Page 19 of Love Expert
“You’re not supposed to listen to those conversations!I’ma slimebag. Duh!”
I sip my champagne and make tracks around the almost-packed bookstore, studying the layout of individual tables with a chair on each side. Small vases sit on each, with a single red rose and a battery-operated fake candle. Each table has a pencil and fresh notepad waiting to be used, and on top of those are name cards.
Remi Devereaux. Alana Watkins. Fox Tatum. Eliza Darling.
There’s even a card for Rosaline Valera, which is a pretty big fucking deal, considering she’s not usually one for crowds.
I make my way toward the front counter, slipping between groups of flirting singles and around Oliver Darling while he creates a two-person dancefloor just for him and Rose. He whispers filthy things in her ear, and probably reminds her not to fall in love with anyone else tonight.
Finally, I arrive at the top end of the room and find the fighters, just like I knew I would.
“Christian.” I offer my fist and wait for him to bump it. “You’re letting Fox date tonight? Even with your baby in her belly?”
His lips quirk into the tiniest shadow of a smile. “She knows who to come home to, Detective. And she wouldn’t shut up about it anyway. Turns out, whatever Fox Tatum wants, Fox Tatum gets.”
“Sucks for you.” I look to Tommy next and tap his fist. “Alana secure a babysitter for tonight, or is Hazel getting her first taste of the dating scene nice and early?”
“You’re set on goading us, huh?” He snorts. “Trying to piss me off?”
“It’s fun.” I lean against the front counter and cross my ankles, settling in. “What’s with the sudden new business inspiration, anyway? Alana’s been running this place for a year already, butnowshe wants to turn it into a mass fuckin’ orgy?”
“Money’s money,” he shrugs. “And when Maggie said?—”
“Maggie, what?” I shove off the counter and stare at the pair. “Maggie Sava?”
“Mmm. This is her thing.” His eyes lock onto Alana’s from all the way across the room, his smile notching up when she pauses whatever she’s doing and grins back. Then he winks and releases her to continue her tasks. “Maggie’s a love expert.”
I blink. Blink. Blink. “She’s awhat?”
“Love expert.” Chris shrugs. “She hosts these events, charges men out the asshole to be in the same room as the women, then she makes matches.” He presses his hands together. “Like… matches.”
“Maggie Sava?” I repeat, like a fucking moron. “Magnolia, from the second grade?”
“Pretty sure she made it most of the way through middle school,” Tommy chuckles. “She can count to a hundred and everything. There.” He tips his chin in hello.
I will not turn around.
I will not turn around.
I WILL NOT TURN AROUND!
“She’s gotten chummy with the girls over the last couple of weeks, I guess. Lots of planning for tonight, lots of scheming. This was Maggie’s career in her old town. Super lucrative, apparently. So when she and Alana got to talking about venues…” He smiles wide… straight past me. “I support my wife’s business decisions. Hi, Maggie. Great turn out, huh?”
“Yeah.” She latches onto my arm and wrenches me around with a fast yank. “Dammit!”
“Nice to see you folks are getting along,” Tommy laughs. “Everything pleasant over on Pleasant Street?”
“I was hoping you were someone else,” she groans. “Jesus. This is your not-a-date?”
“You’re alove expert?” I shoot right back. “The fuck is alove expert,anyway? Back in my day, we called those pimps.”
“You’re such a jackass,” she hisses. “I’ve tried being nice to you, Billy! I’ve tried minding my own business. Living my life. Working in my garden. But here you are,jackassing the way jackasses do. Again.” With a roll of her eyes, she spins on her heels and takes off.
“That was smooth,” Chris snorts. “Looks like things have improved since you body slammed her on her own porch and carted her off to jail.”
“I didn’t body slam her! And I didn’t cart her anywhere. It was a misunderstanding, and then I apologized.”Maybe… possibly… probably not.
“Not one of you fuckers is allowed to flirt with my baby sister!” Ramone bursts through the crowd like a bowling ball through pins, tipping his champagne back and chugging its contents greedily. “Fuckin’ hell. Why would she come here, huh? She’s completely ruined my plans to ruin someone else’s life tonight.”
