Page 37 of Joey

“I don’t take warnings from men who have absolutely no power over me.” I take a step back and smile sweetly at Lorenzo as he walks toward us. My brother just saved my ass from a pissed-off Max who looks like he’s seconds away from imploding. Serves him right.

“You out again, kid?” Lorenzo asks, stepping up behind Max.

Tilting my head to the side, I grin. “Well, this is what us young, fun people do, Loz.”

The vein in Max’s neck grows thicker.

“Huh,” Lorenzo grunts. “Henry and Ash going with you?”

“Of course. I’ll be back by dinnertime. It’s just a lunch thing.”

“Be good,” he says with as much of a smile as my oldest brother ever seems to be able to muster.

“Me?” I look between him and Max, fluttering my eyelashes and feigning innocence.

“Yes, you, Joey,” Lorenzo adds before he turns and disappears down the hallway.

No way. I mouth the words so he doesn’t hear, but Max sees, and that vein in his neck damn near bursts. He inches forward, his expression mutinous—

“You coming, Max?” Lorenzo interrupts whatever Max was going to say or do.

“Buh-bye now,” I whisper sweetly, then I turn around and head outside where Ash and Henry are waiting.

* * *

Mo’s polishedoff at least a whole bottle of champagne by herself and now sits beside me, complaining about how she hasn’t seen Mystery Guy for five weeks.

“You should forget about him. He sounds like an asshole,” I tell her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“No.” She shakes her head and gives her empty glass a longing look. Leaning closer, she whispers in my ear, “He’s my ticket out of here, Jo.”

“There are loads of guys who would kill to date you.”

“But I only want him,” she whines. “He has it all.”

I frown at her. I’ve never ever seen her this torn up over a guy.

“He’s so freaking rich,” she sniffs.

Ah, now I get it.

Toby takes a seat on the other side of me. “You think we should get her home?”

“Hmm, maybe. She seems pretty wasted,” I whisper.

He looks at my full champagne glass on the table. “You hardly drank anything at all.”

“I prefer hard liquor.” I cast an anxious glance at Mo, who’s now draped over me, babbling about men being too difficult to understand.

“Seems a shame that your afternoon out’s been ruined,” he adds, also looking at Mo.

“No, it hasn’t. I had a good time,” I say truthfully. A bunch of us from high school got together today, and it was nice to catch up. I haven’t seen most of them in years, and I much prefer being clearheaded when I’m out with people I don’t know all that well, so not drinking isn’t a big deal.

He arches one eyebrow. “I think you deserve a better time than the one you’ve had though.”

I figure he’s talking about me having to look after Mo, but I genuinely don’t mind. She’s my best friend. “No, really. I’ve had a great time.”

He runs a hand through his hair and huffs a laugh. “Jeez, Joey. You’re not making this easy.”