Page 90 of Forfeits

“Is Patrick free to watch Lucy on Friday?”

“I can find out.”

“Should we book the Bordello?”

“The what?” Tyler shouted from across the room.

“Never mind,” Aiden said to him. “Do you want me to?” he said into the phone.

“Hell, yes. I’m going to need it.”

He laughed softly. “Well, Fletcher. I am dedicated to giving you exactly what you need.”

“I love that about you.”

“Okay, you love birds,” Tyler said in the background. “Wrap it up. Aiden and I have a game of Super Smash Bros to get through before I go back to the ball and chain.”

Aiden gave a horrified gasp while I smiled.

“I’m going to tell Marie you called her that,” Aiden said to Tyler.

“She refers to me the same way. It’s our love language.”

“Jesus,” Aiden said. “Charming. Bye, Fletcher.”

“Bye, Aiden.”

We hung up, and I texted Patrick.

Hey. Can you watch Lucy on Friday?

Awe, shit. I’m working.

I thought you said you weren’t.

My ringer went off. It was Patrick, calling me.

“Sorry. I said I’d fill in for Cory.”

“Yeah, it’s just that Aiden wants to book the kink room.”

“Oh, really?” Patrick sounded entirely too delighted.

“I guess I’ll have to tell him not to,” I said, feeling depressed.

“Wait! How about Robin?”

“What?”

“He’s looking for extra cash. Lucy would love him.”

She probably would love the saucy young man who worked at Molly’s with Patrick and had treated us so well the other night. But…

“Do you think he’ll want to babysit?”

“It’s not really babysitting. Lucy’s twelve. I think he’d do it.”

“I don’t know,” I said, trying to imagine the flamboyant server in my home.

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