Page 11 of Their Pup to Tame

“Shortchange?” I said, staring him in the eye. “Dude, every time you get one of the bundles, you’re dropping a hundred to a hundred and fifty bucks. Wouldn’t you rather know you’re going to enjoy the book before you shell out that much cash?”

“Like I’ve hated a single goddamn thing you’ve written yet,” I reminded him. “Now shut up and get to work.”

Phoenix made a sound like a whip cracking, while I turned my attention back to my notes, glancing up at them every now and again as flashes of ideas pieced themselves together in my head.

I could picture Phoenix, focused and determined; his one goal was to get through the day without getting into a fight with someone, despite how many times his patience was tested along the way. Little snippets of someone pushing his buttons would make great comic relief. Oh goddess, I had to include the sheer and utter aggravation of trying to find an address when there was a street, terrace, boulevard, and court all named the same thing.

Aspen was easy to weave into the cast too, since there would have to be someone the messenger crew received their instructions from, like a dispatcher, who spent much of his free time gossiping with the other dispatchers, which would ultimately lead to him ferreting out some interesting and completely unreliable things relating to their investigation.

With me on one couch, Phoenix on the other, and Aspen in the easy chair between us, the evening was as close to peacefully perfect as an evening could get.

Until Aspen’s phone rang.

4

ASPEN

“Hey, Christian, I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight about that gear we talked about, but if you’ll give me a moment to grab a notebook and a…” I said when I answered a most unexpected call.

“I’ll be in Wednesday to take care of that and tell you what went down at Passionfruit the other night, ‘cause honey, you will not believe the way Jacob acted like a fool because he thought he saw Robin’s car parked around the side of the building. Do not get me started on the shitstorm he caused ‘cause we’ll be here all day, and I’ve got a drag show to run.”

“Which is why I’m shocked to hear from you in the first place,” I said. “Isn’t it heels down in an hour?”

“Fifty-eight minutes, and I need my favorite wildcat to perform ‘Out Tonight’ because Beauty Belle left me high and dry again. That bitch isn’t getting any more bookings from me until she learns how to tell time. She’s all the way up in Ridge Port. She thought the show was tomorrow night. Please, when have we ever held Drag Chapel on a Monday? She must have drunk apitcher of margaritas to still think it was Saturday, so can you help me out?”

Could I?

Yes.

Did I want to leave my comfy chair and the quiet domesticity that had descended over my house? Mmm. Parker’s arrival had cemented the vibe Phoenix’s presence had already established. Did I really want to mess it all up by announcing that I was leaving to perform in a drag show tonight?

Damn.

Who the fuck was I kidding. The moment he’d mentioned the song and the outfit he wanted me to wear, I’d mentally started putting together a sassy intro, from a whole different song, that I’d break into once I’d shifted from lollipop-licking schoolgirl to seductive wildcat.

Ohhh, and I knew which wigs to grab too because they layered beautifully.

“Bitch, did you hear me? I don’t have a finale unless I move Ginger Dream up and beg her to extend her performance, and that still leaves a huge gap near the end. Can you help me out or what?”

“I started putting something together the moment you started talking. I’ll be there in twenty, so don’t go moving Ginger anywhere. I got you, and I promise, you’ll love the twist I just decided to add. Tell Donny I need ‘Fallen Angel’ cued up to start and to fade into ‘Out Tonight’ when those guitar notes start to fade in the end. I’ll wrap the whole thing up with ‘Broken Doll’for a bit of drama, and that should carry you into the closing announcements.”

“Holy shit, remind me again why I let you turn me down the first time I asked?”

“Because I was tired of those catty witches complaining about you always making me the headliner,” I reminded him. “Personally, I’d welcome any of them to step up and try to take it from me. Since they won’t, and we both know it, I thought I’d bow out gracefully.”

“And now I have you swooping in to steal the damned show,” he replied, tsking. “Those claws will be out in full force tonight. Now hurry up and get here so I can see the looks on their faces.”

“You asked them to come up with something on the fly, didn’t you?”

“Every last one of them turned me down but Ginger, who told me that she thought she could pull something out of her ass if I really needed her to.”

“And have it look like she’d just shat it out and waved it around, too, no thank you, our patrons deserve better than that, especially on Chapel night. I’m hanging up now. Be there soon.”

I air kissed the phone before hitting the red icon to disconnect the call, La-Z-Boy snapping into its upright position as I leapt out of the chair.

“Alright, guys, we’ve got an official drag emergency,” I announced. “You can either find something to wear down to the club tonight or hang out here until I get back, but it won’t be until late.”

“You’re headlining again, aren’t you?” Parker asked, lips having turned down into a scowl I instantly mistook for disapproval.