Page 39 of Spring Break Fling

“Bicep,” I finished, grinning. “Yeah. They broke up three weeks later. He came back for a cover-up.”

“What did you cover it up with?”

“We made it into a gargoyle’s face.” I shrugged. “It was a surprisingly easy change.”

She laughed, and for a moment, I forgot about the game we were playing. It was just us.

By the time the night was winding down, I could see the cracks in her polished facade. She was looser, freer, and every time she let her guard down, I felt like I’d won a little victory.

We walked outside, the air a little cool but not cold. She turned to look at me. There! That was the look I was waiting for. I leaned in, my eyes on hers. I had her.

But at the last second, she turned her head, and my lips landed on her cheek.

I pulled back, surprised but amused.

Hannah smirked at me, her eyes glittering with mischief. “Nice try.”

Game on.

She waved down a cab.

“What are you doing?” I asked. “I’ll take you to your hotel.”

“One death-defying experience per night is enough, thanks,” she said, climbing into the cab. “The Radisson,” I heard her tell the driver.

As it pulled away, I couldn’t help but grin. This wasn’t over—not by a long shot.

The Radisson. I knew how to find her, and lucky for me, I knew several people that worked there.

I was already planning date number two.

13

HANNAH

The conference room was straight out of a corporate fever dream. I took in the beautiful glossy mahogany table, chairs that looked like they cost more than my monthly rent, and a view of the Miami skyline that screamed “We own half of this city.” It was the kind of place designed to intimidate, and boy, was it working.

I took a deep breath, smoothing my blouse as the client’s team filed in. The head honcho, Tobias T. Wexler III, was a wiry man in his sixties with wiry hair to match. His glasses perched on the edge of his nose. He had the sort of energy that made you wonder if he ever sat still. Behind him trailed a crew of equally eccentric characters. They ranged in age from looking like they were fresh out of high school to long past retirement age.

“Ms. Coleman,” Tobias said with a friendly smile. “We’re ready to be dazzled. Are you ready to dazzle us?”

“Yes, of course,” I replied, trying to muster the confidence of a TED Talk speaker while my brain felt like it was wrapped in cotton candy.

Maybe staying out late with Nikko hadn’t been my smartest move. Or it might have been the third whiskey sour. After the first couple of sips, they had gone down way too easily.

As I set up my presentation, I couldn’t help but feel a spike of adrenaline. It was a mixture of panic and excitement.

My pitch was good. Clarke thought so. The whole team thought so. I just needed to lean into it. I had sprayed on a shit ton of body spray. I didn’t want to smell like a bar when I got hot and sweaty, which was inevitable. The heat, humidity, and pressure were going to put my deodorant to the test.

As I launched into my pitch, the energy in the room shifted. Tobias leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with interest. The rest of his team seemed equally engaged, scribbling notes and nodding along.

“Your product won’t just be a purchase. It’ll be a lifestyle.”

The first five minutes went smoothly, but then the fog set in.

“…and this campaign will utilize a multi-pronged approach,” I said, pausing as my brain reached for the next word. Prong? Did I really just say prong? “Uh, strategy. A multi-strategy approach.”

Tobias’s eyebrows twitched.