Bailey held up the phone, where Sawyer’s green eyes sparkled.“You really should.”
Chloe stared at the image, indecision clawing at her.“It’s going to be a couple thousand dollars at least.You have that much?”
Gwen shrugged.“We can handle up to four.If we need more…”
“We’ll crowdfund the rest of it,” Bailey finished.
That startled a laugh out of Chloe.“What?”
“We’ll crowdfund it,” Bailey repeated, grinning.“People will love it.You’ll probably get enough money to fly to Paris and hire an entire soccer team to fuck you into a coma.”
“I don’t want a soccer team,” Chloe said faintly.
“I wouldn’t mind a soccer team,” Gwen mused.
Bailey grinned.“I knew you were a secret slut.”
“I’m really not,” Gwen sighed, sounding oddly forlorn, and got up from the sofa.She peeled off her coat and tossed it aside.“Where’s my breakfast sandwich?”
“On the counter,” Bailey said, frowning after her.She darted a glance at Chloe, a question in her eyes.
Chloe shrugged and mouthedI don’t know,watching Gwen shuffle across the room, pick up the sandwich, then shuffle back again.She sat back down on the sofa, unwrapped the paper, and took a bite before noticing her friends staring at her.“What?”she mumbled.
“Nothing.”Bailey cleared her throat and turned wide eyes on Chloe.“So?What’s the verdict?”
“I still don’t know,” Chloe hedged.
“Okay, look.”Bailey picked up her phone.“Let’s just fill out the screening questionnaire.”
“There’s a screening questionnaire?”
“Duh.The man is engaged in illegal activity, he has to make sure you’re not trying to bust him, rob him, or otherwise fuck him over.”
Chloe nodded, wondering when her life had gotten so surreal.“Sure, sure.”
“The referral from Julia will help,” Bailey assured her.“Once you pass that, you can set up a meet and greet.”
“A meet and greet?”Chloe echoed.
“It’s like a pre-date date,” Bailey explained.“An hour at a coffee shop, a bar, whatever, where you can meet and decide if you want to go for the full bang.”
Gwen choked, spraying biscuit crumbs.
“No pun intended,” Bailey said.
“Right,” Chloe muttered.“So I have to pass the screening before I can even, what, make an appointment?”
“That’s how it works.Safety first.”
Chloe shook her head.“I don’t know.This seems like an awful lot of trouble.”
“It’ll be worth it.Here.”Bailey passed over the phone.“Look over the questions while I make coffee.”
“I don’t have any,” Chloe said absently, taking the phone.She gave Sawyer’s picture a last, lingering look, then tapped the link for the questionnaire.“I’m trying to cut down.”
“Well, fuck.What do you have?”
“There’s tea in the cupboard above the fridge, and some Mountain Dew in the fridge.”
