Page 72 of Crossing Lines

It’s time to change that.

By the time we get to the bar, we’re thirty minutes late. My last meeting ran over, and I hate that I’m taking away from Nina’s fun night out because of work.

The neon lights of the arcade bar cast a psychedelic glow on the room,painting the walls and ceiling in a riot of colors.The air is thick with the scent of beer and fried food. Zeki recommended that we meet everyone at this bar and promised that it’d be fun.

Nina and I stand side by side,our shoulders brushing as we scan the room for her friends. We find them sitting in the corner with Zeki,their laughter cutting through the noise. Zeki spots us and waves us over. Nina glances at me for a beat, probably surprised her friends are here since I didn’t tell her beforehand, before hugging Elodie and then Hunter. I’m surprised, too. I invited Elodie and Hunter, but not Jake and Aria, who are also at the table.

“Hey, babes,” Aria says, kissing each of Nina’s cheeks dramatically. “I’ve missed you. Tonight is going to be epic.”

“Remember the last time we were together here?” Nina asks, grinning.

“Oh God, please don’t remind me,” Jake grumbles. “It was horrifying.”

I’m surprised Aria’s here since she lives in New York. Maybe Elodie called her? I’m also surprised Jake’s here. I didn’t think he and Nina were that close, but they apparently know each other well enough to have some inside jokes andthatcauses a tide of jealousy to rise inside me.

Zeki kisses each of my cheeks dramatically in greeting before winking at Aria.

Aria giggles. “You’re trouble.”

“Who, me?” Zeki asks. “Never.”

“Don’t believe him,” Nina says.

Zeki gasps. “I thought we were friends. Friends don’t cockblock.”

“And I thought we weretogether,” Nina says with wide eyes.

Elodie sputters and Aria asks, “You’re together? Liketogethertogether?”

“No.” Nina laughs. “But Zeki wishes he was with me.”

“Now that isn’t a secret,” Zeki says easily. “But maybe one day I’ll find true love in Skyrise, especially since I’ve officially decided to move here.”

“You have?” I ask.

“Yeah, I like it here,” he says simply.

“I’m so happy you’re moving here.” I clap him on the shoulder and take the seat next to him. To say I’m shocked he wants to move here is an understatement, but I’m also excited. I’ve enjoyed having him around and working with him on Glam Pop. The past two weeks, he’s done a deep dive into the marketing and the PR departments, helping me with my workload. He’s not only helping but excelling. He’s got a knack for business and has already made a plan on how to help make those departments stronger.

Nina takes the empty seat on the other side of thetable, smushed between Elodie and Aria, already doing shots.

“You know what’s been keeping me up at night lately?” Hunter asks us guys.

“Your wife?” Jake jokes.

“No,” Hunter says, “it’s the fact that octopuses have small brains in each of their arms.”

“Why did you have to say something like that?” Zeki says, shuddering and shooting me a horrified look. “I like toeatoctopus.”

Hunter laughs. “Sorry, man. If it keeps me up at night, then I need it to keep someone else up as well.”

“Quick,” Zeki says, “someone give me another fact so that I can focus on that.”

“Over a million Earths can fit in the sun,” Jake says.

“Everyone knowsthat,” Zeki says.

“Okay,” I say, “did you know Mozart made a song called ‘Lick Me in the Ass’?”

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