Page 120 of A Little Broken

Any chance you’re free tonight?

Me

Depends. How’d you get my number?

Pax

I may have bribed Roman to do some digging.

Of course, Roman’s to blame. I shouldn’t even be surprised at this point. He’s probably the one who gave Pax a ride to pick his car up when I borrowed it after the hot tub incident, too. When I walked outside the next morning to find his car gone, I almost had a heart attack but was too stubborn to reach out to Pax directly to tell him his car was stolen while under my watch, and I had no way of paying him back for it. Yeah, talk about an awkward conversation. Thankfully, when I pulled into Pax’s house for work a few days later and found it parked inside the garage like it never left, I was able to breathe a massive sigh of relief. Regardless, Roman’s a slippery fellow, that much I know.

Me

Seems Roman’s a man of many talents.

Pax

You have no idea. So what do you say? Are you free?

I peek up at Rory and catch her staring at me as she scratches Hades behind his ear.

“What’d Pax say?” she asks.

“He, uh, he wants to know if we’re free.”

“We.” She snorts. “Yeah, okay. And you better say yes.”

My nose wrinkles as I look down at my phone. Typing out a dozen different responses, I finally land on two words.

Me

Maybe. Why?

Pax

I figured you might be interested in a do-over.

Me

Gonna need more details.

Pax

Come on, Birthday Girl. Let me surprise you.

I peek up at Rory again. The idea of ditching her is more than I can stomach, especially after my drunken bitchery from a couple nights ago. And so, even though it kind of kills me, I pull on my big girl panties and respond.

Me

Can’t. I have plans.

Pax

Should I be jealous?

Me

Nah, I see Rory like a little sister, so you’re safe.

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