Page 43 of Their Greatest Strength

I wink at her. “Yeah, why not? Men can use purses too.”

“I’ll leave mine here,” Cooper says.

Oliver agrees with him while everyone else decides to take their purses home with them.

Blakely probably has her fair share of purses, so it’s not like she’ll actually use this one or anything. It’ll sit on a shelf or hide in the back of her closet. The only thing I hope is that she sees it and feels appreciated in some way.

My phone buzzes on the tabletop, and I leap on it before anyone else can.

Bandit: I guess. Why? Do you?

Me: I have a man purse.

Me: The kind that you wear across your chest.

Where else am I supposed to keep my wallet and phone? In the back pocket of my jeans, where they constantly dig into myass every time I sit down?

Bandit: I should have known you wore a murse.

Me: Be nice to your fiancé.

Bandit: I don’t see a ring on my finger.

My laugh is so loud I’m sure the entire street can hear it. I look up from my phone to find everyone waiting for me, standing by the door with their purses in their hands.

Oliver’s brow is lifted in a silent question that I ignore while facing the woman and asking, “So, where do I pay?”

“Areyou sure this is where you want to be dropped off?” the Uber driver asks once he’s pulled off the main road.

Even with my stomach full of the best tacos and salsa money can buy, the tequila from the four margaritas I had hasn’t settled well. Mixed with the amount of vodka I drank during painting, and it’s created quite a volatile mix that has the world spinning around me.

“Yep! Thanks, man.”

My hand slips off the handle when I try to open the door. I attempt it again and manage to hang on tight this time. The SUV is stuffy despite the large size, and I eagerly stumble out onto the sidewalk with my purse in tow.

Oliver insisted I let the party bus drive me home the way it is everyone else, but if I’d agreed, they would have found out about Blakely. It isn’t time for that yet. I can’t risk anyone knowing about this before her brother does.

And that’s something she hasn’t taken care of as of now.

I suck in a deep breath and crinkle my nose at the pollutedsmell. Garbage and exhaust don’t help a sensitive stomach much more than another few shots would.

Stumbling slightly, I look around the neighbourhood, trying to make note of the way it looks in the dark. I’m an idiot sometimes, including right now. My wallet’s in the purse I’m planning on handing off to Blakely, stocked with cash, all of my bank cards, and ID. I don’t have anything on me that I could use to defend myself other than my sluggish limbs, so really, I’m a prime victim for a robbing once again.

Despite all of that, a cab isn’t my next call.

I put my phone on speaker and let the dialling noise fill the empty street as I sit on the curb and bend over my knees. The purse hangs between them, safeguarded as best I can manage.

“Jamie?”

I’m positive that I’m grinning. I just can’t feel it. “Hey, Bandit.”

“Do you know what time it is?” she asks, voice raspy.

“Yeah. It’s past my bedtime, but I don’t have practice tomorrow, so it’s okay.”

“Should I be worried about you right now?”

“I’m perfectly fine. But if you insist on worrying, I won’t complain,” I tease, the slur in my voice more prominent than I thought.

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