“Why are you going out in public, dating, anyway?” Hudson pipes up. “I thought the whole thing was just to get her sleazy co-worker from her back. It’s hardly like he’s going to be at the pub you’re both at on Friday night.”
I pop my shoulders. “That part was Calla’s idea. She wants to check in weekly, to make sure we’re both on thesame page. I guess going out in the real world together makes it look more believable.”
“If you say so.”
I narrow my eyes at Hudson’s tone.
“What—”
“Stop bickering,” Grey orders in that teacher tone of his. “We’re brothers; Hudson and I support you in whatever you decide to do in life. Even if we think it’s stupid.”
Hudson nods along. “Idiotic, almost.”
“Thanks,” I mutter sarcastically.
Grey stands, slapping me on the back, before he lumbers off to grab a dumbbell.
“Do you really think it’s that bad of a decision, H?”
My youngest brother shrugs. “Only time will tell, mate. Only time will tell. Just don’t… get your headtooin the game, you know. Because that’s what this is. A game.”
Chapter 15
Calla
“Itruly thought he’d back out. And then when I started on the rules—”
Carmen frowns. “So, you we’re testing him? Or trying to find out how far you could push him?”
“Nottestinghim, as such.” I stab a coin of cucumber hiding behind a leaf of lettuce, with the prongs of my plastic fork.
Finally, after a mind-numbing day at the office yesterday, most of which I spent in back-to-back meetings vehemently trying my hardest not to fall asleep but instead take notes (see: mainly doodles) and appeared interested. Plus, a busy morning first thing, lunch time is proving the perfect time to fill Carmen in on the details of the plan that transpired between Blake and I on Monday night.
“Then what, Cal?”
“I’m just… I’m just so desperate to find out what makes him tick. Don’t ask me why. I just am. Blake’s a rule follower, a good boy. Almost to his own fault, I think he let his hair down twice; once at the club and again in the apartment.”
Carmen blinks owlishly; like butter wouldn’t melt. “When you fucked on the kitchen counters, you mean?”
I give her shin a swift kick under the table and glance out of the corner of my eye to make sure we’re still the only ones in the sterile staff room. Not that it really matters. The large blinking eyes of four cameras, one in each corner of the room, keep watch over us. “Lower your voice, Car. I don’t need every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing my business.”
She hums into her second cup of coffee. “It’s about to be everybody’s business when you bring Blake to one of the work functions.”
Carmen isn’t wrong.
“Anyway.” I flip my hair to one shoulder, ignoring the prickle of heat dancing over my skin, the one I get every time I remember the always watching eyes of my boss. And his nephew. “I’m more surprised that he offered, than anything.”
“So, you said yes, right?”
A girlish giggle bursts out of me. “What do you think?”
Carmen grins at me before she takes a bite of her sandwich.
“I mean, what’s there not to say yes to? Blake’s gorgeous. It’s not like it’s going to be a chore to hold his hand or kiss him, for God’s sakes. Plus, it’ll get Thomas off my back.”
“And when it ends?”
I wave a hand between Car and me. “I’ll deal with that bridge when I come to it. There’s no point in worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet.”
