Page 44 of Love Expert

“H-how I’m feeling?”

I just know her eyes narrow into suspicious slits.

“Um… why?”

“What do you meanwhy? Jesus! We were friends once, weren’t we? I’m allowed to?—”

Ramone taps the board again.No arguing!

Fuck! Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! “Sorry.” I slam my eyes closed and groan. “I didn’t mean it like?—”

“It’s not that you can’t ask…” She hedges. “You just caught me off guard, that’s all. I’m working right now, and there are a lot of clients who need my attention, so…”

“Yeah?” A grin spreads across my lips, even without my permission. “How many clients can a love expert possibly have?”

“More than I can handle sometimes.”

“Wait…” I snap my eyes open again and latch onto Ramone’s. “How many one-on-one clients do you work with?”

“What?”

“Are you tying ties for other men? Are you in their homes late at night, cooking with their kids, debriefing after dates?”

“Well… yeah,” she breathes. “That’s my job. But I do events too, remember? That’s how I make the bulk of my income.”

“Hi, Maggie.” A man’s voice, gruff and thick and just deep enough to piss me off, rambles past. “How’s it going today?”

“It’s going great.” She takes the phone from her ear, so I practically fuckingfeelthe arc of her arm as it lowers. “How are you doing, Elson? How’s business?”

“Oh, it’s great.” He kisses her.

He fucking kisses her!

I heard it.

“Stocks are up.” He pulls back and takes her hand. I mean, fuck, I don’tknowthat he takes her hand, but he absolutely fucking takes her hand! Probably pulls her in tight. Promises her all the things that make her smile. “You coming back inside, sweetheart? You know I’m here to see you specifically.”

She chokes out a flirty giggle.Oh please, Elson. You’re so dreamy and sexy and totally emotionally mature.“I’ll join you in a moment, I promise. Just taking a work call right now.”

“A work call,” I snarl, my teeth snapping closed with a violent click. “She said she’s taking a work call. She called me a work call, Ramone!”

He hits the board, right where CALM DOWN is written in capital letters. “Youarea work call, dipshit. You sure as shit ain’t friends, since you’re always being mean to her.”

“I’ll be with you in a moment, Elson. Just let me finish this.” She brings the phone back to her ear. “Did you say something?”

“What?”

“I was talking to someone else, but I thought I heard voices coming from my phone, too.”

“Nope. What time will you be at my place tonight?”

“Six-thirty. I already said so in my texts. Did you read those?”

Yes, I fucking read them!“Can you be there by six at the latest?” I meet Ramone’s wary stare. “I’m really not sure about my outfit for tonight, and the prize I won promises all the bells and whistles. Something about helping me choose a shirt if needed.” I drag my bottom lip between my teeth and grin. “I’m nervous about this date, since the chick seems decent and I’m trying really hard to be less…”

Silence hangs for one beat. Then two. Three.

“Less, what?”