Page 35 of Garrison's Creed

Nicola’s phone rang. Beth wagged her eyebrows. “Maybe it’s Cash.”

She focused on the numbers on the screen. “Nope. Jared.”

“He’s hot too. Let me answer.” Beth reached for the phone. “Everyone’s hot. Is that the only word we know? Hot.” She made a face, twisting her lips. “That sounds funky. Hot. Hawt. Hottt.”

“No.” Nic batted Beth away, hiccupped, and answered, serious face on. “Yes, hello?”

Beth fell on the floor, laughing. Her drink spilled. Nicola hiccupped, covering her mouth with her palm to hide her own giggle.

Jared grumbled. “Nicola?”

Beth snorted. Nicola tried, but couldn’t stop laughing. “Hold on one minute.” She put the phone in her lap, two fingers to her mouth to shush Beth, and tried again. Serious face back on. “Yes, hello?”

Was that a British accent? Beth ran toward the bathroom, shouting something about peeing on herself.

“Nicola, what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing.” Yes, her I’m-very-sober voice featured a British woman with a nasal problem. “Can I help you, Jared?”

“Have you been drinking?”

“Have you been drinking, Jared?” Oh no. Why had that come out?

“Good Christ.”

“Did you need something? I have something on the stove.”What? The stove?“And must go.” The last part came out with a definite accent. Beth came out of the bathroom just in time to hear her. She doubled over, wiping at the tears running down her cheeks.

“Titan’s having a cookout tomorrow night, which you’re invited to. But I’m changing it to a retreat. We’ve got shit to work out. Be there. Bring a bag. You’ll have a room. I’ll text you details.”

Oh, that was sobering. “What?”

“Be a good little princess, finish your cocktail, and get a good night’s sleep. We start work tomorrow.”

Nicola hung up. Beth wiped the last of her tears. “What’s Mister Hot-and-Grumpy want?”

“I have to spend the night with Cash.”

“What? He saidwhat?”

“Um, well.” Nicola’s thoughts waffled. Beth erupted into a laughing, snorting mess. Nicola smirked and poured another drink. “This is an emergency. Stop laughing. He said I have to stay with Titan this weekend. Under the same roof as Cash.”

“You two should totally hook up.”

“No way! I have to be professional. I have to prove to him that I can do my job.” Prove sounded more like proof, maybe poof, but Beth didn’t seem to notice.

“He’s so hot.”

“Beth, you aren’t listening.”

“And you’re whining. Hot guy may or may not have feelings for you. Same hot guy was in love with you once upon a time.”

“He loved someone else. Not me.”

“Blah.” Beth tossed her hand like it was no big deal.

Nicola smiled. Maybe she was making too much out of it. Maybe she needed more girls’ nights. “We need to get out more.”

“We need to do this more.”

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