One Night Stand-In (Boyfriend Material #3) - Lauren Blakely Page 0,10
Luna’s sister, and I understand you’re frustrated with her and Rowan. Is there any chance we can talk about perhaps an easier way for me to retrieve their items? Since she’s out of town and all.
I look forward to hearing back.
My best,
Lola
To: Lola Dumont
From: Harrison Bates
Subject: Re: FW: Let’s Break Up Early!
Sure! The easier way is to wait for her to come back and then Loudmouth and Louder-mouth can do it themselves! And then they’ll lose their security deposit! Also, that’s super nice of you to do it for them. If you get it back, they should give you their security deposit as a thanks!
Harrison
I groan, then find the sexy ex’s—I mean Lucas’s—phone number on the email from my sadistic sister and send him a text.
Lola: I have one day to devote to this sibling assignment. I’ll meet you at their place tonight at seven.
Lucas: Whoa. How about a “Hello? How are you? How have you been, my old friend?”
Lola: Are you really going to correct my social graces at this particular moment? Also, “old friend”? Revisionist historian, much?
Lucas: My memory is irrefutable. There was definitely friendship before you smothered it.
Lola: Ah, yes. I was the sole one responsible for the smothering. You had nothing to do with it.
Lucas: See? My point exactly. But enough about the past. I was hoping you’d at the very least try to ply me with dinner and drinks before you attempted to get me in bed at your sister’s place.
Lola: If I were trying to get you in bed—something that wouldn’t even happen as a way to pass the time during a zombie apocalypse—such a tryst would never occur in my sister’s bed.
Lucas: Ah, my mistake. You did say we should meet at their place, so I presumed you wanted to have your way with me. I guess another reason might be to try to negotiate with Mr. Bates. Perhaps you’ll have better luck. I attempted to rationalize with him.
Lola: And how did those efforts go?
Lucas: I would say “not well” is a fair way to describe them. But I’ll screenshot them so you can see for yourself. Here you go.
To: Harrison Bates
From: Lucas Xavier
Subject: FW: Let’s Break Up Early!
Hey,
This is Rowan’s brother. Let’s cut to the chase and put this mess behind us. What do you need to just hand over their stuff and move on?
Lucas
To: Lucas Xavier
From: Harrison Bates
Subject: Re: FW: Let’s Break Up Early!
Hello Lucas!
I’d have to check my running tab of time lost, creativity sapped, and weeks of writer’s block on account of Loudmouth and Louder-mouth. Hold on.
Be right back . . .
Okay! I calculated it.
How’s $5679?
If that works for you, it’s good with me! Otherwise, have fun! That’s all this is—just some fun and games.
Harrison
To: Harrison Bates
From: Lucas Xavier
Subject: Re: Re: FW: Let’s Break Up Early!
Sounds more like payback. And the answer is no.
To: Lucas Xavier
From: Harrison Bates
Subject: Re: Re: Re: FW: Let’s Break Up Early!
But payback can be fun for all parties involved. I swear!
Gobsmacked, I stare at the screenshot. Amy was right—Harrison is delightfully peeved. Wait. Make that gleefully. I slump in my chair, groaning. “Luna, what have you gotten me into?”
But there’s no time to wallow. The sooner I handle my sister’s mess, the sooner I can put it in the rearview mirror.
I tap out a reply to Lucas, lest he think he’s the only one who searched for an alternative.
Lola: I reached out to him as well and was similarly rebuffed.
Lucas: As you can see, I took the liberty of rebuffing his offer. But if you want to fork over some green, feel free. (Also, to your point about trying to get me between the sheets, I assure you, bed with me is an excellent way to pass the time, zombie apocalypse or not.)
Lola: Let me go ahead and file that under things that will never happen. And just to be 100 percent clear—something that may confound you—I suggested meeting at their place to go through the list, not to bed you. Let’s focus on the task and get it done.
Lucas: Was it really a suggestion though? Seemed more like an order. But I can get on board with orders.
Lola: The list, Lucas. Let’s meet at their place to go over this godforsaken, demented list.
Lucas: Sure, it’s all about the list. Wink, wink. If you say so.
Lola: You are and always have been exasperating. Now, Mr. Social Graces Police, please do let me know if seven p.m. works for you?