Page 24 of Achievement Unlocked

“Yes. And no, I didn’t plan to change my last name.”

That wasn’t my hang-up. “I grew up with him. Or rather, around him.” As in, I’d worked at the country club where he spent his high school summers, and the only thing that kept me from decking him back then was the fact that I needed the money. So. Fucking. Cliche. “He’s an asshole.”

“I noticed. I wish I’d noticed sooner.” The joy vanished from her voice.

That wouldn’t do. “I’m happy to help you take your things back from him. Give me an address and a time.”

“The time is as soon as you’re available. They’re doing it this morning.” She rattled off her current address and her old one.

Her stuff was stuck between my place and hers. “Tell your friends I’ll meet them there.”

“Thank you.”

“And Megan? You never need an excuse to call me.” The assurance came easily.

I headed to the address Megan gave me, and I wasn’t surprised to find that it was in the foothills above the capitol, with the expensive homes. Easton’s family didn’t haveour name is on hospitalsmoney, but they did havewe bought our grandson a million-dollar homemoney. There was no question in my mind that he hadn’t earned his house on the hill.

Quentin, Jeremy, and Nigel were already waiting outside. An SUV sat in the driveway—the same one I’d seen the morning after Megan’s bachelorette party, so I assumed it was Jeremy’s. A black Subaru Baja sat next to it. That wasn’t Quentin’s, so it must be Nigel’s. Sharp contrast to the motorcycle.

I waved as I approached. Though I technically knew everyone, I felt a little awkward around Jeremy and I had no idea what to think of Nigel.

“Hey.” Quentin shook my hand when I was close enough. “Glad to see another friendly face.”

“Same. Does he know we’re coming?”

“Megan texted him—or he thinks she did,” Nigel said. “Carly texted him from Megan’s phone, said she’d be by today to pick up her things and he could either help or stay the fuck out of the way.”

Carly. She was the one who laughed when she found us asleep together. I was pretty sure I liked her. Not in a she-haunts-my-dreams kind of way. No, that honor was strictly Megan’s. “Cool. So what’s the plan?”

Jeremy pulled out his phone, and jabbed at the screen. “Megan says most of her furniture is stored in a room in the basement. Clothes are in the master bedroom—should be pretty easy to figure out which are hers—and almost everything else is in herdoll room.”

“Doll room? As inAnnabelle?”

Nigel rolled his eyes. “As in, she turns things like Barbies and Bratz dolls into pop culture icons.”

“Like those bobble headed things that have at least one design for every movie or tv character who ever existed,” Quentin said.

Jeremy snorted. “Hell, I’m pretty sure they have one of each of us.”

“Limited edition. Meant to house our souls.Boo.” Nigel winked at me.

Weird group. I liked it. “Point me in a direction.”

“Landon and Quentin can start grabbing the furniture.” Jeremy squeezed Quentin’s bicep. “All those muscles need to be good for something.”

Quentin raised his brows. “They look pretty. And you never complain when I have you bent over the kitchen counter.”

“And I’m not complaining now.” Jeremy grinned. “Nigel can pack up the doll room, and I’ll grab Megan’s clothes.”

“Are you sure?” There was a hint of challenge in Nigel’s question.

The look Jeremy gave him was mostly confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You go through Megan’s drawers, you might discover your sister wears panties. Owns a vibrator. Is an adult female. Are you willing to do that?” Nigel teased.

Jeremy twisted his mouth. “I’m willing to never hear those words come out of your mouth again in association with Megan.”

The exchange was lighthearted, but the threat that lay underneath was clear. I was going to assume if Jeremy had any idea what we’d gotten up to with Megan last night, he’d be using that knife of Nigel’s to skin me, rather than greeting me like a new friend.

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