Page 58 of The Layover

“That same kind who tries to have an entire construction project fail, either because you told him no or I did.” I’d learned my lesson about narcissistic ex’s. I wished it was one I hadn’t had to learn, but I knew better now.

Raul shook his head. “That’s fucked up.”

“If we’re comparing ex’s, I have to admit I want to deck yours now that I met her.” I was trying to keep this conversation light. Pretty sure I was failing.

“I would’ve paid to see that,” Diego said. “You would win.”

“I don’t know about that, but I would’ve put on a good show.” No hair pulling and clawing for me. I’d come out swinging. “For her to just demand what she did…”

Diego shouldered his laptop bag. “If you want to come back to our place, you just have to ask.”

“That’s not what she was saying.” Raul looked at me. “Though, he’s right.”

I was thinking about it. I shouldn’t. I needed to return to my hotel, spend the night alone, and forget that anything else was ever an option. But I’d love to come back to your place hovered on the tip of my tongue.

My phone rang, saving me, and relief flooded inside when I saw that it was Daria, not Curtis. “One minute,” I told the guys before I answered the call. “Hey, you.”

“Hey.” Daria sounded bright. Happy. “Where are you?”

Weird way to start the conversation. “The worksite. Why?”

“Because we’re at your hotel and they’re calling your room and you’re not picking up.”

She was where? Wait. “We?”

“Me. The girls. Brooke. Adam.”

What? “What?”

“Happy birthday. And surprise.” In the background, a scattered wave of surprise came from Daria’s phone.

Oh. Wow. Umm… “We’re wrapping up here. Long day, you know how it goes. I’ll tell you about it when I get there. Be there in half an hour?” But would I really tell her about all of it? I didn’t know.

“Okay. See you then,” Daria said.

“That’s a no on coming back to our place?” Diego waited until I hung up to ask, and a hint of disappointment traced his question.

I was a bit bummed, too. Not that my friends were here, but… “Apparently Daria is here to surprise me for my birthday.”

“It’s your birthday?” Raul looked surprised. And possibly also like he was plotting.

Crap. “Not for a few more days.” I’d love to not remember that I was almost a decade older than these men, and having them do the math and add another year to my age wouldn’t help.

“Were you going to tell us?” Diego asked.

“Probably not?”

His frown said that was the wrong answer.

“That’s fair.” At least Raul seemed to understand. “Have a good night, and tell Daria we said hi.”

I gave them tight smiles, ignored the tug that wanted me to stay, and headed back to my hotel. When I got there, Brooke and Adam had already checked into their own room. Colin, Tanner, and Deacon hadn’t made the trip because they couldn’t take the time away from their businesses. There was plenty of room for Daria and the girls to stay in my little cabin.

Besides, I hadn’t used the place half the time I was here, so maybe this made up for that in some sort of weird, round-about way?

When I showed Daria and her girls to my place, Harmony was tentative and Alana was aloof about their shared room. But within minutes, they were each picking a bed, and Harmony was planning where the stuffed toys she’d brought with her would sleep.

Daria joined me in the living room, while they settled in. She and I caught up a little on her flight. I promised to give her a tour of the city tomorrow night when we had a little more time.

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