Turning off the oven timer, Duncan pulled out the chicken wings and added them to the spread already on the kitchen island. While he could cook actual meals, when his friends came over, he took the easy route and went with foods that required little more than heating up and takeout. Tonight's menu included some frozen appetizers he'd bought and pizzas.
Alec wasted no time helping himself to the dip when he came back into the kitchen. “I thought Matt would already be here.”
“Me too. He left the office around five.”
They'd met their mutual friend and Duncan's business partner, Matt Sinclair, their freshman year of college. When Alec asked if he could crash at Duncan's for the night, he'd invited Matt over to watch the baseball game and play poker, two things they'd done frequently before Alec moved but not once since the spring.
“Maybe he's ditching us to spend time with Everly.”
Three weeks ago, Duncan would've said yeah, most likely. “I'm not sure he's still seeing her. He hasn't mentioned her to me in over a week, and he's been spending a lot of time here.”
Following the end of a two-year relationship, one he hadn't ended, Matt had moved into the building in January and, at first, spent more time at Duncan's place than his own. In late February, though, he'd started dating again. Now, he only hung around and raided Duncan's fridge every other day when he was between girlfriends. Unfortunately, the guy had done that three out of the last five nights—a clear sign that either Matt and Everly were no longer together or soon wouldn't be.
“No luck convincing Gianna to come with you?” Duncan asked, referring to his favorite cousin and the reason why his best friend now lived on Sanborn Island rather than a few floors above him.
Shaking his head, Alec frowned and opened a beer. “Trust me, I tried.”
He loved being right. “I told you there was no way you'd get her off the island during the week until at least mid-November.”
“If Owen hadn't called in sick for the rest of the week and Shane and Roger weren't already scheduled to have tomorrow off, she would've come with me.”
“Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.”
While Duncan spent his days in an office, his cousin oversaw the landscaping side of her dad's business. In addition to administrative duties, she worked alongside the company's employees. Although not the only landscaping company on the island, May Point Landscaping was the largest. And early spring through late fall was its busiest season, which meant his cousin rarely left the island during those months. When she did, it involved short weekend gateways.
“What would make me feel better is something to eat.”
Alec might not live there, but Duncan didn't consider him a guest either. “Help yourself.” Duncan gestured toward the food as he grabbed a plate and added some of everything to it. “I ordered pizzas too. They should be here—”
The door opened before he finished. “I'm here. The party can start.” Matt's voice reached them in the kitchen, announcing his arrival.
His friend had given him too good an opening to pass up. “Thanks for the warning, so I know it's time to leave. What do you say we head over to Dwyer's and watch the game, Alec?” Duncan asked, referring to a nearby sports pub they often visited.
“You've both been looking forward to spending time with me all day, and you know it.” Entering the kitchen, Matt added three pizza boxes and a six-pack of beer to the island. “The delivery guy was about to ring the bell when I got off the elevator, so I paid him.”
“Thanks. I'll get them next time.”
“You'll never guess who I rode the elevator up with when I got home tonight.” Matt stuffed a jalapeño popper in his mouth and then piled various appetizers onto a plate.
“My fairy godmother?” Duncan went straight for the pizza. If he could only eat one food for the rest of his life, he'd pick pizza.
“You're going to wish it was.”
Matt's smile told him everything he needed to know. Whoever it was, he wasn't going to like it. Unlike some of his friends, he didn't have a string of ex-girlfriends, but he had a few, and they were ex-girlfriends for a reason. Had one of them moved into the building?
“Are you going to tell me or not?” Duncan asked when Matt didn't continue, because you couldn't leave someone hanging after a statement like that.
“Lori Ann.”
Next to him, Alec laughed, and Duncan suppressed the urge to stuff a chicken wing in the guy's mouth.
“I thought she was in New Orleans.”
“Not anymore. The company she works for transferred her back to Boston. She moved back into the building yesterday,” Matt said as he lifted his beer to his lips.
“It must be your lucky day, Duncan.” Alec barely managed to keep a straight face when he commented.
“She asked about you, and when I mentioned we were playing poker tonight, she told me to say hello.”