“What happened with Wes?” I repeat Cody’s question.
“He got offended. Turns out fifteen grand isn’t enough.”
It’s fun talking to drunk people. Kind of like solving a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
“Fifteen grand?”
“I can’t afford more right now without making it look suspicious,” she whines, running a hand down her face and smudging her lipstick. “I said I’ll pay thirty, but he’ll have to wait a few weeks for the second half.”
“What were you trying to buy?”
“Him.” She rolls her eyes likeI’msaying dumb shit. “Duh.”
I shoot Cody and Conor a look, checking whether they follow this, but as expected, they look as clueless as I feel.
“Elaborate,” Conor prompts. “What do you meanhim?”
Addie presses the wine glass to her full lips, her unfocused eyes fixed on the almost empty bottle. “I need a boyfriend.”
“You tried to buy a boyfriend?”
“Only for a week!” She slaps her palms against the table. “God, keep up, will you? I need a boyfriend for my brother’s engagement...” She trails off, scrunching her nose like she’s deep in thought. “His engagement... thingy. My mother wants to invite Grant. I wasn’t thinking, okay?! I told her I met someone tall and handsome with dark hair, but I haven’t, and no one wants to cruise the Caribbean with me for fifteen grand unless there’s sex, so now I have to go alone, and Grant will propose a million times and my mother will besohappy and what if he wears me down and I marry the idiot just to get him off my back and end up with a herd of mini-Grants on a farm in Huddersfield?!”
She drops her head on the table, letting out a pathetic groan, probably a little tired after the world’s longest sentence.
I’m still processing when she lifts her head enough to awkwardly pour the last of her wine down her throat.
“More,” she demands, pushing the glass my way. “I don’t want to get married. I don’t want kids!”
Ah, so that’s what theactingreference was about during our second five-minute date.
Conor and Colt trade those infuriating loaded looks, their grins so bright I swear you can see them from space.
I know what they’re thinking.
They wantmetobe the boyfriend. Swoop in and save the damsel in distress. The thing is, Addie’s had the entire evening to ask if I’d be game. If she did, I’d have a hard time coming up with a reason against the idea.
But she didn’t ask, deeming me less of a catch than Wesley the boring fucking weasel.
“Don’t even start,” I snap at them.
Ignoring my glare, Cody gently taps Addie’s shoulder. “Did you ask Colt?”
It doesn’t happen often, but there are times I wish I was an only child. The question earns him an under-the-table kick in the shin. Childish, but he started it.
Addie straightens her back, big brown eyes idling between us. “No. I can’t—”
“She made it quite clear I’m not fit for purpose,” I say, aiming for jocular, and failing. It comes out pathetic. Bitter.
Great.
“That’s not it,” Addie sighs. “I just can’t afford you. Your watch is very expensive.” With another light-bulb moment, she turns to Conor, grabs his wrist, and checks his watch. “Yours is cheaper, and you’re pretty, pretty, pretty, too, and tall.”
“And married,” he says, gently yanking his hand from hers. God forbid any woman who’s not part of the family puts one finger on him. “Before you grab Cody, he’s married, too. Colt’s your only option.”
“Colt’s not available,” I clip.
Addie bobs her head in understanding.
