Always You: A Lilac Bay Novel (Friends with Benefits) by Lucy Riot, Rachel Schurig

with Mike,” I told him.
    “No, she hooked up with him,” Libby said, grinning. “There wasn’t much going out involved, if I remember correctly. You mostly stayed in.” Of course that got a lot of laughs from the table.
    “I’d just like to make it known that I hate all of you,” I told them.
    “Oh, come on,” Libby said. “We just want to help. I’m sure between the lot of us we can find you a nice guy.”
    “I do not need you to find me a nice guy,” I snapped, feeling more than a little embarrassed. What did they think I was—a charity case? Did I really seem that hopeless when it came to men?
    “That’s right,” Andrew said, and I felt a rush of gratitude towards him. It was short lived. “Riley doesn’t need a guy. Dating isn’t her thing.”
    Hang on a second. What was that supposed to mean?
    “Of course she doesn’t need a guy,” Libby said. “But that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have one. She’s a fun, beautiful, intelligent woman. Any guy would be lucky to have her. She’s a catch.”
    “ Riley? ” Andrew practically howled. “What would Riley do with a guy? She’d chase him away by challenging him to arm wrestle or something.”
    I glared at him. “Shut up, Andrew.”
    “Hey, I’m just saying—”
    “No one is interested in what you’re saying,” Libby said. Then she turned to me. “He’s an idiot.”
    “Oh, I’m well aware.”
    “I think you’d make a great girlfriend,” Jenny said, before immediately blushing. “Not for me. I mean, for a guy. Of course. I don’t want to date you.”
    “Calm down,” I muttered, reaching for my beer. “No one thinks you want to date me.”
    “Oh, good,” she said, visibly relaxing. “Because I don’t.”
    This was just great. My closest girl friend was falling all over herself to make it clear that she didn’t want to date me, while my best guy friend told everyone that I would make a shitty girlfriend. The rush I had been riding all evening over my performance in the game was quickly fading away.
    “Hey,” Libby said, shaking my shoulder. “I mean it. You’re a catch, Riley James. We just need to find you a guy who’s worthy.”
    “You think so?” I asked, daring to look up from my beer for long enough to check her expression. She looked completely genuine.
    “Of course I do. And I’m going to help you find someone.”
    I heard Andrew snort from his end of the table and a flash of anger shot through me. So he thought I wasn’t decent girlfriend material, huh? That was so typical of him, always thinking he knew everything about everything. Maybe I would just have to show him that he didn’t know everything about me.
    I turned to Libby, about to tell her that she was welcome to set me up, when Cora appeared at our table. “Hey,” she said. “Sorry, I’m totally swamped. Who here still needs to order?”
    “You need some help back there?” Zane asked.
    “Yeah, Cora, bring him back,” Edward said. “He’s pretty great at whipping a kitchen staff into shape.”
    “We’re just short staffed,” she said. “Jonny is out sick tonight.”
    “If by out sick you mean nursing a day-long hangover,” Posey muttered.
    “Need a hand?” David asked. “I could sling a couple burgers.” David could do a lot more than sling burgers. He was, hands down, the best chef on the entire island. He currently worked for Edward and Zane over at Rose’s where his food was a must try for anyone stepping foot on the island.
    “Don’t be silly,” Cora said, wiping her forehead. “You don’t work here anymore, David. Besides, you’re a guest.”
    “Oh, don’t give me that guest crap.” He stood. “Let me help you get some orders out.”
    Cora looked to Iris. “You don’t mind?”
    “Are you kidding?” she asked, pushing on her boyfriend’s arm a little. “Take him off my hands. We were about to start some juicy girl talk over here, which I can’t possibly do with him sitting next to me.”
    “Girl talk,