Page 50 of Ruling Scar

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Pen Pal: What is this woman?

Lennie: Stop calling me that and stop calling me Leonora all the time.

I go back to answering emails, but my eyes keep wandering back toward my phone, willing it to light up with a new message.

Pen Pal: Alright, I’ve got it.

Pen Pal: Marsupial.

I hate this man.

My phone lights up again.

Pen Pal: What do you want for dinner tonight?

Lennie: I can’t do dinner tonight.

Pen Pal: Tomorrow?

Lennie: I can’t.

Pen Pal: We have an arrangement, Leonora.

And considering Leopold hasn’t gone away, I need this to work. I need to use Elijah’s territorial possessiveness to my advantage.

Pen Pal: Thursday night?

Lennie: I have book club.

Pen Pal: Is that what you call going to dinner at Fujimori’s?

He’s known about my standing reservation since he saw me the night Russet met with Ren.

Lennie: See, you already knew I was busy.

Pen Pal: Fine, I’ll meet you there.

My fingers fly across the phone.

Lennie: No!

Pen Pal: I’m wounded, Leonora.

Lennie: It’s girls night.

Dinners at Fujimori’s is the one good thing I’ve got going for me. If Leopold takes that then I’m truly screwed.

Pen Pal: Abe and Benjamin are men.

Lennie: Abe works there and Ben’s dating him so of course he’s always around.

Plus he’s close with Ren.

Pen Pal: And I’m dating you. I’ll see you there.

With mounting exasperation, I type.

Lennie: No.

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