Isn't It Bromantic (Bromance Book Club #4) by Lyssa Kay Adams

            Yan whistled. “Damn. That’s some deep shit. We’re getting somewhere now, boys.”

            Colton reached for the bag of crackers. “Hey, speaking of going deep, when will there be some sex in this book?”

            Vlad shifted uncomfortably. The fear of his own backstory being discovered had suddenly pulled up a chair and started telling that’s what she said jokes. He’d promised to stop keeping things from the guys, but some secrets did not need to be revealed. “I don’t know,” he finally said.

            “How about a kiss?” Noah asked. “Will that at least be in the next chapter?”

            “I don’t know,” Vlad repeated, more forcefully now. “They are both too vulnerable.”

            “Fair enough,” Malcolm said. “Just remember that fear of vulnerability—physical or emotional—is usually a fear of something else.”



* * *



            * * *

            The ToeBeans Café.

            Wasn’t that the name of the café that Noah’s fiancée owned? The one with the gluten-free muffins that Vlad liked? Elena was running some errands for the party while Vlad was at Colton’s for some kind of playdate, and when she saw the sign for the café, she turned around and parked across the street.

            The café was located in an artsy section of Nashville, where cute shops and restaurants lined the sidewalks. In front of the building, an outdoor dining space held four tables with umbrellas, and most of them were taken when Elena walked up. The line inside was nearly to the door, which jingled when she opened it. The blast of air-conditioning was a welcome relief from the humidity outside. Her Medill sweatshirt was way too heavy for June in Tennessee. She really needed to get some new clothes soon.

            Elena took her spot at the end of the line and practiced what she might say when or if she actually met Alexis at the counter. This sort of thing did not come naturally to her. As a journalist, she could fake it. As a person, not so much.

            She didn’t have to practice long, though, because someone suddenly gasped. “Elena?”

            Elena turned to the left. A woman she recognized from Mack’s wedding was quickly approaching. She wore an apron with the café’s logo on it and had her curly hair piled high on her head in a messy bun. A colorful, bohemian scarf was tied around it, the long ends flowing down her back.

            “Alexis?” Elena asked tentatively.

            The woman beamed with a wide smile. “Oh my gosh, it is you!” Before Elena could say more than a quick hello, Alexis threw her arms around Elena’s neck in a tight, quick embrace.

            “I can’t believe you recognized me,” Elena admitted. After all, they hadn’t actually been introduced at the wedding.

            “A face like yours is hard to forget,” Alexis said, pulling back.

            Was it a good thing that she had a face that wasn’t easy to forget? Alexis seemed too nice for it to mean something bad.

            “I’m so glad you’re here,” Alexis said. “What brings you by?”

            “I was out getting some things for the party this weekend—”

            Alexis let out a little squeal and gripped Elena’s elbows. “We are all so excited about the party.”

            “—and I drove past the restaurant and recognized the sign. I thought I would come in and say thank you for the pastries you gave us and maybe pick up some more.”

            “Oh my gosh, you are so welcome.” Alexis tugged on her elbow. “Come on. Friends don’t wait in line.”

            Elena followed, the word friend an unfamiliar wiggly thing burrowing in her chest. She didn’t have friends. Vlad had been her only true friend, and well . . . things were different now between them. Even if it had felt for a moment like old times during breakfast yesterday, her reaction to the simple act of hugging him afterward had been a quick reminder of how much the old days had changed.

            Alexis led her to a table by the window. “Have a seat. Can I bring you something to drink?”

            “Oh no. You’re so busy. I don’t want to take up your time.”