Page 23 of Not Your Ex's Hexes
Harper barely flinched. “Oh, come on. You can’t deny this place needs more than a few upgrades. Eco-friendly light fixtures. Buffing and fresh paint. And we may as well demolish the bathroom and start from scratch.”
“Keep it up and I’ll start from scratch with my staff.”
The succubus rolled her expressive green eyes. “Oh, please. You can’t afford to get rid of me… especially at the rate at which you scare all the others away.”
Rose’s ears perked, but it was Olive who asked first, “Didn’t you finish training someone last week?”
Gage looked wary. “Finished training and fired two days later when I caught her skimming money off the register. Pretty sure your sister cursed me before she handed in her notice because everyone I’ve hired since Vi left hasn’t worked out.”
Harper scoffed. “Meaning the grumpy, broody vampire boss flashed a little too much fang—and not in a good way—and scared them back into the unemployment line… with the exception of Miss Sticky Fingers. It takes nerves of steel to deal with this guy. Trust me, I know. It’s the only reason I’m still standing.”
Gage cocked an eyebrow, which the sex demon copied.
“Go head. Tell me I’m wrong,” Harper dared the vampire.
“What do I have to do to get rid ofyou?”
Harper chuckled. “You can’t get rid of me. I bring the crowd, baby. Get rid of little ole me and this place would be a vacant hole-in-the-wall rather than a busy hole-in-the-wall.”
“I can help out a little bit,” Rose heard herself saying.
All eyes transferred to her, Olive’s mouth slightly opened.
“I know my way around mixing drinks thanks to our Girls’ Nights,” Rose continued, “and I’m pretty good at handling people… perk of all the Prima training.”
“You want to work here?” Gage failed to mask his surprise.
Harper squealed. “Yes! Yes! You’re hired! When can you start?”
“You can’t hire or fire people, Harper. You’re not the owner or the manager.”
“Which is something we should sit and have a talk about. I feel like I deserve something for putting up with your grumpy fine ass all these years.” She shot him a daring look that had him sighing.
“When can you start?” Gage didn’t bother arguing.
“After the Bonding Ceremony next week?” Rose suggested.
“Swing by and we’ll set you up with the paperwork and work out some kind of a schedule.”
“Sure.” Rose smiled. Finally. Something was going right today.
“Oh, my God! It’s back on!” Harper squealed. Vaulting over Rose, the succubus gave her a faceful of her cleavage as she yanked something off the community announcement wall. “I was just wondering if they would pull this off again this year and—well, suck me. I have that stupid promo event the radio station is making me do and I’ve already exhausted my usual excuses to try and get out of it.”
Olly clutched her precious coffee to her chest as Harper bounced back into her seat, a flyer gripped in her hand. “Are we supposed to know what you’re talking about or are we supposed to guess?”
“Here. You two witches go as my proxies, and I won’t take no for an answer.” Harper shoved the flyer at Rose before she could reach for it.
She blinked, forcing her tired brain to decipher the pictures and words, and then she laughed. She laughed so hard she had to squeeze her legs together or risk dribblage… but she was the only one.
“What?” Harper asked, looking genuinely confused at her reaction.
She slowly sobered. “This is a legit event here in the city? The No-Pants Express?”
“Honestly, you Maxwell sisters need to get out more. Yes! Every year, they pick a different train. Riders doff their pants and ride the subway, all getting on at different stops along the way.”
Olive looked stricken. “They take off their pants…”
“It’s called the No-Pants Express for a reason, Olly.”
