Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I could with the right amount of starch,” Charlotte replied with a shrug.
Big Tag frowned his wife’s way. “You are the reason Kala tries to make everything a weapon.”
“Oh. Yeah, I’m the reason,” Charlotte said with a huff.
Michael turned Boomer’s way. “He can’t unbutton it enough to show off his chest. And a polo doesn’t have sleeves he can roll up. It’s Boomer Seduction 101. Li’s right. This is about a woman.”
He needed to stop offering advice. He’d offered one or two dudes advice on how to attract a woman, and this is what he got. “I’m helping my next-door neighbor out. She lost her after-school care, and her kid needs a place to go. That’s all.”
“Dude, even I know that’s not all.” Theo sat back, obviously giving up on the defense. “That’s your best button-down, the one you wear to all the formal events. And you changed into loafers. You never wear loafers.”
He wanted Daphne to see him as professional. “I want her to be comfortable leaving Lou here.”
“Okay, so you’re babysitting this neighbor chick’s little boy now?” Big Tag was watching him like a hawk. “How well do you know this woman?”
Ah, there was the guy who’d made sure his pool contractor wasn’t involved with the mob. “MaeBe’s already run a report on her. I’ll have it on your desk as soon as possible. And Lou’s a girl.”
Charlotte frowned. “How old is she?”
“Twelve, but she’s a freshman at Hanover Prep,” he explained. “I know it seems weird, but Daphne’s in a bind. She’s not a bad mom.”
“I wasn’t saying she was,” Charlotte countered. “It’s just odd that she would look to her single male neighbor for help with a daughter.”
“MaeBe was there when she came over, wasn’t she?” Li asked.
“Ah.” Erin nodded. “That makes sense. Even at her darkest, Mae can put people at ease. So, you’re doing her this one little favor and there’s nothing more to it?”
Good. They understood. Or they understood what he wanted them to understand. Maybe he’d gotten better at this than he thought. “Yeah. Just a favor.”
“How hot is she, Mae?”
The question had come from Big Tag, and he was staring at the conference room doorway. MaeBe stood there, her cell in one hand and the other one on her hip.
“How hot is who?” Mae was cool as a cucumber.
“The mom Boomer’s trying to bang.” Big Tag was an asshole.
“I’m not trying to bang her.” Boomer didn’t want this to get out of control.
Big Tag pointed his way. “Which is exactly what you would say if you were trying to bang her.”
“He isn’t trying to bang anyone,” Mae countered.
“Ian means the mom he’s trying to help out,” Alex corrected.
“I think Ian’s right, he just didn’t also add that Boomer’s likely got some very tender feelings for the lady,” Li added.
“Yeah, his dick follows where his heart leads,” Tag snarked. “I’m putting that on a Valentine card. Give us the story, Mae.”
Mae shrugged. “She’s a very ordinary lady with a cool kid. She’s nothing special, and if he’s interested in doing anything beyond helping her, I would be surprised.”
MaeBe was the best.
Tag’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll let you in on the betting. Also, I’ll ensure Boomer gets to stay here in Dallas indefinitely. Otherwise, he’s going to San Francisco with Theo and I’ll make sure the munchkin gets first-class service to and from her school.”
Yeah, Big Tag always won these little battles.
“She’s hot.” MaeBe changed her tune immediately. “And she eats him up with her eyes. Like sad-puppy, I-can’t-ever-have-that eyes. He gave her his second beer.”
A gasp went through the conference room.
MaeBe nodded as though she knew what she said next would shake the whole MT world. “And she owns a bakery.”
Li leaned in. “I’m taking six weeks.”
Tag shook his head. “It’ll happen way faster than that. I’ve got fifty on three.”
And they were off. He should have known this would happen.
He got up and strode over to Mae because the work portion of this meeting was definitely over.
“Sorry,” she said, but with a grin that reminded him of the old Mae. “It wouldn’t be cool for you to offer to help Daphne and then traipse off to San Francisco. I had to get you out of that. And hey, they didn’t do this with your last girlfriend. It’s kind of a good sign. The last time they took open bets, Deke and Maddie got engaged.”
It was true. The betting thing had been going on for years. He’d won a couple of times, actually, so it was kind of his turn.
Or not.
Although the way Daphne had looked at him earlier had given him some hope.
They would at least see each other every day for the rest of the week. He’d found being thrown together could make a woman take a look at a man. Maybe he’d make her and Lou dinner one night and casually suggest they do it again sometime—alone, just to talk. And maybe that one date might turn into something more.