Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,71

had a lot to think about, and decisions to make, but that could wait until I'd slept and gathered my thoughts.

18

Phoenix

My vision blurred as I began to read one of the many mundane job listings I'd been combing through most of the day while lying on the couch. I'd hit Apply Now so many times I couldn't even remember all of the positions I had applied for.

Customer Service Representative

Job Description: We are seeking customer service professionals who enjoy face to face—

My phone pinged with a text. The skip of my heart, thinking it might be Archer, settled when I saw it was only Damon. Disappointed but still grateful for the distraction, I clicked on the notification.

Damon: Guess who didn't show up for work?

I didn't need to guess. Desi wouldn't listen to me, but she'd sure as shit cover her ass now that she was aware someone had breached their system. My jaw clenched just thinking his name as I tapped out a reply.

Me: Starts with an A and ends with douche.

His response came seconds later.

Damon: Close enough. Des told me to mind my own damn business when I asked about him. But he won't be back.

Not that it did me any good now, but I was still glad he'd gotten fired. If only she'd taken the multiple complaints I'd made regarding him seriously, none of us would be in the current mess.

While I'd been busy stewing over the whole thing, another text came through.

Damon: On a brighter note, the scenery is top notch today.

Knowing Damon, scenery was code for some guy he was fantasizing about sucking off. A mental image I could do without.

Me: ?

Damon: The IT guys she brought in are smoking hot. Who knew I had a thing for the nerdy vibe?

My lips twitched. I wasn't sure Damon even had a type.

Me: Interested?

Damon: No, but that doesn't mean I didn't offer free private dances.

I snorted. Of course he did.

The sound of an engine approached and I pushed off the couch, striding to the window. I peeked through the blinds and sighed when a red sedan pulled into the driveway across the street.

Pathetically, I'd been doing the same thing all day, hoping one of them would be Archer coming home.

I rubbed my temples, trying to alleviate the building headache from staring at my phone and stressing about Archer. Dragging my feet back to the living room, I dropped onto the couch and replied to the last text.

Me: No takers?

Damon: Straight and married. *sad emoji* Weren’t interested in finding out if they might be even a little gay either.

I shook my head. Poor guys probably wished they'd called in sick to work after dealing with Damon.

Me: Shouldn't you be working?

Before I could hit send, my phone rang and I winced as a spike of pain stabbed behind my eyes. Unknown Caller hovered on the screen, and I quickly turned down the escalating ringtone.

I considered letting it go to voice-mail to screen the call, especially with everything that had happened yesterday. But with Archer still not home or returning my messages, I had to admit I was growing worried.

I tapped answer. "Hello?"

A cacophony of sounds crashed through the speaker, making me wince again. "The fuck, Drake? You asshole, pick up your shit!" A man growled on the line, and my eyebrows shot high. "Shit. Hello? Hello?"

I debated hanging up because…what the fuck? "Can I help you?"

"Probably not. I'm a lost cause." He paused to laugh at his own joke, and another voice groaned in the background. The guy's voice pulled away from the phone. "Whatever, dick. I'm hilarious." He chuckled at whatever was said, and then he was back. "Sorry, man, not you. I mean, you may be a dick… Is this Phoenix?"

I frowned because again, what the fuck? "Who's this?"

"We don't need him!" a man with a gravelly voice yelled in the background. "Hang up the fucking phone."

"No can do. Now shut up, D." There was a spark of humor woven in his tone.

"This is such bullshit." They continued to argue, possibly forgetting I was even on the phone. An afterthought at best, and I was tempted to agree with the guy who suggested we end the call. But I was also curious at this point.

I groaned and stood up, heading for the kitchen and digging in the cabinet for pain relievers. Snagging a water bottle, I took two pills.

Leaning against the counter, I cleared my throat. "So maybe you should sort that out and call me back at a