On the Outside Looking In (Wrong Reasons) by JL Paul

by checking out online – looking at different styles and colors.”
    “I’ve got a bunch of bride magazines,” Jessica said.  “From my sister’s wedding.  I’ll bring them to work tomorrow.”
    “Thanks,” Irelyn said.
    “I have an entire file on my laptop,” Jessica continued.  “All sorts of notes and stuff about her wedding.  I’ll bring my laptop over one day and we can go through it.”
    I refrained from rolling my eyes.  I didn’t want to bring any sort of negativity to the festivities.  Irelyn was as gleeful as I’d ever seen her and Bailey, despite the act, was positively radiant.
    “And,” Jessica said, shifting her focus to Bailey.  “My sister’s best friend just had a baby.  My sister threw a shower for her.  I bet I can get stuff from my sister…”
    “I’m not worrying about a shower at this moment,” Bailey said as she got up to refill her mug.  “It’s a little early for that.”
    “Oh, okay,” Jessica said, slumping into Spencer.  He slid an arm around her.
    Bailey returned to her seat, facing me.  “What have you been up to lately?  Seeing anyone?”
    “No,” I said as a blush crept up my neck.  “I’ve just been working and studying.”
    “Um, hm,” Bailey said, biting back a smirk.  “Then who was that guy walking with you on campus the other day?  I saw him get into your car.”
    My brow furrowed as I struggled to remember, finally realizing what she meant.  “Oh, you mean Evan.”
    “Evan?” Irelyn asked, leaning forward.  “Does he go to Dunne-Browling?”
    “No,” I said.  “He comes into Beans sometimes, that’s all.”
    “Evan from Rusty’s?” Jessica asked, eyes narrowed.  “Evan McNew?”
    “Yes,” I said.  “He’s just a friend.  He asked me for a ride the other day and I gave him one.”
    “Evan from Rusty’s?” Irelyn asked as she looked at Jessica.  “I don’t know an Evan.”
    “He’s a part-time bartender,” Jessica said.  “He knows Rusty.”
    “I know who you’re talking about,” Bailey said.  “He’s that good looking guy that tends bar on Fridays.  The one all the girls are stupid over.”
    That wasn’t the Evan I knew.  Sure, he was good looking, but I’d never seen any girls fawn over him or anything.  Well, maybe Manda, but I hadn’t seen her since that one day in Beans.
    “He’s a manwhore, Morg,” Bailey said, blowing on her tea before taking a sip.  “At least, that’s what I hear.”
    “Evan McNew,” Lucas said.  “Didn’t he run around with Owen?”
    I swallowed as the air grew heavy and eyes avoided one another.
    “I know who you’re talking about,” Collin said.  “I’ve seen him at Rusty’s.”
    Desperately I wanted the conversation to shift.  I rifled through the files in my head, hoping to find something to throw out – something that would distract everyone – but couldn’t find anything.
    “Watch out for him, Morg,” Spencer said, all humor gone from his eyes.  Perhaps he was remembering what a jerk Owen was.
    “There’s nothing to watch out for,” I said.  “Evan is a friend, that’s all.  And I wouldn’t really even call him a friend, I guess.  We just talk from time to time.”
    “He seems all right to me,” Lucas said as he got up to retrieve another round of beers.  “I’ve talked to him a few times.  I don’t think he’s like Owen.”
    “But if he’s a friend of Owen’s, you need to watch out,” Collin said, steel in his eyes. 
    Lips pursed, I accepted another beer from Lucas, nothing left to say.
     
    ***
    “What are you doing tonight?” Dante asked as he mixed up a complicated coffee drink.  I watched, amazed at his talent.
    “I don’t know,” I said.
    “It’s Friday,” he said, shaking a can of whipped cream.  He sprayed a tall, swirly design on top of the drink before handing it to me with a smile.  “You need to get out and do something fun.”
    Turning my back on him, I delivered the drink to the waiting