Page 6 of Alice & Meg

I smiled wide. “So I can make a distraction? Fall out of my chair? Maybe dramatically fill my cup with water and then forget that I’m filling my cup, and I just pour the whole pitcher on the table? Oh,” I gasped, “what if we get some type of hand signal, and when you do it, I’ll jump up and act like my water broke? That will for sure get the attention off you, partly because I’m not pregnant. I think that’s obvious, but I think confusing everyone will help you make your escape.”

“Oh, Meg,” Lo chuckled. “I admire your willingness to do anything to help me, but I think we can leave the fake water breaking for a last-ditch effort. I think I’ll only need that if I pass out.”

I patted his chest. “Well, just know if you need it, wiggle your fingers on your left hand and then point to the left with your right hand.”

He pressed a soft, gentle kiss to my lips. “I don’t know what I would do without you, babe.”

“You already said that,” I sighed. “It’s going to go to my head, just so you know.”

“I think you’re supposed to tell me you don’t know what you would do without me.”

I cradled his cheek in my hand. “I’d probably have fifteen dogs and three cats and still be working at the warehouse.”

“I see you’ve thought about it,” he chuckled.

“It’s kind of a given, isn’t it?” I winked. “Though let the record show, I much prefer the wonderful life you’ve given me.”

“Have I told you lately I love you?” he asked.

I squinted and glanced up. “Hmm, I think it’s been about seven minutes and thirteen seconds, so you’re late. Tell me,” I prodded.

“I love you, Meg.”

I cupped my hand to my ear. “A little louder, please.”

Lo chuckled and shook his head. He swooped me up into his arms and carried me to the door. “Nope. We need to get to Jonas and Lennox’s room and then down to the welcome dinner.”

“I’m sure they can find their own way down to the dinner,” I hummed.

Lo stepped back, and I lost the warmth of his body. “We already spent all afternoon in our room. We need to go mingle and show our faces.”

I shrugged and ran my fingers through my hair. “No one wants to see my face. You are the one these guys are going to go gaga over when you tell them your name. That’s if they don’t notice you before then.” I wasn’t joking when I said that Lo was a pinstriping legend. He was phenomenal at what he did, and a lot of the body guys looked up to him.

“I just need you by my side, Meg.”

I grabbed my little clutch, and Lo reached his hand out to me.

“There is nowhere else I’d rather be, handsome. Let’s go.”

Chapter Four

Alice

“I feel like we’re in school with assigned seats.” I grabbed my name card and wrinkled my nose. “If I didn’t love you so much, I would be offended by being listed as Mrs. Wrecker Bloom and not by my own name.”

Pipe held up his name card. “Bloom plus one,” he grunted.

Nikki patted Pipe’s arm. “It’s your own fault because I told you that you needed to let the convention know at the beginning of the month that we were coming, and you didn’t.” She grabbed her name card. “For the weekend, we are both Bloom plus one.”

I pointed at Pipe. “You are going to thank me.”

“Uh, okay? Can I ask why?” Pipe laughed.

I grabbed my purse and pulled out a label maker. “Because give me thirty seconds, and I can get our name cards to say whatever we want.”

“I’m sure you’re going to have to do his name badge, too, babe,” Wrecker grunted. “I was on his ass to let the convention know he was coming.”

“Does that thing really work?” Pipe asked.

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