Page 2 of In the Line of Ire

"Noproblem," I replied, grinning as I handed Delgado another flyer."Not a word of this to anyone," I warned him in case he had anyfunny ideas.

Delgadopulled his phone from his pocket and snapped a photo just as Iblinked while making a face. "Fantastic," he said, checking itbriefly before looking thrilled.

"Antonio!" Serena grabbed his hand and dragged him bodilyafter her. Not that he needed dragging; he followed Serena happily.If she walked off a cliff, he'd probably follow her in a heartbeat.Whether Serena walked off or got pushed off, however, was anotherquestion entirely!

"Deletethat!" I yelled after him.

"Send mea copy!" added Lily.

Isighed. Not only would I have to live with the humiliation ofknowing that photo was in circulation, now I also had to devise aclever way to get back at my favorite brother-in-law. To be fair,marrying my sister should have been punishment enough, but eventhat wasn't quite as satisfying as actually punking him when heleast expected it.

"Happyhour at Lily's Bar," I said, forcing another flyer into the hand ofthe next man to cross my path.

"I'm analcoholic," he said, gazing wistfully at the barentrance.

Isnatched the flyer from him. "Keep fighting the good fight," I toldhim.

"But..."He edged towards the bar but I blocked him. He headed to my leftand I blocked him again.

"Go toan AA meeting," I said. "Now move along."

"Okay,"he agreed, his face falling visibly as he shuffled away.

"I thinkwe're targeting the wrong people," I said, turning to Lily. She wasposing in the middle of a group of frat boys and beaming like alantern as they took multiple photos.

"Come tohappy hour, but don’t forget your IDs," she called out, waving asthey took off, blowing her kisses. "They're so cute," she said tome. "I told them the prettiest girls in all of Montgomery work atmy bar. So they're going to bring their friends when theycome."

"The oldone in the beer glass is kinda hot," remarked one of them as theywalked away.

"I amnot old!" I yelled after them.

"Andpsycho too," I heard the frat boy mutter. "That's reallysexy."

I turnedto Lily. "I hope they behave themselves."

"Nowyou're sounding old in the wrong way," she said, giving me alook.

"Youneed a nicer clientele," I told her as I inserted several flyersinto the hands of a group of men in business suits. "Happy hour.Two-for-one drinks!"

"Hotgirls too!" added Lily and we suddenly got an observable reactionas well as a promise to arrive right after work. "See?" saidLily.

"Willthere actually be any hot girls?"

"Yes!"said Lily. She quickly distributed several flyers to a group ofpretty women. "Two-for-one drinks and lotsa hot guys!" she chirpedas the women giggled and nodded before making fast plans toattend.

"I seewhat you did there," I said, preparing to hand more flyers out. Thefixed smile turned to a real one when I saw the tall, dark-hairedman who approached me next.

"Lexi?"said Maddox, his eyes roaming over my costume. "I figured you'dhave a tan from your honeymoon but you've turned really...golden."

"That'sthe beer suit," chipped in Lily. She leaned over and the cherrystem bounced in front of my face and back up again. "Doesn't shelook great?"

"She'ssomething else, all right," said Maddox, biting the insides of hischeeks. "Did you lose a bet?"

"No, I'mhelping out a friend," I snapped pertly as I handed him a flyer."Tell all of your buddies to bring their fat wallets."

“Hah,” said Maddox. “I work in law enforcement.”

"There'll be plenty of hot girls," added Lily.

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