Page 55 of Dream Girl Drama

No way he was having a conversation with Chloe in front of this trio. But the decision was taken out of his hands when Corrigan’s fingers shot out fast and unexpectedly, hitting the button to answer the call. “Chloe!” he shouted in the general direction of the device. “Let’s run away together to Madagascar.”

Mailer wouldn’t be left out. “All three of us. Think of the possibilities.”

Watching Sig’s face, Burgess whistled low under his breath.

Probably because there was a vein the size of a vacuum hose beating in the dead center of his forehead. “Sorry about that, Chlo,” Sig managed through a dry throat, finally looking down into the smiling face of his soon-to-be stepsister. “I’m at a breakfast meeting. Is everything okay?”

“Better than okay. My morning class got canceled because my instructor is sick, so I took Pierre to a dog park. Look!” She flipped the camera around and all he saw was a young man’s smiling face. “Oops, that’s Elton.”

That single sip of smoothie was gurgling in his stomach. “Who the hell is Elton?”

“He’s at the dog park with his bichon frise.” Elton’s chin was no longer in the shot and Chloe was walking around showing Sigthe doggie obstacle course, but mentally? Sig was still seeing Elton. “It’s right down the street from my building. Pierre loves it.”

As far as Sig could tell, Pierre was lying still as a statue by the water fountain, no intention of moving ever again as long as he lived.

“Sig,” Chloe started, “how quickly can someone develop separation anxiety?”

“Corrigan gets separation anxiety from Burgess,” Mailer said.

“Shut the fuck up,” Corrigan fired back. “You’re the one who has his rookie card framed on your nightstand.”

“It’s a collector’s item, bitch.”

Elton was back in the shot now, mooning at Chloe. “I don’t like that guy,” Sig said, without thinking. “Is he bothering you?”

“Who?”

“Elton, Chloe.”

“Oh! No, he’s not bothering me. He asked for my number, but...” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “He’s not really my type, so I told him I’m not interested in a date. But he said that was fine. That our dogs could still hang out!”

A stiletto-wearing demon was using Sig’s brain as a trampoline. “Oh, he just took your number for adogplaydate. That’s what he told you, huh?”

“Yes! I should have gotten a dog before. It’s a great way to make friends.”

Burgess leaned in. “Mute yourself for a sec.”

Sig complied. “What?”

“A bichon frise is a girl’s dog,” Burgess said, tapping his temple with his index finger. “Elton has definitely got a girlfriend or a wife.”

“Genius.” Corrigan wipes an imaginary tear. “Freaking genius.”

Sig’s Adam’s apple was trying to twist its way out of his throatand he’d already started to dig for his keys in his pocket. “You want some company, Chlo?”

“No, I’m fine. I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.” She crouched down beside Pierre, scrunching up his face with her left hand and pointing the camera at them both. “Pierre says hello to everyone. He can’t wait to meet the team. Look at the excitement!”

The dog blinked.

Chloe’s laughter rang out.

The Orgasm Donors smiled, obviously, because the sound was perfect and infectious.

“I think I’ll head over there,” Sig said to Chloe while forcing a casual smile. “Practice isn’t until later this afternoon and I want to see the dog park for myself. Looks incredible.”

“It is. It’s right next to a baseball field.” She got distracted by the scenery, the camera filming her throat and a couple strands of blowing blond hair. “I think Elton just finished a rec league game or something...”

“Oh hell no. Abaseballplayer?” spat Corrigan.

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