Page 157 of Grand Love

“Come on, Aldridge, I need you to wingman me. I was shit out of luck last night after I bid on Luce.”

Me and Megan look at each other and raise our brows in unison.

“What was that all about?” Megan asks.

Elliot sits forward in his seat, lifting his seat belt and smoothing it over his shoulder. “I wasn’t having it.”

“You wasn’t having what?” I ask.

He eyes me in the mirror as if it’s obvious. “Vinny?”

“I’d totally jump Vinny.” Megan laughs.

“Ewww, Megs!” I push her into the door.

“I’m kidding, he’s like a dad to us.”

“Exactly,” Elliot says. “I wasn’t having it be a joke on her.” His face hardens. “That prick she is with needs some sense knocked into him.”

Me and Megan look at each other at the same time again, then break out into giggles.

“I get it, Ell,” Charlie tells him.

“You shouldn’t laugh, Nina. Have you thought about the shit show that will go down when Hemmings comes for his date?”

Cooper. Fuck! I forgot about the auction.

“Surely he won’t ask for a date? I think Mason made it perfectly clear she wasn’t for sale.”

“You haven’t met Hemmings,” Elliot tells Megan.

Charlie twists in his seat so he can see me. “Mase won’t have you go anywhere without him, Nina. And I agree with Megan, he’d have to be looking for a death wish to come asking for anything from you.”

“You wanna bet on that?”

I roll my eyes as Charlie smiles over at Elliot, lifting his chin in challenge. “How much?”

“Fifty. It’ll round up the pot for what you owe me from last night.”

“Done. There’s no way he’d be so fucking stupid.”

“We shall see my friend.”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t bet on my odds, thank you very much!” I feign annoyance.

“Not you, little Pixie. Just dickhead Hemmings. You going to come for a drink or are we dropping you home?” he asks.

“Drop me home please, Ell.”

* * *

I feelexhausted as I lug my overnight bag out the back of Elliot’s car. I fell asleep on the ride home and now all I want to do is climb into my bed. Mason will have Ellis until a little later and I feel for him, he’ll be just as tired as I am.

I go to my apartment to drop my bags off then shower and change, then I make my way to Joey’s, hoping he is home.

Before I knock, I try the door but it’s locked, which isn’t out of the blue for Joey. Pulling out my keys, I unlock the door and enter his apartment.

I instantly know he’s home.

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