“I apologized for that,” said Lena. “I can’t throw for the life of me. How was I to know I’d actually manage to hit you?”

“When you’re half asleep it’s hard to duck in time when shit comes flying at your head.”

“Poor baby.” Lena drew him in, kissing his furrowed brow.

“Lizzy cried every time she saw a show or a TV ad with an animal or family in it,” added Ben, the big, bearded dude. “Made watching anything impossible.”

The blonde in his lap scowled. “I had feelings. Deal with it. We can’t all be stalwart and repressed, Benjamin.”

Ben just raised his brows. Men. So stupid.

Over by the wall, Ziggy, Sam, and Bon were chatting. On the couch, Ben and David started talking about a new producer they wanted to work with. Which left Lena making weird noises in my direction for some reason.

“Pssst. Mae, I need to speak to you in the bathroom.”

“Um, okay.” I set aside my drink and followed her into the hallway. We didn’t even make it into the bathroom before she turned on me in the doorway. Heads together, she grabbed my shoulders to ensure I had no chance of escape. Nope. I was trapped. “What are we doing?”

“We’re talking.”

“About?”

Her glossy red lips curled into a grin. “What do you think of Adam?”

“Well, I’m sure he’s a very nice young man,” I said. “And he makes great music. I was jogging to his album just the other day.”

“Mae, get with the program. I mean as in you and him dating. Duh.” She flicked her hair.

“Don’t you flick your hair at me, young lady.”

“I will when you’re being deliberately obtuse.”

“Oh my God. You haven’t talked to him about me, have you?” I sighed. “Lena. Please. Tell me this isn’t a setup.”

“Of course it’s not a setup. Relax.”

“Phew.”

“So…” She waited not so patiently.

“Forget it. I’m done with fuck boys, no matter how seemingly nice, pretty, or talented they may be.”

“He’s not a fuck boy…exactly. He’s just young.”

“Yeah. That’s kind of my point.”

Now it was her turn to sigh. And she did so heavily. There was even some impressive heaving of breasts. “You know, you’re going to have to get over your idiot ex eventually.”

“I am over him. But there were lessons to be learned there.” I leaned forward and smacked a kiss upon her cheek. “Thank you, but I don’t want to date your younger, exciting rock’n’roll dude. My next boyfriend will be someone loyal and dependable, staid and ever so slightly safe and boring.”

She just wrinkled her nose.

“My dream man will be home every night in time for dinner. Isn’t even on any social media. He’ll enjoy such pursuits as stamp collecting, bird spotting, and macramé.”