Page 1 of Knocked Up by my Rival

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MACKENZIE

“Thisisit,”Isaid and got out of the cab. Hailey followed me. “You’re going to love it.”

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here,” she said when we walked into the bar just a couple of blocks from where I used to work.

We took a seat in a booth toward the back. Someone stood with a guitar on the platform that doubled as a stage when guest artists showed up to strut their stuff, and a tech guy worked on the plugs behind him.

“Have you met your new boss?” Hailey asked.

“Not yet. He has a full schedule, but I heard from the others he’s an ass.”

A server came to us to take our order.

“Vodka tonic,” Hailey said.

“I’ll have a beer,” I said. “Whichever one you have on tap, and two shots of tequila to start off with.”

Hailey crinkled her nose. “I don’t know how you drink that stuff.”

“Tequila?”

“Beer. It’s so gross.”

I laughed. “It’s an acquired taste.”

“Yeah, you see… if you have to acquire a taste for something, it’s already a problem. There’s a lot of stuff that’s nice right off the bat. Like pizza. The first time I tasted it, I already loved it.”

I laughed and shook my head. “It’s great seeing you again.”

Hailey and I had grown up together, but when I’d gone to college, she’d taken a gap year to backpack in Europe, and we’d fallen out of touch. We’d only just recently connected again, and we’d hit it off like we’d never been apart.

That had to be the true definition of friendship.

“He’s going to like you just fine,” Hailey said, waving her hand.

“They don’t usually, but it’s okay. I’llmakehim like me. I know what I’m doing.”

“And you’re so modest.” Hailey laughed.

“What have you been up to?” I asked, changing the topic with a chuckle. “Aside from studying, of course.”

Hailey had told me that she’d decided to go back to school to change her direction away from the corporate world where she’dbeen controlled by mindless drones.Her words.

I loved the corporate world. In fact, I liked to think I dominated it.

“Studying took up most of my time,” she said. “I’m so glad it’s done. The amount of work I had to cover… child psychology is no joke.”

I nodded. “I believe you. Rachel has three kids now, and they’re a handful.”

“I can’t believe your sister has three kids!” Hailey cried out. “I thought she would never marry that guy.”

I shrugged.That guyhad been great… until the moment he hadn’t, and he’d dumped my sister and left her with three kids and a piss-poor maintenance order that barely got them by. It was just proof that relationships were bullshit and having kids wasn’t for just everyone.

“I can’t imagine dealing with three kids,” I said. “All her time goes to them. They’re really great, I love my nieces and nephew, but they’re really hard work, and I don’t know if I would want to dedicate that much time to having kids.”

“Maybe you’ll change your mind one day,” Hailey suggested.

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