Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“I’m trying to show TJ that his past isn’t coming back to haunt him,” Lou explained. “And it might be fun to catch up.”
“There is absolutely no one from high school that I feel the need to catch up with,” Kala complained. “They were terrible then. They’ll be terrible now. And I don’t even get to tell everyone what an awesome job I have. I’m supposed to say I work for my dad. Everyone thought I would end up working for my dad because no other human on earth would hire me.”
Lou bit back a laugh because that had been a whole thing.
“I was voted most likely to end up in prison,” Zach countered. “It wasn’t like in the yearbook or anything, but everyone knew.”
They all stopped to look at Zach. He was the only member of the team they hadn’t grown up with, so sometimes the man was a mystery.
He shrugged. “My family had some unsavory connections. The military did me some good. I’m just saying I wouldn’t mind showing all those assholes I didn’t end up doing twenty to life.”
“I don’t care how they’re doing except for Dennis.” TJ was thoroughly single-minded.
Cooper snorted from behind her. “Well, they can’t be doing too well if they’re meeting at this rattrap bar.”
“Isn’t The Hideout three blocks from here?” TJ pointed out.
“Hey, it’s a city. Things change very quickly,” Cooper said firmly. “You can walk a block or two and it’s a whole new neighborhood.”
It could be, but not in this case, though she wasn’t about to point that out to Cooper. He had an irrationally inflated sense of the club’s monetary worth. Probably because every dime he had was invested in it.
Though Lou loved it all the same, and she was looking forward to playing there tonight. Although she would probably have to take another plug. She’d tried to argue with TJ, but he’d started talking about exotic lubes, and she’d decided this was one of those times he was in charge and she needed to follow.
She was pretty sure he viewed watching endless episodes of Selling Sunset with his cousins as just as painful. Reality TV was TJ’s butt plug, and he managed to smile through it.
“I’m up for either. The bullets or the frat guys, though I probably want to fight the latter.” Zach moved beside Kala. “It’s been a while since I got the old adrenaline up.”
Kala rolled her eyes. “You’re not getting anything up tonight. I know these assholes. They were awful in high school. They’ll be awful now. Although you sometimes have terrible taste in women.”
Lou stopped at the corner, waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green. She was sure Kala would plow through, but this was her mission. Her probably dumb mission that had exploded in a way only her team could manage. “You know you don’t have to come along. I meant for this to be me and TJ. I’m not sure why the rest of you are here.”
Oh, she knew. They were nosy. So nosy and always in her business, and they formed a chain. Kala had decided to go, so naturally Cooper had to tag along to make sure Kala didn’t get like murdered or something or commit murder that wasn’t sanctioned by the Agency, and then Zach hadn’t had anything to do and Kenzie had argued that she should be allowed to come along, but Ben Parker was somewhere in Dallas with the Brits, and in a city of one point two million, they couldn’t risk him running into two Ms. Magentas. Tasha had stayed behind with Kenzie to monitor a couple of things before they headed to the club, and Tristan was still doing whatever Tristan did. Otherwise, the gang would all be here.
“We don’t have to be.” Zach was dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, looking like just another guy out to have some fun after work. “Personally, I think we should head to the club and have fun there instead. I’m with Lou. This dude is meaningless to what we’re working on.”
Kala frowned. “You’re not the one who has to hide in the locker room because your twin is panting after a possibly deranged Canadian. God, even saying those words feels weird. What does a rabid beaver look like?”
Not like gorgeous Ben Parker. The signal finally changed, and Lou started across the street. The lights were beginning to come on, neon illuminating the way as evening turned to night.
She and TJ had never been to a club together. Not one that didn’t have a bunch of St. Andrew’s Crosses on the walls. They’d never been dancing and drinking. Instead, they’d sat at home and watched TV and talked and played games. They went to family gatherings together and walked the dogs.
They’d had a life together, just not the one TV shows told her equaled romance.