Page 4 of The Boyfriend Material Novellas

“See you later.” I hang up, then dart into the building, taking the steps two at a time up to our fifth-floor suite. Elevators can suck it.

Pushing open the door, I say hi to our receptionist then to my business partners, Haven, Josh, and Ford, before I head to my office, where I spend the day pacing the carpeted floor as I make work calls.

They go so damn swimmingly that I lob jump shot after jump shot in the net on the back of my office door as I talk.

“Slam dunk,” I declare to no one after I negotiate a killer bonus clause for one of the Yankees.

Someone raps on my door. Opening it, I find Josh wearing hisI’m going to ask you for a favorface.

I point at his grin. “Good thing you’re not that transparent when negotiating. Are you going to ask me to pony up for an office pizza? Go halfsies on an espresso machine? Or maybe ask me to head up the Miami office we’re opening in a few months?”

He wiggles his eyebrows. “Already got you on that one.”

I grin broadly. “I know, and I’m psyched to head back to the beach. But what do you want me to dotoday?”

“Now why on earth would you think I’m about to hit you up?” He has the good sense to act surprised.

“You’re easier to read than the Dallas D-line was back in my day.”

He winces dramatically. “That hurts, man. Those guys were Swiss cheese.”

“Don’t I know it. It was awesome playing against them.” I wave off the fond memories, then rub my palms together, ready to help my partner and friend. I’m always ready—that’s my mantra. “Anyway, lay it on me. What do you need?”

“You know the holiday party we talked about having?”

“Of course.”

“The good news is this: my sister Quinn says she’ll plan it for us, and she has a couple of places she thinks we can still snag.”

I park myself on the edge of my desk. “Does she not remember that you were a complete dick to her growing up?”

He scoffs. “I certainly was not. Also, how do you know how I was to my sisters when we were kids?”

“Let’s see . . .” I scratch my head. “You’re their older brother. Call it a lucky guess.”

“I was an absolute angel as a child,” he says with great dignity, then switches back to normal. “Anyway, I offered to pay her full rate, but she says it’s her Christmas present to us, and even though I am the reigning king of negotiations, the one person I can’t argue with is Quinn.”

“Why’s that?”

“She’s relentless. Wiped the floor with us in Risk and Battleship.She could starve out your army in a siege of attrition, all with a smile to melt an ice-cold heart. Anyway, I was hoping you could join us for dinner tonight to chat about the party? Just to get the ball rolling.”

“So she can wear me down too? I’m not a pushover like you, Summers.”

“I wanted to include you because I thought it’d be right in your wheelhouse.” He clears his throat, shifting into full-on flattery mode. “Since you’re the most people-y of all of us.”

I arch a brow. “People-y? One, not a word. Two, not sure it’s flattering.”

“It should be a word, and it’s totally a compliment. It’s your special skill.”

“Since you suck at socializing?” I tease.

At least he owns it. “If it were up to me, I’d never go to a party again. But you’re a social beast master.”

“Again, not sure how to take that.”

He places his hand flat over his heart. “With my most sincere admiration.”

“Really? ‘Beast’ is a compliment?”

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