Page 26 of Perfect on Paper

“Definitely. Also, I really need you with me on the day.”

I stopped in my tracks. “AtDisneyland?”He wanted me to drive an hour each way to Anaheim for him, just casually?

“I can’t do it without you, I’m pretty much stuffed if things start going wrong, and if you can’t see her body language how are you supposed to know what happened and help me fix it?”

“She’d notice me.”

“I trust you. You’re not an idiot.”

“Glad to know you trust my stalking skills, I guess?”

“Bring Ainsley with you if you want. I’ll give you gasmoney, I’ll get your tickets, pay for your food, whatever you need. I just… I need you. I can’t do this alone.”

We were walking again now. Conveniently, we were at least heading in the direction of the girls’ bathroom, where I was supposed to be. I thought about his proposal for a moment, then shook my head. “No. Definitely not. Sorry.”

Brougham slowed his pace, crestfallen. “Is there anything I can do that’d make you change your mind?”

“No.”

He took a deep breath, then set his jaw and nodded. “Okay. Fair enough.”

I waited, but he didn’t follow up with sly blackmail references or a reminder of the bonus waiting for me. Nothing. “That’s it?”

“Um, I guess?”

Okay, well, that was a bit better. “You’d pay for all our food and drinks?”

“Yeah, within reason.”

I didn’t press the issue. Brougham hadn’t historically shown himself to be particularly bothered about the cost of things, so I had a feeling his “within reason” was more generous than my “within reason.”

“Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“I’ll do it.”

Brougham rested a fist on the back of his neck and tipped his head back. “Fuck, you’re confusing.”

“I just wanted to know you were asking me to help out and not telling me I had to.”

He rolled his eyes. “Obviouslyyou don’t have to.”

“Then,once again, might I remind you favors are usually accompanied by a ‘would you please?’”

He barreled past the lecture. “So, Saturday’s okay? Any particular time?”

I sighed, resigned. “I’m free all day.”

“Okay. Good. You can go back to class now.”

“Thank you, sir.”I curtseyed.

“What’d I say this time?” he asked indignantly.

There was simply no point with him. “Message me,” I said with a grudging smile, before heading into the bathroom.

I checked myself in the mirror, fluffed then redid my messy bun, and rubbed some smudging eyeliner from under my eye. Then, given the stalls were empty, I called Ainsley, leaning against the sink. If I was going to stalk Brougham and his girlfriend for the day, I at least wanted some company. And Ainsley could almost certainly be persuaded by the offer of free food.

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