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TABI: All of you listen to me. You idiots need to keep your crises and texts to PST. Got me? Pacific Standard Time. Now. What happened with Ben?
RORY: Typical Yank, thinking the rest of the world doesn’t exist when you’re asleep. Have you even read the chat?
TABI: Keep a lid on it, bagpipes. And yes, I just have. Shit. Do we know if he found Laurie or why he hasn’t answered us? I have friends in the UK that could see if he’s ok. And we WILL get to the castle thing in a moment.
SABRINA: I see how you are, Tabi. You’d call out international search and rescue for Ben, but when I go missing on my blind date, you just figure, ‘oh well, she’s dead’.
TRISTAN: Bree, you’re less fragile than Ben. Tab, we’ve heard nothing from him.
BEN: Hello, everyone, this is Laurie here, Ben’s, um, well, girlfriend. There was an accident in the warehouse earlier and Ben was knocked unconscious. We’re in hospital now and he’s with the doctors, but he’s going to be fine. He wanted me to message you all to thank you for your advice!
SABRINA: Yayayayayayayayay! He found you! Or you found him?
JONATHAN: I love all this love! Relieved he’s good. Heading to a cake tasting. Tough work.
TABI: Thank God. And hi, Laurie. Girlfriend, huh? Nice work, sister. Now, Rory, back to that title and castle thing. I have WTAF questions.
RORY: Laurie, let us know if there’s anything we can do. And bugger off, Tabi.
The end. For now…
OceanofPDF.com
II
OceanofPDF.com
STUPID CUPID
by
Kelly Kay
OceanofPDF.com
PROLOGUE
February 12 – Chicago, IL
United Lounge, O’Hare airport
4:28 p.m. US CST
OceanofPDF.com
SABRINA
I pour another glass of this insanely good red wine that my new super-close friend, Tabi, makes. She actually makes it or owns the winery. I’m not clear. There’s been drinking. We’re stuck in the United Club lounge at O’Hare airport. My sisters are pissed that my plane isn’t in New York. Like I’m the one who blew up the transformer. The more I sip the less I am caring about my annoying family. I am now pretty well super drunk in my head thinking of things.
The six of us were strangers. And now, by the magic of kick-ass Cabernet, we’re not. These are my bestest friends. I’m so lucky to have these people who I’ve known for like four hours now. Tabi’s laugh is as big and bold as she is. The giant gruff Scotsman is sitting next to me. He keeps moving my wine away from me and I give him a little side-eye.
“Sabrina, you’re drinking head-to-head with some professionals. Mind yourself.”
“You mind yourself,” I say to him. Wow, he is crooked looking. No. Nevermind. That’s me. I am sitting crooked. There. I sit up and Rory is not crooked.
He laughs a low grumble, and I smile. He’s watching out for me. That’s different. I like it. He smells of heather. I have no fucking clue what heather smells like, but I imagine he’s made of peat, heather, and tartan. His dirty blonde hair is long, curly disheveled and he looks stern. He keeps rolling his eyes at Tabi, yet sticks around to hang out with us. He’s a reluctant sweetheart of a giant man.
I yell, “Hey, Tristan, fancy snooty-pants!”
