Page 70 of Off Limits

“It’s fine, Shay. I’ll be fine.”

“You have to get it past Lochlyn. I’m not asking him for you.” Surely, he can convince her not to come.

“Fine, fine. I want to bring Brendan too.” She’s killing my weekend.

“Then you aredefinitelyasking him.” I’m ready to jump out of my chair, but she’ll suspect something’s up.

“I don’t know why he hates him so much.”

“Um, pregnancy scare? Ring any bells?”

“He hated him way before that.”

“He’s just protective. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know. 'Kay, break’s over. You coming?” She stands, wiping her hands and running them down her pants, tossing any crumbs to the floor.

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

As soon as she’s through the doors, I whip out my phone, dialing as fast as I can, bouncing on the balls of my feet while it rings.

“Hey, why are you calling during the da—"

“Chelsea wants to come to the concert,” I blurt out.

“Shewhat?”He sounds as shocked as I feel. My heart is hammering so loudly I’m sure he can hear it through the phone.

“She wants to come to the concert. I tried to talk her out of it. I couldn’t. I told her she has to call you to talk about it. I wasn’t going to.”

“Does she know something?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Fuck.Fuck.”My sentiments exactly.

“Yeah.” Our conversation is moving briskly, one answering almost before the other finishes. It’s not the sort of midday chat I’d like to be having, but at least it’s a little extra time to hear his voice.

“I mean, I’ll make a good argument, but ultimately I can’t tell her no.”

“I know.”

“Which means…"

“Oh, I know. It gets worse. She wants to bring Brendan.” Standing on my toes, I peer through the small window in the door to make sure Chelsea’s not returning since I wasn’t on her heels.

“No way. No fucking way.”

“I say let him come. An extra distraction for her. And I guess have Wes stay too. At least then we can make the argument for you sleeping in your room with me versus on the couch, since everywhere will be taken.”

“Good thinking.”

“Yeah, I don’t like how good I’m getting at both lying to her and coming up with ways to be sneaky.”

“There is an alternative, ya know.” He always brings it back to that. I understand his reasoning and thought process, but I know Chelsea well enough to know that it will be nothing short of a cataclysmic event.

“Sure, you say that since you’re safe far, far away in Ithaca. Let’s see how you feel when you’re home all summer. I’d love to talk more, but I have to get back out on the floor before she comes looking for me. Wait for her to call you.”

“Okay, I will. I’ll call you tonight. I love you.”

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