would be an understatement.
“Happy Friday to you, too. Want me to pick up a souvenir flask for you?”
“Cut the small talk. You goin’ cock-calling, Callahan?”
Such a way with words. “If you’re asking do I plan to visit the animals at Circus Circus, I hate to disappoint you, but the answer’s no.”
“Well, in case you were planning on a few rounds, don’t. You’ve got a meeting with Ace at The Chandelier at eight tonight.”
Her words pinned me to my spot. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Val…”
Her voice, like melted butter, tried to smooth me over. “Such a happy coincidence that he’ll be there at the same time, don’t you think?”
No, no. No way did I want to meet yet another up himself celebrity, and definitely not during Paige’s birthday weekend. Why would she give him up to me anyway? Miss Cherry-Poppin’ red dress and all.
“But…I thought this was something you wanted to handle,” I said, even though it was pointless to waste my breath. I’d be going whether I wanted to or not, but I wasn’t going to be a pushover.
“And I was under the assumption you wanted a promotion.”
“What am I supposed to be meeting with him about exactly?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find plenty to talk about.”
With a sigh, I said, “So you’re telling me you want me to meet with Ace, as in Ace Locke…at a bar…alone.”
“A bar isn’t exactly private, Shayne.”
Realization hit me in the face with the force of a Mack truck. Oh bugger. “Is this a date? This is a date, isn’t it? Please tell me you’re not setting me up with him at a bar in Vegas while I should be celebrating my best friend’s birthday.”
“I don’t know why you have to put a label on everything—”
“And not just a date,” I said. “A date with a celebrity, which I told you after the Pepé Le Pew disaster I’d never do again.”
“Okay, now you’re just being picky. I’m positive Ace doesn’t do voices. For Christ’s sake, he’s not method.”
With a frustrated growl, I slammed the boot shut. As I came around the car, Ryleigh and Quinn were giving me curious looks, but I shook my head and pointed to my phone.
“I’m off this weekend, Val. I put in my request months ago.”
“Most people would jump at the chance to be in your shoes.”
I rubbed my forehead to alleviate the throbbing that had suddenly come up. Part of my job description was knowing how to pick my battles with my boss, and this was one I knew better than to cross her on.
“Fine,” I mumbled.
“I didn’t hear that.”
“I’ll be there.”
“A ‘thank you so much for this incredible opportunity’ would’ve sufficed as well, but that would be too much for you, I suppose. Make sure to wear something skimpy to show off those toothpicks, would you.”
“Right on top of that, Val.”
“Don’t drop the ball. Or balls,” she said before the line went dead.
“Oh come on , ” I muttered, shoving my phone in my back pocket and stamping my foot for good measure.
“Please tell me that wench isn’t making you stay here this weekend. I’ll kill her,” Ryleigh said.
“No…but—” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Paige attempting to roll her bag down the long outside staircase, and I jogged over to help her.
“Oh, for the love of fuck,” Paige said as she struggled to keep her oversized suitcase from falling down the stairs and dragging her behind it. I grabbed the handle from her and heaved it down the remaining steps.
“Thank you,” she managed, leaning against the rail and catching her breath.
“I’d ask you why you need this much stuff for a two-night trip, but I don’t dare antagonize the birthday girl,” I said, rolling her bag toward the trunk.
“I appreciate that, Shayne. Lemme go grab the other one.”
I whirled around. “The other—”
Before I could get out the rest of my sentence, she was back inside the house. The boot was already full to bursting,
“Happy Friday to you, too. Want me to pick up a souvenir flask for you?”
“Cut the small talk. You goin’ cock-calling, Callahan?”
Such a way with words. “If you’re asking do I plan to visit the animals at Circus Circus, I hate to disappoint you, but the answer’s no.”
“Well, in case you were planning on a few rounds, don’t. You’ve got a meeting with Ace at The Chandelier at eight tonight.”
Her words pinned me to my spot. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Val…”
Her voice, like melted butter, tried to smooth me over. “Such a happy coincidence that he’ll be there at the same time, don’t you think?”
No, no. No way did I want to meet yet another up himself celebrity, and definitely not during Paige’s birthday weekend. Why would she give him up to me anyway? Miss Cherry-Poppin’ red dress and all.
“But…I thought this was something you wanted to handle,” I said, even though it was pointless to waste my breath. I’d be going whether I wanted to or not, but I wasn’t going to be a pushover.
“And I was under the assumption you wanted a promotion.”
“What am I supposed to be meeting with him about exactly?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find plenty to talk about.”
With a sigh, I said, “So you’re telling me you want me to meet with Ace, as in Ace Locke…at a bar…alone.”
“A bar isn’t exactly private, Shayne.”
Realization hit me in the face with the force of a Mack truck. Oh bugger. “Is this a date? This is a date, isn’t it? Please tell me you’re not setting me up with him at a bar in Vegas while I should be celebrating my best friend’s birthday.”
“I don’t know why you have to put a label on everything—”
“And not just a date,” I said. “A date with a celebrity, which I told you after the Pepé Le Pew disaster I’d never do again.”
“Okay, now you’re just being picky. I’m positive Ace doesn’t do voices. For Christ’s sake, he’s not method.”
With a frustrated growl, I slammed the boot shut. As I came around the car, Ryleigh and Quinn were giving me curious looks, but I shook my head and pointed to my phone.
“I’m off this weekend, Val. I put in my request months ago.”
“Most people would jump at the chance to be in your shoes.”
I rubbed my forehead to alleviate the throbbing that had suddenly come up. Part of my job description was knowing how to pick my battles with my boss, and this was one I knew better than to cross her on.
“Fine,” I mumbled.
“I didn’t hear that.”
“I’ll be there.”
“A ‘thank you so much for this incredible opportunity’ would’ve sufficed as well, but that would be too much for you, I suppose. Make sure to wear something skimpy to show off those toothpicks, would you.”
“Right on top of that, Val.”
“Don’t drop the ball. Or balls,” she said before the line went dead.
“Oh come on , ” I muttered, shoving my phone in my back pocket and stamping my foot for good measure.
“Please tell me that wench isn’t making you stay here this weekend. I’ll kill her,” Ryleigh said.
“No…but—” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Paige attempting to roll her bag down the long outside staircase, and I jogged over to help her.
“Oh, for the love of fuck,” Paige said as she struggled to keep her oversized suitcase from falling down the stairs and dragging her behind it. I grabbed the handle from her and heaved it down the remaining steps.
“Thank you,” she managed, leaning against the rail and catching her breath.
“I’d ask you why you need this much stuff for a two-night trip, but I don’t dare antagonize the birthday girl,” I said, rolling her bag toward the trunk.
“I appreciate that, Shayne. Lemme go grab the other one.”
I whirled around. “The other—”
Before I could get out the rest of my sentence, she was back inside the house. The boot was already full to bursting,
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