Pluck, as they say.
Despite my own deep feelings of guilt for what I’ve put her through, I’m rather enjoying watching this.
Pinky audibly sighs. “We should go, boss.”
“Shh.”
The blond man is squaring up to talk to Bea.
“I know why you’re doing this, and you need to stop stalking me.”
Daphne—the woman with the multi-colored hair—chortles out a laugh.
Bea leans further out the window. “I’m notstalkingyou, Jake. I’mannoyingyou.”
Good line. Well done.
“Annoy me somewhere else,” Jake snaps.
“Oh, you think I can just wave a magic wand and make somewhere else a better spot for customer traffic? I wouldlovefor the best spot in town to not be outside your father’s office. Here’s an idea. How abouthemoves? The Secret Alley could do so much better than an ambulance chaser’s propaganda at the entrance. Don’t you have extra office space in the building you stole from me?”
“I did not steal it.”
Daphne coughsliar.
Despite my own embarrassment at my boys’ behavior and the situation they put this woman into, I can’t stop smiling.
Bea, it appears, can’t either, though her smile is harder than her friend’s.
She tucks a lock of curly brown hair behind her ear and props her elbows on the windowsill. “Yes, and your brother didn’t arrest me for the pure fun of it this morning. I could sue the police department. That would lookgreaton his record.”
“I have a friend in the city who needs pro bono cases,” Daphne pipes up. “And helping a down-on-her-luck woman who hasn’t caught a break since she had to quit college to raise her brothers after their parents tragically died is great optics. For my friend. Clearly, not for your brother. Or for Bea, but that’s exactly why everyone would take her side over yours. She’s sympathetic. You’re an ass.”
Good lord.
This was a terrible woman to have accidentally arrested.
I hope she’s a fan ofIn the Weeds.
“Can you tell her to shut up and give us some privacy?” Jake says to Bea.
Bea snorts. “For you? No. Daphne. Get closer and keep talking.”
“Like this close?” Daphne steps closer to Jake.
“Closer would be better. He hates when you’re in his bubble.”
“Ew. He smells like sulfur and pickles. But fine.Fine. Is this close enough?”
Jake stumbles back and almost trips on the curb. “I’m calling the chief.”
“Have at it, you big stud.” Bea makes a low, growling cat purr that takes both me and my cock by surprise. “You know how much I love it when you tattle to Daddy.”
Daphne snorts again.
Jake growls and charges back into the shop he emerged from moments ago.
I adjust my trousers, then go back to typing notes to myself.
