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Brenna paused. How on earth did Liv know? Did Lock tell her? And what could he have said? Her face burned with a mix of embarrassment and the same renewed lust that cropped up anytime she remembered his hands on her.
Or in her.
Dammit.
“Bren? You okay? I assume all this shit with your ex has you all messed up today.”
“Ohhh.” She huffed a laugh. “You’re asking about Oliver.”
“Of course. What did you think I was talking about?”
She wasn’t going there unless she had to. “Uh, nothing. Sorry, my brain is a little slow today. Coffee must not be working.”
Liv chuckled. “I know how that goes. Listen, hon, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’ll finish our workdays, then get together for some girl time. Drinks, junk food, the works, okay?”
“Oh, um…” She didn’t want to be rude, but spending time with those ladies was a terrible idea. But they were so lovely. Being her clients added an extra layer of complication. She really liked them and would have loved to be friends if it wasn’t for the fact that she needed to stay far, far away from Lock after this morning.
“Come on, you know you want to.”
Oh, what the hell. Peer pressure for the win. It wasn’t like Lock would be at their girls’ night. Maybe a night out would be the perfect distraction. “Okay, I’m in.”
“Yay.”
She heard noises that sounded like Liv was jumping as she cheered.
“I’ll text you the details on where and when to meet. K?”
“Perfect. And before you go, I wanted to let you know I emailed a very rough estimate for the shelter based on the design plans we’ve discussed so far. It will change as we get into the nitty-gritty of choosing specific materials, furniture, and such. When you get a chance, please give it a look through. If you have any questions, call me any time. If not, you can E-sign, and we’ll be official.”
“Thanks, Bren. We really appreciate how quickly you got to work on this. I’m not worried about the estimate. I’ll sign it as soon as we hang up. Seriously, none of us can wait to get started on the interior.”
Neither could she. This would be her biggest and most lucrative project to date, not to mention how amazing this was for her professional portfolio. They were giving her a very long leash on the design, and her creative side rejoiced at the opportunity. If only all her clients could sign an estimate without worrying about the budget. If only she could live her life that way. She chuckled to herself, then bid her goodbyes to Liv with another promise to join the ladies that evening.
Next on her list was an in-person appointment at an outdated dental office she’d been hired to modernize. The busy morning passed without a hitch, and by the time she pulled into her favorite sandwich shop to grab a late lunch, she’d forgotten her promise to meet the girls for drinks.
That was until she checked her phone and found a text waiting from Liv.
Liv: Six tonight. Bonfire out behind the clubhouse. We aren’t above showing up at your house to drag you out if you don’t show.
Dread settled low in her stomach. At the clubhouse? Where Lock could be? There was no way she could face him after her cowardly display this morning. Or the wanton one where she’d come harder than ever before on his fingers in his hallway. When she’d agreed, she assumed they’d meet at a bar or maybe Liv’s house.
“Gah. Don’t think about it,” she said as she banged the heel of her hand against her forehead.
Her phone chimed with an incoming text.
Liv: I can feel you thinking of bailing from miles away.
Dammit, Liv.
She blew out a breath and tapped out a response.
Brenna: Wouldn’t dream of it. Can I bring anything?
Liv: Just your gorgeous self and an empty stomach.
Brenna: Great. See you later.
“Whyyy?” Brenna groaned. They better have a lot of alcohol.
