Page 29 of The Playboy

I traced my thumb across the top of the glass. “You’re already doing so much. I’m lucky to have you both.”

“I know we’re fabulous,” Clem joked. “But we want to help. Please let us.”

“I’ll think about it,” I lied.

We all had plates that were overflowing; none of us needed more work or responsibility thrown at us.

Clem pulled me in for a hug, squeezing me with a strength she’d inherited from Mom. “Your butt needs to go to bed. You have to be at work in—”

“Less than four hours.” I exhaled. “I’m just going to finish up my paper, and I’ll be in to crash.”

“Ahhh, fuck.” Jess groaned. “There’s a problem with your computer.”

I pulled away from Clem, and Jess had an expression of guilt across her face.

“What kind of problem?”

“When I got home from work, I needed to pay some bills, so I used your computer.” She reached for my glass and downed what was left in it.

My laptop was the only one we had. My sisters used it all the time, and I had no problem with that.

But as the guilt deepened in her eyes, something told me I now had a problem with it.

“The battery light was blinking,” she continued, “and I didn’t know where the plug was, so I pushed the chair back to get up from your desk and search for it, not realizing the cord was under the chair, and the wooden leg landed on the adapter, and it snapped off.”

My heart sank, and my throat became so constricted that I almost wheezed when I took in a breath. “What are you saying, Jess?”

“You have a dead laptop and no way to plug it in. It was too late to go to the store when it happened, so I planned to get you a new one in the morning.”

With no cord, I couldn’t write my paper, especially adding in the references and special formatting—things my professor required, or I’d attempt to write it on my phone.

Aside from escaping, my computer was the one other thing I needed tonight.

My head fell back, my eyes squinting closed. “Shiiit.”

“I’m so sorry, Brooklyn.” Jess’s voice was filled with emotion. “I feel terrible. I didn’t do it on purpose. I swear it was an accident.”

“I know.”

“I’ll get up super early, and I’ll get the cord first thing,” she added.

I lowered my chin to look at her. “It won’t matter. I’ll be at work by then, and I can’t write it there.”

“Call in sick,” Clem offered.

I couldn’t do that either. My car payment was already overdue. I needed tomorrow’s wages as much as I needed my laptop cord.

“It’s fine.” I swallowed, trying to push the knot down. “I’ll get it done somehow.” Another lie, but I didn’t want Jess to feel worse than she did.

Jess squeezed my hand. “Please don’t be upset. I’ll make this right. Whatever I have to do.”

I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her. “I’m not upset.” When I pulled back, I said to both of them, “Now, I really need to get some studying done.” I nodded toward our room. “Go.”

Clem rubbed the top of my head. “Try not to stay up too late. As it is, four hours isn’t nearly enough sleep.”

I said nothing as they walked out, hearing the sounds of them getting into their individual beds.

I took out my phone that I’d left in the car while I was at the club, but it was now wedged into the top of my dress. I pulled up my email and wrote my professor a note, explaining the situation.

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