Page 128 of Bring You Back

“Because the last girl I had wasn’t named Marcy.”

I look up with a building smile, my interest returning. “And what was her name?”

He opens his mouth to answer, but his jaw just hangs, his eyes averting in thought. I’m trying not to laugh as I give him a nod, an encouraging wave of my hand. “Come on. You got this.” His jaw snaps shut, and he just stares, unamused by my mockery.

“Whatever,” he says. “She was some tourist in town to see that band.”

“She must’ve been memorable,” I say, still trying not to laugh.

“Oh, she was definitelythat.” He shakes his head like he’s trying to shake out the images. “She wouldn’t stop telling me to look at her. Said it’s something she found out she liked the last time she fucked her ex.” He snaps his fingers. “Gertrude!” He shakes his head, disagreeing with himself. “Whatever. She’snotMarcy,” he adds with a pointed look.Because that’s really all that matters,I think as I release my laughter.

“Just use your magic wand and get her yourself.”

He smiles in appreciation at my bringing up that memory, but it slips as he gives me a stare, remembering why he’s here. “Yeah, I already tried thanks to your slow ass, but like you said, a girl like her isn’t gonna just fuck me.”

I chuckle. “That’s almost a direct quote.”

“Yeah, I guess we’re both on a roll today,” he retorts, and I laugh. “So, I walked past the window, trying to respect her space and shit, waving my arms until she saw me.” He shows me, putting on the performance as he recalls the story. “I gave her the brows.” He waggles his brows and I bite back a smile. “And she walked off like she didn’t know me. She didn’t even come outside.”

“She was probably working,” I point out, and he gives me aha haface before leaning across the counter to emphasize the next piece of his story.

“I almost took home an old lady!” Through my burst of laughter, he continues, “I hadn’t noticed her sitting at the window when I was waving, and when I did, her brows were moving quicker than mine.” He shakes his head in revulsion.

“You should’ve brought her home.”

He gags. “Dude.”

Bringing this back around to the younger girl, and hopefully put this conversation to bed, I say, “Hate to break it to you, but Marcy’s not interested.”

“Yet,” he argues. “There’s only one girl around here who isn’t.”

I raise a brow, knowing who he’s thinking of, and who he’s not. “Two girls,” I say, adding Reyna to this fantasy list.

“Yet,” he says again, then brandishes a pile of paper that has been clutched in his hand. “Oh, and, my play.” He drops the bounded pile on top of my own pile and a stink wafts in my face. “I need some eyes.”

“Why does it smell?”

“I had to dig it out of the trash thanks to Tin Bitch.”

I laugh, briefly forgetting that there’s now trash residue all over my papers, and he points at me with a smug smile. “I’m letting that slide because you’re laughing at somethingIsaid. And see?”

“See what?” I scoot his play aside with the tip of my pen, knowing exactly what he’s going to insinuate, but I humor him, anyway.

“I’m always turning that frown upside down.” He leans forward. “You need me.” He drops back. “Now let’s do this.”

Yeah, it’s more the other way around, considering I’m the one following after him right now so he can get laid. But I did promise I’d try. And my frownisupside down.

“Jake, I’m heading out,” I announce on my way before he can try to stop me. “Be back soon.”

My phone buzzes with a text halfway to A Flying Grit.She’s a mess. Fix this.

My steps slow as I reread Tommy’s words. Well, Reyna went to the right guy after leaving my house. I did Tommy another favor.You’re welcome.

I text back,You fix it. Another asshole move on my part, but it’s time for Tommy to make one.

“Dude, hurry up.”

I catch up to Banks’s call and he shoves me through the door—and right into Marcy. Thank fuck she’s clutching just her notepad and pen, and not a tray of food, becauseBankswould have a mess to clean up. I grip her arms to steady us, and shoot a look over my shoulder at my best friend who has conveniently stepped aside to make fake conversation with a group of three guys in a booth.

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