Page 87 of Drunk on Love

MARGOT

Come over for coffee. Bring pastries.

Sydney texted back moments later.

SYDNEY

Have you been kidnapped? It’s 7:30 am. I don’t leave my home before ten unless it’s an emergency.

Margot grinned as she took a sip of her coffee.

MARGOT

Luke quit two days ago. Coincidentally, he just left my apartment for the second morning in a row.

She didn’t have long to wait.

SYDNEY

You fucking bitch. Ham and cheese croissant?

Margot laughed out loud.

MARGOT

Yes please! See you soon.

She put her coffee down in the kitchen on the way to the bathroom. She probably had just enough time to shower before Sydney got here.

FRIDAY, MIDMORNING, AVERY WALKEDinto the inn, two cups of iced coffee in her hands.

“What are you doing here?” Luke asked her.

She set one of the cups on the desk and grinned at him.

“I knew you had a weakness for the iced coffee from Eden’s and I had a meeting this morning, so I thought I’d drop by with a treat for you.”

He reached for the cup.

“Bless you. Especially since the air-conditioning in this place could use some tuning up. I’m dying here.” He took a sip and sighed. “Oh, man, I haven’t had one of these in years. They’re as good as they used to be.”

Avery gave him a wide smile.

“I thought you’d appreciate that. Now. Tell me all about your big date with Margot on Tuesday. I would have come by sooner, but I’ve been booked solid all week.”

He let out a long sigh.

“How did you know?”

Her grin got even wider.

“I believe the traditional answer in this instance is ‘You just told me.’ ” She laughed at him. “Comeon, Luke. You just happened to ask me for restaurant advice for a ‘hotel guest,’ the day after you quit your job at Noble, when Margot was no longer your boss? I know you far too well for that.”

Why did he even think he would be able to get away with that lie to Avery? She did know him too well for that.

“Just be quiet about this, okay? I was her employee as of just a few days ago, and no one else really knows that anything’s going on between us.” He glanced around the lobby. “Plus, my mom still thinks...”

Avery rolled her eyes.

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