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She pouted out her bottom lip.
“Fine. But we aren’t staying long.” I was a sucker for this kid. Whoever said parents made the ruled, lied.
Her pout rapidly changed to a wide grin. “’Kay. Now dress pretty.”
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Lola scanned my yoga pants and not-child-friendly shirt with a disapproving look. “Mommy. I can see your girly bits in those pants.”
I glanced down.
Yep.
There was a hole on the seam between my legs.
“Good spot, Lo,” I said, getting up and heading for the stairs.
On the bright side, I could afford a hundred pairs of yoga pants now.
***
The closer we got to Adrian and Zac’s house, the worse I felt about this idea.
The closer we got, the more excited Lola got. Which, in turn, made me more suspicious—and equally worse about this idea.
The invitation stared at me from the passenger seat. Its terrible spelling was definitely reminiscent of Lola’s dreadful attempts at the English language, but she was so desperate, my conscience wouldn’t allow me to do anything but do what she wanted.
I pulled up—directly into the driveway.
That definitely wasn’t normal.
“Uh…Lola? Are you sure this is where we’re supposed to be?”
She leaned forward and looked at the clock. “Yep. Right here.” She unclipped her belt and knocked on her door for me to let her out. “Mommy, let me out.”
Against my better judgment, I did so.
The car beeped and flashed its lights as I locked it, and Lola ran to the house and knocked on the door. It opened to reveal Adrian’s sitter looking quite shocked.
“Lola. Hi.” Her gaze traveled along the path to me. “Perrie. Uh…Zac said you were coming?”
I held up my hands. “I had no idea until three-forty, and apparently, we’re late, so…Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“Bye!” Lola darted beneath her arm and into the house.
“No…” she said slowly. “But Adrian is coming home any minute, so maybe he—is that a Dominos car?”
I turned on my heel and looked right at it. Yep. It was a Dominos car…Delivering a pizza. Or three.
I side-eyed the poor young guy as he carried it up to us.
“One pepperoni, one four-cheese, and one with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, onion, and pepper?”
“We…didn’t order pizza,” poor Harriet said, staring between me and the delivery guy.
He checked the slim sheet in his hands. “Sorry, lady. It’s paid for. I either leave it here or dump it.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking it. “My boyfriend probably ordered it before he left work.”
The young guy saluted me and headed off.
“Boyfriend?” Harriet looked at me.
“Only so he goes away.” I nodded to the delivery guy. “You sure you didn’t order this?”
She snorted. “Nope.”
“Then who—”
We looked at each other.
“Zac,” we said at the same time.
“Yes?” he poked his head out of the kitchen door. His eyes lit up the moment he saw the pizza. “Oh! Good! Pizza’s here!” He ran and took it from me and all I could do was stare at him.
“What do you—Zac!” I chased him, but not before he could shut the door in my face—with him and Lola on the other side.
I tried the handle, but it was stuck.
They’d locked us out.
“Zac! Lola! You let me in right now.” I banged on the door.
No answer.
“Lola! Zachary! Open this door!”
“We can’t!” Lola shouted.
“Open it now!”
“What the…” Adrian stepped inside. “What’s going on?”
“Lola! Zachary!”
“Long or short version?” Harriet asked.
“Try me with short before she bursts a vein,” he replied.
“Lola Fox you open this door right this second!” I banged again on it.
Harriet took a deep breath. “Perrie and Lola showed up with a crazy invite. Lola ran into the kitchen, and minutes later, a Dominos order showed up.”
“A Dominos—what?” Adrian exclaimed.
“Zac ran out, grabbed it, and now…we’re locked out.”
I groaned with one final bang of my fist against the door.
“What crazy invite?” Adrian asked. “Anything like this one?”
I turned and snatched the bit of paper he offered me. Scanning it, I said, “Yours is better written than mine, but same thing.” I pulled the scrumpled up paper from my ass pocket and handed it over.
“Can I see those?” Harriet came over and peered at them. “Oh, boy. Can I offer advice before I get paid?”
Adrian side-eyed her. “Yes.”
“You just got played by your kids.” Then, she held her hand out with a sweet smile to Adrian.
He pulled out his wallet and put some cash in her hand. “Played?”
“I’d check your Dominos if I were you…And then your son’s tablet.” She grabbed her things and disappeared before he could reply.
“Little shits!” I breathed. “They set us up!”
“Really,” Adrian said. “What gave it away?”
I jabbed a finger at his chest. “You don’t get to be a sarcastic bastard after the way you left me. You think you get to tell me you’re in love with me then disappear?”
He crumpled the invitations in his hand. “You wanted me to wait around so you could tell me how you didn’t feel the same?”
