Page 57 of The Art of Almost Losing It
“—uses recycled paper, and we could spritz it with your perfume and—”
“I’m not paying for your drinks,” I lean in and growl in her ear.
She jumps—all the paper scatters—and turns around to look at me.
“What the— Oh my gosh, why are you here so early?”
“It’s not that early.”
“It’s not?”
I show her my watch.
“Oh my gosh, where is my brother?” Dani’s furiously texting above me as I kneel down to pick up all the paper.
Of course she litters.
I grab her ankle so I can get the last piece of paper.
“You might have to go get him.”
Her friends look shocked to see me. After I stand back up and tap the cards on the table, I hand the set back to her.
The tallest girl finally blinks up at me and says breathily, “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your billionaire, Dani?”
11
DANI
“This is, um…”
Moment of truth.
Colette already didn’t believe I had a tall, rich, handsome billionaire. Now I have to show that he and I were oh-so in love and had been for the past three months.
I grab Graham’s arm. He looks down at me like,What the fuck?
I release him.
“Sorry,” I say, realizing that sounds weird, then put my hand on his back instead.
It’s awkward. We’re standing too far apart.
“Uh, Graham Richmond, meet… my friends.”
“It’ssogood,” Colette drawls out, “to finally meet you.”
She steps up to him, perched prettily in her white five-inch So Kate heels, and gives him a kiss on the cheek, then she runs her thumb over the barely there mark.
“Did Dani tell you we grew up together? Our mothers are best friends, and so are we.” She links her thin arm with mine. “So we’re practically family, her and me. Oh, I have some stories I could tell you about Dani when we were kids.”
“If you tell me all of them, I’ll buy you a drink.” Graham smirks at me over his shoulder as he walks away with her.
Fuck you,he mouths.
No, screw you.
I had to get kidnapped, gosh darn it, to get this man.
