Page 76 of Smith

“As fascinating as I find your alpha male drink rules, I’m sorry to inform you I’ve never met a rule I liked, so I tend to break them and I expect my friends to break them with me. Either you’re in or you’re out.”

All of the men standing in the living room stared at me. Cooper’s stare stated plain he was amused. Jonas’s was thoughtful. But it was Zane’s that was the most concerning. He looked almost smug. Zane smug was never a good thing. No, scratch that—Zane smug was categorically frightening. It meant he’d plotted and whatever scheme he’d set in motion was going to plan. Alternately, it meant he was right about something. Neither scenario meant good things to come.

“A bad influence,” Jonas piped up. “I knew I liked you.”

Aria’s gaze skidded around the room until it landed on Zane. With an ominous squint of her eyes she declared, “If you even think about calling my father?—”

“We’ve already had this discussion,” he interrupted her.

“Zane!”

“Aria.”

They went into a stare down, and since I knew both the participants I knew this shit could last an hour. Which was fifty-nine minutes longer than I was willing to wait them out.

Today was supposed to be Aria’s day away from the house to clear her head. A much-needed break that was shot to shit. With the latest trauma over, I decided we were leaving.

“Sucks, baby, but you need to call your dad. Grab your bag and you can do that in the car.”

Aria transferred her glare to me with a look that told me she was getting ready to blow her stack.

“We’re going to your house, we’re checking your mail, you’re taking a moment to look around all that you created and remember why you love what you do. After that we’re headed to Libbey’s, sitting out on the deck, sharing a bucket of oysters and a basket of wings while you drink something fruity. Between here and your house you can call your dad, give him the latest news, then enjoy the rest of the day.”

She’d lost the hostile out of her gaze after I told her she was going to her house and why. Her pretty eyes turned soft when I told her she was drinking fruity cocktails. The glittering hardness crept back in when I told her she was calling her dad.

“Finally,” she announced. “A time when I don’t think your bossy is hot.”

That meant all the other times I was bossy she thought I was hot, therefore I could live with her assessment.

“Good to know. Now get a move on it.”

Her eyes narrowed.

I didn’t hide my sigh of impatience.

“Aria, what part of what I said isn’t good for you?”

“The part where you told me to call my father.”

“Yeah, that part was high-handed,” Jonas unhelpfully commented. “You should’ve made it more of a suggestion. Like…” He cleared his throat then did a horrible impersonation of me. “You should really think about calling your father on the way to your house.”

First, I sounded nothing like his impression. Second, who the fuck said shit like that?

I took Cooper’s shocked laugh he agreed with me.

“You’re an idiot.”

Jonas shrugged off my insult. “I could use some oysters and a mai tai. Not pink, but close enough.”

“You’re not—” I started, then Aria cut her eyes at me.

Fucking shit.

“Fine,” I grumbled.

“Welcome, friend.” Zane chuckled.

What the hell was he saying?

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