Page 69 of Mr. Charming

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

She nods but doesn’t push me for more, which makes her even more sweet.

“Shut up, you’re doing it?” I hear Easton and look down the table.

“Yeah, I’ve always been able to handle a lot of spice.” Tweetie stands, glancing in my direction for a second before he approaches some woman in the corner.

“What’s going on?” Eloise asks.

Conor puts his arms around the back of her chair. “Tweetie’s entering the hot wing contest.”

“Who bet him?” I point around the guys.

Easton slowly raises his hand. “Guilty.”

I shake my head.

“Hey, we need one more,” Tweetie shouts to the guys.

“Does he think we’re stupid? I’m not playing tomorrow night with my throat burning.” Rowan shakes his head.

“Come on!” Tweetie holds his arms out at his sides. “East, man, you’re from Alaska.”

“Which has what to do with me eating a hot-ass chicken wing?” He chuckles.

Tweetie’s quick to move on. “Decker, my guy, let’s go.”

“I’ve had about my fill of trying new shit.” Decker eases back in his chair.

“I thought you loved this shit,” Easton says to Decker.

Decker shakes his head.

Tweetie comes back over to the table. “The lady says if one of us wins, we get a free T-shirt and our picture on the wall.”

“Oh yay, a T-shirt.” I roll my eyes.

“What about you?” Tweetie asks me.

“No way.” I shake my head.

“We need one more!” the woman says over the microphone.

“What is this even for?” Decker asks.

“They have some new flavors or something they’re trying out. It’s a publicity thing.” Tweetie shrugs, like, who cares what it’s for? It’ll be fun.

Easton eyes Decker. “You need better press. Do it, and I’ll snap some pics, put them on my socials. You know, to help you out and all.”

Decker flips off Easton.

Decker does have a pretty shitty social media game.

“I will say”—Tweetie holds up his hands—“connecting with the town you’re playing in is part of the game.”

“Not the way you connect, Tweetie,” Rowan says with a laugh, obviously referring to his philandering.

My stomach clenches at the reminder.

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