How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,24

woman saying I favor men over them or whatever bullshit that they say.”

“Right,” I said.

My uncle was an asshole. And a pervert.

It was a shock he hadn’t been sued yet by someone.

“The three of us,” he said. “All we have to do is offer. If she says no, then it’s guys night out.”

I leaned forward and grinned. “Well, let’s make it interesting. Why not go down to Langer’s?”

“You devious prick,” Vince said with a laugh.

“What? We can get a drink. Right?”

“And a lap dance.”

“That’s an amenity.”

“Those girls are expensive.”

“You’ve got the cash,” I said.

Vince laughed again. “You think Callie will go for it?”

“I don’t care,” I said. “We tell her we’re going to celebrate. It’s a gentlemen’s club. But women are allowed. Why not?”

Vince shook his head. “You two… you’re either going to make me richer or bring this entire place down.”

“You can fix that by getting rid of her,” I said.

“Not going to happen, nephew,” Vince said. “But I like the plan. I’m in the mood for a little fun myself. I’ll make the call. Get us a nice table. Private dancers. The works.”

“Sounds good,” I said. I put my whiskey glass down on the desk. “I’ll go tell Callie the good news.”

I walked out of the office smiling ear to ear.

No way in hell Callie was going to join Vince and I at a strip club.

Could you imagine her getting a lap dance from a stripper?

Well, I could imagine anything.

But in reality… nah. It wouldn’t happen.

But if she decided to come…

It would end up a night both of us wouldn’t forget.

Chapter Twelve

Callie

I went to get a coffee and came back to find Jackson standing at my desk. Holding my elephant statue in his hand. Looking suspiciously at it.

When I cleared my throat, he turned and smiled at me.

“Are you checking out your new office?” I asked. “You don’t mind the smaller one, right? I’m going to give Misha your office.”

Jackson laughed. He wiggled the elephant statue. “That’s a hell of a hard trunk on this guy.”

“Of course you’d notice that. Jealous?”

“Of what?”

“How much bigger that is than yours.”

“You saw me naked, Callie.”

“That’s my point.”

Jackson put the statue down. “You can’t stop thinking about what I’m packing. It’s okay to admit. Maybe if you’re nice to me, I’ll show it to you.”

“That’s sweet of you to say,” I said.

“I show you mine, you show me yours?”

“Sad,” I said. “Did you run out of cheap fucks at bars? You came here to negotiate with me?”

“Are you a cheap fuck?”

“You couldn’t afford me with all of your uncle’s money,” I said.

“Goddamn,” Jackson said. “High-class ass.”

“Is there something you wanted?” I asked.

“Why do you have an elephant statue?”

“For good luck.”

“You don’t believe in that garbage, Callie.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve heard you complain fifteen hundred times about it,” Jackson said. “It’s quite annoying actually. You’re so cold and heartless.”

“Get out of my office, Jackson,” I said. “And for the record, it was a gift from my mother. She’s the one who believes in that stuff. So forgive me for appreciating a gift from my mother.”

“Sorry,” Jackson said.

He jumped back from my desk as I moved toward him.

“What do you want?” I asked again.

“Vince wants to celebrate tonight,” he said. “Of course, I told him we can’t celebrate without you.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious,” Jackson said. “So tonight we’re going out. The three of us.”

“Let me guess… you picked somewhere I wouldn’t ever want to go, right?”

“Hardly,” he said.

“Then where?”

“A strip club.”

I laughed. “Exactly.”

“What? You can’t appreciate a woman’s body the way I can?”

“Oh, I can, Jackson,” I said. “I can just look in the mirror at myself. I don’t need to pay to see.”

“I’m sure you pay,” he said. “You suffer to be you. I can see it in your eyes.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What time?”

“For what?”

“To go out,” I said.

“Really?”

“What? Think I can’t handle myself at a strip club? You do know that most strippers love hanging around other women, right? I’ll have a much better time than you will, Jackson.”

His lip started to lift with annoyance.

Did I want to go to a strip club?

Hell no.

Was I going to let Jackson bully me out of a chance to show face with Vince?

Hell. No.

“I’ll let you know,” Jackson said. “Vince is making the arrangements. We’re going to have our own private table. And dancer.”

“Perfect,” I said. “I’ll find something nice to wear. And I’ll bring lots of money too. This is exciting.” I reached up and touched Jackson’s steel framed jaw. “Thanks for the