Page 7 of Mr. Hook-up

Brennon sat on the floor in front of his laptop. “We’re making sure the app doesn’t crash, that it can continue handling the traffic that’s been coming in.”

I stopped midchew. “Did it crash while I was sleeping?”

“Close,” David admitted. “We had several areas not working correctly, but we got it under control.”

“Was that last night when it happened? Or this morning?” Brennon scratched his arm, the sound almost like the sticking and peeling of Velcro. “I don’t even know what day it is.”

“Honestly, I’m as overtired and lost as you two. I think I got about two hours of sleep last night, and I don’t know if that made me feel worse or better.” My phone vibrated and I took it out of my pocket, seeing multiple notifications that had come in during my nap; the most recent was from Hooked. “Messages are working great. I just got one.”

“That’s a relief,” David said.

Brennon shook his head. “Theyshouldbe working. Shit, I’ve been writing code for them all morning.”

Although there were several new matches and messages, the most important one was from Love, so that was the one I opened.

SaarasLove:Hiii! I’m back, whoop!

Me:Did you have a good time at home?

SaarasLove:Home was...home. This trip was sad. Emotionally draining. I’m much happier to be back in the city.

Me:Sounds like you should have just stayed here and gone out on a date with me.

SaarasLove:Normally, I’d totally agree, but this trip was unfortunately very necessary.

SaarasLove:I recently lost a close family member—nothing we need to talk about, I’m just putting it out into the universe, so you get where my head is at.

Me:I won’t make you talk about it, but I do want to cheer you up.

SaarasLove:Tell me something funny, then.

I glanced around the living room and kitchen, trying to think of something, and then the obvious hit me.

Me:I had a dream about you last night. A pretty detailed one that involved us naked. Your face wasn’t really shown that much, just your incredible body that I saw in the bikini shot you sent. I woke up and went straight into the living room. The guys called me out—let’s just say, I had to adjust myself, the view in my pants wasn’t exactly appropriate.

SaarasLove:Oh my God!

Me:Yeah...I’ve clearly got you on my mind, Love. Looks like I already can’t get enough of you.

SaarasLove:Mr.Boston, stop flattering me.

I wedged my coffee out from in between my thighs and took a drink.

The tempo of the guys’ typing was a constant tap, like the beak of a woodpecker against a tree, and it hadn’t lightened up at all. If anything, their speed had increased.

“Have you guys joined the app?” I asked.

That question seemed to garner their attention, both pausing to look up at the same time.

“Joined the app?” Brennon huffed, his eyes red and hazy in the middle of long lashes. “Who the hell has time to date? Don’t tell me you do?”

Instead of answering, I addressed his partner. “How about you, David?”

David shook his head, several pieces of hair falling out of the elastic. “I’m on a wicked dry streak. Haven’t brought a girl home in, what, a couple months, I think.” He rubbed his cheek against his shoulder, unbalancing his glasses, which he didn’t fix.

“That’s why you need to join,” I told him. “You could be on a date by tonight.”

“Except tonight I have class,” David told me. “And I’ve got to figure out a way to make rent, so that means I might have to pick up some freelance in between homework and coding for Hooked.” He tucked the loose strands behind his ear. “Think I can fit a date in there somewhere?” He laughed.

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