Riley:I know. I'm looking at themrightnow.
Alex:You're going to tell me about thisdungeon.
Riley:Nevertheless, shepersisted.
"If the rumormill is to be trusted," Nick started, drawing my attention away from my phone, "it sounds like you made peace with Walsh on Friday. Did y'all enjoythegala?"
I ducked my head, chuckling to myself as I redistributed the slices of avocado between the bacon and tomato. "It was a lovely affair," I said as breezily as I could manage. "Riley and I enjoyed ourselves quiteabit."
"Uh huh," Nick murmured. "Sureyoudid."
"When did you leave?" Hartshorn asked. "I didn't see youthere."
I continued fiddling with my sandwich, my tongue caught between my teeth. I wasn't a giggly girl but a small part of me was dying to share the wild details of my weekend. "We stayed through the cocktail hour," I said. "We had otherplans."
"That's what you need, Hartshorn," Nick said, pointing at him. "Other plans. Your life will be much better when you haveother planson theregular."
My phone pinged with another message and I swung my leg over the bench. "I need tohandlethis."
Riley:So…what's a guy gotta do to get another datewithyou?
Alex:Not sure I'm freetonight.
Riley:That'sunfortunate.
Alex:Yeah, some asshole told me to getwaxed.
Riley:What a dickhead.Ignorehim.
Alex:Totally, but he has some redeemingqualities.
Riley:Yeah? I'd like to hearaboutthem.
Alex:Off the top of my head…he takes a damn good photo, makes me laugh like crazy, and he's an animalinbed.
Riley:That asshole can wait a day or two if he really wants youwaxed.
Riley:I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't think he'd mind having you shaved instead. He'd probably enjoy doing itforyou.
Alex:In that case, my evening iswideopen.
Riley:Just likeyourlegs.
Riley:I'm bringing mycamera.
Alex:Aboutthat…
Riley:Yes?
Alex:It's a little weird, right? The photos? I don't understand why Ilikeit.
Riley:Does it make youuncomfortable?
Alex:Somewhat.
Riley:Do you want to stop? We can stop at any time. I'll delete every single photo right now if that's whatyouwant.
"Emmerling,"Nick called. "I'm stealin' the bacon out of this sandwich if you don't getbackhere."
