The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob(48)

Tripp flips his pen onto his desk and gives me the exact death look I’d expect, especially after getting Ingrid’s opinion on the squeaky chicken. “Why are you all here? Because not a single one of you have said anything worthwhile yet.”

“Got bored,” I say.

“Expecting a hero’s welcome,” Cash replies.

Beck spreads his arms. “I just missed you and wanted to see your face.”

“I have to get through scouting reports if the Fireballs have any chance at staying good.” Tripp points to the door. “Out.”

“But you need lunch too,” I tell him.

“It’s ten-thirty, and the only reason I want to see any of you is if you have information to share about my mother’s new boyfriend.”

He glares at Beck, who looks at his watch. ‘Ten-thirty. You’re right. It’s first lunch time. Don’t you want to know about Levi’s lady love?”

Tripp’s eye starts twitching. “Do any of you work?”

The rest of us trade glances. “No,” we reply in unison.

“I do want to know about Levi’s lady love though,” Cash says.

The fucker.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t have a new lady love.”

Wow. Those words tasted way more sour than they should’ve.

“So you really were at that bookstore across the park because you’re reading vampire novels?” Cash nudges Beck. “You see the pictures of the owner? She’s hot.”

Forget the floor is lava. My lungs are filling with lava and I’m about to spew it in his direction.

Think about your blue balls, Levi. Think about your blue balls.

I squeeze my hand into a fist. “I didn’t know you knew what bookstores were.”

Cash laughs. “Weak sauce.”

“I like books with pictures,” Beck says. “Do you think she has any of those?”

“One day,” a female voice says from out in the hall. Every one of us brightens as Sarah sticks her head in the doorway too. “One day, I ask for two hours to get some work done, and you disappear to disrupt everyone else to keep them from working.”

Beck grins at her. “I just got here.”

“After stopping at six other offices on the lower floors. I’ve been getting text messages since nine.”

“Had to say hello to my friends.”

“So invite them over for arcade night. Cash. Levi. Time to go.”

“How long have you been in the building?” Tripp asks Beck.

He and Cash share a look. “Five, six hours?”

“It’s ten-thirty.”

“How are you not all over social media right now?” I ask Cash.

“Bribery.”

“Who the hell are you bribing at five o’clock in the morning?” Tripp’s making the same face he makes when someone asks how long James has had a pet gopher hiding in his room.

“Night cleaning crew, and only to not tell people I was here.” Cash crosses his heart with a finger. “Swear on my sister’s favorite baby doll.”

“Whatever you did, please undo it before I either have to explain it to Lila or the cops, whichever shows up first.”

“Tripp. Dude.” Beck shakes his head. “Don’t you know by now that no publicity is bad publicity?”

I flip one of the couch cushions up and use it like it’s my Captain America shield. “Take cover, Sarah,” I whisper. “Tripp’s about to blow.”

“I am not about to blow, but I don’t have time for making sure none of the mascot costumes are missing, that everyone in marketing won’t be sitting on whoopie cushions all day, or for looking into all of your social media accounts to make sure you didn’t record yourselves using foul language while touring the building wearing the Ash costume.”

Cash grins. “Tripp. How long have you known us? Would we show up in your office and let you know we were here if we were just here to cause trouble?”

“Yes.”

Beck nods. “We really would.”

Sarah’s stifling a smile. “There’s a new Thai restaurant two blocks over. They open for lunch at ten-thirty.”

“You’re a genius,” I tell her.

“I’m starting to get hungry every time Beck does too. This is totally self-serving.”

“Speaking of self-serving, what do you know about my mom’s boyfriend?”

She ruffles my hair. “Nice try. Ask her yourself.”

“I have season tickets behind home plate open,” Tripp says. “They’re yours and Mackenzie’s if you spill the beans. I won’t even ask you to find out what these two yahoos have been doing in my offices all morning.”

“And this is why Mackenzie knows nothing about your mother’s boyfriend either. I even blocked Beck’s number on her phone so he can’t accidentally spill the beans.” She slips one hand into Beck’s, then grabs Cash by the collar with the other. “Levi. C’mon. You too. Leave the man alone.”

Tripp spins back to his computer. “He doesn’t need lunch. He needs sleep.”

“I—”

“Haven’t slept since you left Australia,” Mr. Know-It-All interrupts.