Page 54 of The Dixon Rule

“Not really,” she answers in a sultry voice. “Can you read it again?”

“Quit it!” Jackson snaps at her. “Diego, do you have the price quotes from the other pool companies?”

“I do. Let me pull them up.” In the second row, Diego from Silver Pine fidgets on his phone.

The rest of the meeting goes off without a hitch, except for the moment when Veronika blows Shane a kiss and I can’t control my laughter again. When Brenda dismisses us, I walk out of the conference room with Priya and Niall, leaving Shane at the board’s mercy. Brenda has cornered him at the door.

“Good job in there,” I tell my fellow Red Birchers. “I know Lindley’s entertaining, but don’t get lured in.”

“I haven’t been lured,” Niall says firmly.

“Good, Niall. Stay strong.”

He holds out his fist expectantly. I stare at it. Then I sigh and bump it with my fist. So that’s what we do now, Niall and I. We fist bump.

Shane catches up to us as we exit through the back doors of the Sycamore.

“That was the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced,” he crows. “Dixon! Why didn’t you tell me how lit these meetings are? I’m never missing one. Oh God, what if I have some Sunday games this season? What do I do? Can you film them for me?”

“Brenda doesn’t allow cameras in the conference room,” Niall says curtly.

Shane heaves a sigh. “Yeah, of course she doesn’t. That’s so Brenda.”

I swallow my own sigh, but it hisses out of my lungs when a notification buzzes on my phone.

JACKSON DELUTE HAS ADDED SHANE LINDLEY TO THE GROUP NEIGHBORS.

Traitor!

Shane checks his phone and whoops. “Guess who scored a second chance at the group chat.”

Priya gives him a cool look. “Congratulations. Try not to send any highly insensitive breakup messages to it.”

He narrows his eyes at her, but she and Niall are already walking ahead of us.

“What does that mean?” Shane asks me.

“Oh, sorry, hold on.”

I’m busy fiddling on my phone.

ME:

Guys, Shane has requested to be removed from the group chat. He’s overwhelmed by human interaction. Don’t re-add him, please. He finds group situations super stressful and was too embarrassed to say anything in the meeting.

YOU HAVE REMOVED SHANE LINDLEY FROM THE GROUP NEIGHBORS.

An alert pops up on his phone. Shane’s jaw drops in outrage.

I smile at him. “That’s right. This girl is not afraid to abuse her admin powers.”

Later that night, there’s a rap against my door. I answer it to find Shane’s scowling face. His expression is as dark as the black T-shirt hugging his muscular chest.

“I’m sorry, I don’t do solicitors,” I say sweetly.

He brushes past me to step through the doorway. “What was Priya’s comment about?”

“What?”

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