." A small, almost smile tugs at her lips. "You do look kind of amazing."

"Thank you." I fidget with the handles of my gift bag. "Elodie, I'm so sorry. I've been a terrible friend lately. I got so caught up in this job and now Liam. And I know those aren't good excuses, but I've never liked a guy like this before, and I just...I'm sorry."

Elodie's eyes soften ever so slightly. "You really like him, don't you?"

"I really do." Just thinking about Liam has a goofy smile stretching across my lips.

"Well, then, I think I'm going to have to forgive you because I've got to hear all about the boy who's making you smile like that."

"Yeah?" I ask, grinning hopefully at her.

"I guess." She huffs out a sigh through her nose. "I mean, I owe you an apology too. I should've been there for you tonight, but I was too busy acting like an ice queen. I was just feeling left out of your new celebrity lifestyle."

"I do not have a celebrity lifestyle."

Elodie hoists an eyebrow, looking pointedly down at the gown I'm wearing.

"Okay, maybe a little bit."

Elodie sighs. "It was just obvious that Liam was totally into you, and I thought it would be so cool if we were both dating celebrities. But then Wesley made it clear he wasn't really interested, and I guess I got kind of jealous."

"Oh, Els. Wes is an idiot."

"Oh, he is for sure an idiot." Elodie's eyes are shiny as she looks down at the recently swept floor.

"I'm so sorry if I made you feel left out. That's the last thing I ever wanted to do."

"I just don't want us to be those people who say they're going to be best friends forever and then drift apart after high school. I thought you were going to get all swept away by Liam and leave me behind."