Page 8 of Not In The Contract

“Hayden, have I ever told you how brilliant you are?” Cam chuckled while Reid howled.

“Youchosethe menu items!” I seethed.

“And you order the same thing every single time, little Miss Structure,” she mocked.

“Asshole,” I breathed. “That’s a dirty move and you know it.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “But you agreed.”

I did. And I wasn’t in the habit of going back on my word. Not that these jerks would let that happen.

“I still think you’re an asshole,” I hissed unhappily. “There’s no way I can agree to this. Please choose something else.”

“Well,” Reid piped up, looking just as smug as Hayden, “she could always live with Jamie instead.”

God no. My stomach dropped at the thought.

“Fine.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I can’t believe you’re making me do something this insane.”

“Aw, okay,” Hayden said, her triumphant smile dimming for a second. “How about an amendment?”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”

“If you manage to get through the next two months without having a breakdown, then I’ll tell you the secret I offered.”

“You have to promise it’ll be something of concrete substance,” I retorted.

“Trust me,” she said sincerely, “this one is huge.”

I looked around the table, the faces of my closest friends looking back at me. “You really want me to go through with this?” I groaned.

“Youcando it,” Taylor said consolingly. “You’re just too rigid. You need to take it easy once in a while.”

I guess I didn’t have a choice.

3. The Wait

Devon

“Thisiscrazy.”

Tamera giggled beside me, no doubt watching me gape at the interior of the building.

“It’s not that impressive,” she said.

I glared at her. Leave it to Tamera to downplay all of her achievements.

As the third kid in her family, it wasn’t that surprising. She’d grown up in her older siblings’ shadows and had to endure those shadows following her throughout school.

“It’sawesome,” I corrected her. “You’ve worked your ass off to get here, give yourself some credit.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she teased.

“Now,” I said imperiously, “I demand a tour of this fine establishment.”

Tamera sank into a dramatic bow at the waist and hooked her arm around mine.

“Very well, miss,” she guffed, and pulled me toward the door beyond the receptionist’s desk. “As you know, this is where my wonderful Dahlia basically runs the business, once she’s back from lunch. Through here, we’ll find my dutiful henchmen toiling away at their desks.”