Page 78 of Champagne Fizz

“You’re not the amazing communicator that you think you are,” I snip.

“I’ve got a lot of body language tactics that don’t translate over the phone,” Connor defends. “Not to mention, my best communication tactics include Arie naked in my bedroom.”

“Well, Arie isn’t invited to this meeting!”

Connor laughs. “You need to learn how to take a joke.”

“Focus Connor! How does Olivia know we are up to something?” I ask. “Did you tell her about this?”

“No,” Connor replies. “But hey, maybe she has secret spies? Or insanely acute womanly intuition? How should I know? She’s your client.”

“She works at your restaurant.”

“Arie’s restaurant,” Connor corrects.

Technically Arie and Simon’s restaurant, but I don’t say that. “You haven’t mentioned this to her yet?”

“I answered that already. Twenty at the Gin n’ Lava, and all shall be revealed, buttercup.”

“Buttercup?” I’m not even wearing yellow today.

Only Connor’s already hung up, leaving me standing in a nook of ferns and hibiscus wondering what the heck I’m going to say to Olivia when I give her a call.

Thanks for nothing, Connor.

21

KENDALL

Olivia sits under the glowing green and yellow lanterns inside the Gin n’ Lava—positively furious. The fake palm frond above her casts slashes of shadow across her face, forcing me to channel my inner Sue Blade.Take responsibility. Be accountable. You’re a professional and you’ll survive a small hiccup with your client.

“Ned is going to hate this,” Olivia snips, as I take the seat opposite her.

“Is—uh?—Connor here?” I ask, avoiding her anger.

Don’t worry Sue, I’m working up to the responsibility part.

Olivia points to the bar, and I see Connor behind it helping Mason, the two of them laughing.

“Why’s he behind the bar?” I ask.

“Connor used to work here, before Arie stole him away,” Olivia explains.

“Arie stole him?”

Olivia nods. “Mason used to make a lot more money when this was Connor’s place of employment. He used to sling drinks right over there, shirtless.”

“Shirtless?” I swallow. “Why would he be—?”

“Why does Mason wear phallic shirts to work?” Olivia asks rhetorically. “Because guys think all sorts of stupid things are amusing. Like making us drinks before noon.” Olivia nods to the bar. “Connor seems to think calling his mother requires excessive amounts of inebriation.”

I bite my cheek. Okay, so Olivia knows there’s a plan to involve Ned’s parents.

“Connor’s going to call his mother drunk?” I glance uneasily at the shots Connor is lining up.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Olivia admits. “What did you expect with this idea?”

Shots fired! I turn my attention to Olivia and meet her anger head on. It’s accountability time.

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