Cut It Out

Bridget’s [POV]

"'Bring him to me'?" I repeat with a raised brow. Is he kidding me? "What are you, Henry VIII now?" Unable to help it, I smirk. "What are you going to do, Ben? Behead him?"

His eyes hold mine for an extended moment. "Possibly." He must realize how ridiculous he just sounded because he smiles sexily. "It's tempting."

Our eyes lock and a ripple of electricity zaps in the air between us.

Cut it out.

Silence hangs, but he finally breaks it. "It's good to see you, Didge. I've thought of you often."

My eyes search his. I get a lump of regret in my throat and I just want to shake him for putting me through hell.

I force a smile. "You, too."

I don't mean it. Seeing him only makes it hurt that little bit more, knowing we didn't work out. Unfortunately, I wasn't imagining the chemistry we had. I always had hoped that maybe it had been a dream. I thought that if we ever saw each other again it would be like seeing an old friend in the street—I would feel nothing and be happy that I had moved on and made a life without him.

That's not even close to the truth, though. I feel mad and hurt, and it feels like only yesterday that he left me without a care in the world.

Time has changed nothing. Everything feels magnified.

Damn it!

You're an idiot, Bridget. Stop it. It doesn't matter; it's in the past.

He hesitates for a moment as if wanting to say something. I feel like I do, too, but I don't know what. I mean, there isn't anything to say.

So many things have changed since he left, but one thing sure hasn't: that feeling of affection between us. I just want to wrap my arms around him and tell him I missed him. I frown; the magnetic pull to him is weird... and strong. So strong.

Snap out of it, stupid.

He's an asshole.

"Here you go." The bartender smiles as he hands over the tray of margaritas. I smile, pay, and lift the tray to turn back toward Ben. "I'll see you back at the table?" I ask.

He nods once, clearly distracted, and I make my way through the crowd with my heart hammering in my chest.

Fucking hell. Calm down, I try to tell myself. It's okay. Just because he's here doesn't mean anything.

Stop overreacting, Bridget.

I place the tray on the table and fall into my seat between Tash and Abbie, passing them their drinks. Cameron is telling a story, and everyone is listening attentively, laughing when appropriate, I find myself looking around the table with a broad smile on my face. I'm here with my favorite people in the whole world tonight. Tash and Josh, Cam, Adrian and Abbie—it doesn't get better than this. With Cam, Adrian, Josh, and Tash all living in the States, the times when we get together are sacred.

My people. My favorite people.

Adrian reaches over, takes my hand, and squeezes it reassuringly. My beautiful Adrian.

When he broke up with his boyfriend, Nicholas, and I broke up with Ben all those years ago, we became very close. We even lived together for six months in L.A. when I moved in with him. We speak daily, and he's such a blessing in my life. He knows that I'll be rattled from seeing Ben. I don't have to tell him what I'm thinking... he just knows.

I wonder if Tash knew Ben was coming. Why didn't she say anything?

My question is answered when Natasha's mouth drops open in shock as Ben approaches the table. "Ben!" she shrieks, standing up in excitement.

Abbie's eyes widen, and she snaps them to me. I fake a smile... one that says, Oh, I know.

Natasha and Abbie both stand, and Ben grabs them in an embrace.

"Oh, my God, it's so good to see you." Tash smiles into Ben's shoulder.

"It's been too long," Ben replies as his eyes find me across the table. He turns and kisses Abbie.

"Hey, Abs." He smiles. "Still hot," he teases.

"You know it, big boy." She smiles as she kisses him on the cheek.

He takes his seat next to Joshua, and all eyes fall on him.

"Joshua. Why didn't you tell me Ben was coming?" Natasha asks excitedly.

"Because I didn't know," Joshua smirks. "Sneaky bastard didn't tell anyone but Wilson."

"Why not?" Abbie asks.

Ben's eyes find mine again. "I thought I would surprise you all."

"Surprise!" Tash and Abbie laugh in unison.

"Where have you been since I saw you last?" Cameron asks Ben.

The conversation falls to Ben up the other end of the table. As he answers, I pick up my phone to try to stop myself from hanging on his every word. I can't believe he's here.

Impeccable timing.

I notice a little number '1' on the microphone picture on my phone and I frown. What the hell is wrong with this stupid phone? Why does it keep doing that?

Without realizing it, I frown and try to clear the damn thing.

Adrian frowns across the table, in question, sensing my frustration.

I shake my head, confused. "This stupid phone keeps recording things," I reply.

"Huh?" He frowns.

I shrug. "I don't know, it just randomly comes on and records stuff." I pass it to Adrian and he studies it carefully while I sip my margarita. My nerves are shot with Ben here. I need to be careful and not get drunk, or tell him what I think. Although, what that is I just don't know. You're hot, you're an asshole, you look completely fuckable. Oh, let's just start with Bridget is an idiot!

My thoughts are interrupted.

"And you don't turn it on?" Adrian asks.

I shake my head. "Nope. It's got a mind of its own."

He frowns as he clicks into my settings to try to work it out.

"It's annoying because it's using up all the battery and it keeps running out."

"Joshua?" Adrian asks across the table.

Joshua looks up from his conversation with Ben, unaware of what we're talking about.

"Have a look at this," Adrian says as he passes my phone up to him. Joshua is our resident tech head. Being an app developer and all, he can usually work out most things.

He takes the phone from Adrian and starts to fiddle with it.

"What have you been up to, Abs?" Cam asks across the table. "Still banging like a barn door?"

The table erupts into giggles and I choke on my drink. That is such a Cameron thing to say. Cameron is Joshua's younger brother, and someone very dear to us all. He's never serious for a moment, and it's hard to believe he's a doctor in L.A. He's cheeky as all hell and keeps us amused with his wicked one-liners and sense of humor. He has every woman he meets eating out of his hand.

"Cameron!" Abbie snaps, feigning shock. "For your information, I do not bang like a barn door."

He smiles into his beer. "I beg to differ." His eyes dance with delight as he teases.

"You wish you knew if I banged like a barn door, Cam," she replies flatly.

He raises his glass with a grin.

Joshua frowns. "I think you might need a new phone, Didge." He narrows his eyes as he concentrates. "The engagement seems to be disabled."

I roll my eyes. "Will you speak English? What does that even mean?"

He looks up at me and raises a brow. "It means it's fucked." He hands it back over the table to Natasha, who hands it to me, and I set it on my lap.

"Great," I mutter under my breath.

"God, will you look at this place?" Tash smiles excitedly as she looks around in wonder.

We all look to our backdrop. I forget to look at it sometimes.

"This is the most beautiful city in the world." Tash sighs. "There's just no place like home."

I smile and raise my glass to her. Abbie joins me, and we clink glasses in celebration.

We're at the Opera Bar at the Sydney Opera House, sitting outside on the water's edge at one of the hundred tables. The lit-up Sydney Harbor Bridge is behind us and the reflective lights from all the skyscrapers dance on the water. White circular lanterns line the water's edge. The music has a trendy low beat, and the place is buzzing with eclectic people. This is our hangout. It seems surreal that this is where Abbie and I come for drinks at least once a week. We're truly blessed.

Life is busy, with me being a travel agent and Abbie being a PA for a law firm, but we always catch up at least once a week, no matter what. I came back to Australia just over two years ago. I went to L.A. with Natasha when she moved to be with Joshua, and then sort of fell into the L.A. lifestyle. I love it over there, too. I could easily settle in the States and be happy forever, but I missed my mum and Abbie, and with Tash being out of town on their property in Willowvale, and Adrian being so busy at work—he's the CEO of Joshua's app development company—my time was up. It was good while it lasted, and I'm lucky enough that Joshua flies me back and forth whenever I want on his private jet.

In Stanton Land, money is no option. Natasha married into money, big money, and it has flowed into all our lifestyles. Designers send Natasha clothes, hoping she'll wear them, and she sends them to Abbie and me. Adrian spoils me rotten and buys me everything he thinks would look good on me—the perks of having a gay best friend with impeccable taste and a love of shoes and handbags. Joshua does everything he can to ensure that Natasha is happy living in the States, and if that means flying me, Abbie, and Mum over whenever we want, so be it.

So, effectively, my sister married a billionaire and I live on her coattails. It works well.

"When do you go away, Didge?" Adrian asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Two weeks."

"Is this the work trip?" Tash frowns.

I nod as I sip my drink. My eyes flash to Ben, who's watching me intently.

"Where to?" Cameron asks.

"I go to London, then Ireland and Scotland."

"Lochness Monster territory," Abbie interrupts.

Cam glances over at Ben, who breaks into a cheeky smile. They both drop their heads and begin to chuckle at a private joke.

"What's funny?" I ask.

Ben shakes his head, not wanting to elaborate, and I turn my attention to Cam.

He laughs into his drink.

I narrow my eyes. Private jokes annoy me. "Do tell," I encourage flatly.

Cameron sips his beer as if deciding whether to elaborate. "Ben and I picked up these girls once and we promised them a sighting of the Lochness Monster."

The tables all scrunch up their faces and groan.

"Oh, God." Adrian sighs. "That's so lame. I don't know where you find these stupid women."

Ben laughs out loud, and he pinches the bridge of his nose as he remembers.

Cameron smiles cheekily. "It worked, though." He shrugs. "I unleashed the beast. The myth became a legend."