Page 7 of Dubious Match
“She is, but I bet she’s happily packed up and not on the menu for this mixer,” I say, willing to lean into an imaginary scenario.
My pack and I do this all of the time for work or in general, a way of working through things.
“Maybe,” he says. “Would it be terrible to go by her work and drop off a Naughty Tote gift bag along with our regrets for not attending her little mixer?”
I drop my head back to gaze up at my alpha as he gazes at me with a wicked smile. Oh, that could be fun.
“Can we also ask her to take us off whatever ridiculous list she put together when she was sending out invitations?” I ask.
Granted, they were carefully worded, engraved, and she used fancy wax seals. It’s obvious that this means a lot to her since it’s all being put together for free. It makes me wonder if she’s looking for donors for gift bags for this thing.
I mean, she runs a dating website, it couldn’t hurt to collaborate with her, right?
“What are you thinking about?” Malcolm growls, bending down to kiss me. He says he gets a better idea of my schemes when he’s tasting my lips. I think he just really likes to make out with me. “Mmmm. I can taste the evil genius now.”
Laughing, I shrug. “I think this idea needs everyone, Mal. Let’s go find Brice and my brother.”
Standing, he nods and waits for me to rise from the chair. I make sure to turn off the computer monitor and take the invitation with me to show Brice. Our footsteps take us past Felix growling at the team that Mal was talking to, though he cuts off the lecture as he watches us walk by.
Regardless, the team he was speaking to seems acceptably aware of what they did wrong as Felix hurries off to join us. We don’t have any issues with constructive criticism, but arguing just to hear your voice isn’t helpful.
Malcolm unfortunately seems to get the short end of the stick because he has more patience than we do. While it makes him a wonderful head of our pack, employees sometimes take advantage of that since he’ll breathe through wanting to yell at all of them to shut the fuck up.
“Are we about to do something fun?” Felix asks, glancing at his watch. “We could probably blow off the rest of the day.”
It’s almost five in the afternoon, technically we don’t have anything else planned today.
“I have an idea that could be really fun,” I say with a smirk. “We’d get to tell Hollis our regrets, put her in her place, and offer her gift bags with our toys and marketing inside them to make us seem like?—”
“Assholes who are rising above pettiness?” Felix chortles, rubbing his face. His well kept beard has to sting at his palm, but he doesn’t bat an eye in his amusement.
“Yes,” I say. “You in?”
“Fuck yes,” he says. Stepping inside Brice’s office, he twirls his finger in the air to tell him to wrap up his call.
“Yes, of course,” Brice says. “I will absolutely get back to you about that after I bring it to my pack. It seems that they’re ready for me to finish my day and get home. I’ll tell them you said as much. Goodbye.”
Shaking his head as he hangs up, he says, “Apparently, Emilia Richardson from ROWS thinks we’re an abomination and felt the need to call me to tell me that.”
“We’re an abomination that helps the world have really good sex,” Mal says. “If I thought it would do any good, I’d send ROWS a PR package of toys.”
“What about samples of lube?” I ask.
Mal snickers as he makes himself a note in his phone. “I always thought I was going to have to grow up when I started a business with you all. I’m glad I haven’t had to,” he says.
“Well, now that my day is massively better by the fact that we’re delivering a care package of lube to the leader of the Regional Omegas Women’s Society, please tell me why you’re all here in my office. Together,” Brice deadpans.
He’s right to say it like that. Wearetrouble when we’re together.
“I think we should offer our services to Cupid’s Call for their mixer next month,” I say with a smile. I’m going to lead with that, because I don’t know if he’ll agree to my plan otherwise.“There will be packs and single omegas in one place. By offering them gift bags as a sponsor to their event, it’ll give us the perfect opportunity to expand our reach in the community.”
My words are smooth, and complete bullshit. This is a petty stunt, even if it will make us look fucking awesome when we pull it off. The Naughty Tote isn’t just a lewd company, we really do believe in sexual empowerment. My annoyance and the way I choose to express it is my own business.
Brice gazes at me with his electric blue eyes for a long moment while Mal and Felix freeze. One wrong move and they’ll both cave. Rising slowly, he walks over to me and rips the invitation and envelope out of my hand and peruses it.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with what you’re proposing?” he asks, not at all believing me. “I will say I think it’s a great idea, and will also make people remember us down the line. However, I’ve known you for a long fucking time, and this is a cold invitation. We hate this shit.”
“Relationships need a lead up, and we don’t know Hollis,” Mal agrees innocently. “I suggested that we decline her invitation, but offer her an opportunity to work with us.”
