Page 20 of The Boss Situation

My plan is to drink champagne until my alter ego comes out to play. Drunk Billie can handle Banks better.

Harper

Leave Drunk Billie at home. DB is too much!

Billie

Talking to that man is a job for her. Sober me cannot handle him without raging. Plus, my anxiety has already peaked.

Harper

I’m so sorry. You don’t have to do this. We’ll think of something else.

Billie

I have to try.

Before I can type another message, I’m handed a glass of champagne. I snap a picture of myself with it and send it to Harper.

Billie

I finished a bottle in the limo.

Harper

This won’t end well.

Billie

Have some faith, bestie. Me and my old pal, the bubbly, will solve this.

As my eyes slide across the room, I spot my brothers standing at a high-top table, laughing about something. Weston waves me toward them. I lift my bubbly and smile. I need two more glasses of this before I join the conversation.

“How long will the portal to hell be open?” Banks asks from beside me in a low, gruff voice.

I turn, and my eyes meet his honey-browns. I expect them to be cold and calculating, but somehow, they aren’t.

“Why are you talking to me?”

He smirks. “You came here for me.”

I scoff. “Please don’t flatter yourself. I’m receiving an award.”

Banks laughs, grabbing a few quiches from a server walking around with a platter of them. He pops one into his mouth. “You were only nominated. That award is mine. Between you, me, and Josh, I earned it. You’re both lazy as fuck, waiting for someone else to save your asses.”

“Excuse me?” I grow irritated as my eyes slide from his mouth down to his shoes. Designer. All of it. He has style, and Ihatehim for it. “Don’t you have a prostitute to entertain tonight?”

“I heardyouweren’t available. All booked up or something,” he says sarcastically.

“Leave me alone, Banks.” I gulp down the rest of my champagne and grab another glass, chugging it.

“No,” he says. “You don’t rule the world, Ice Queen. I do whatever the fuck I want.”

“Stop calling me that,” I hiss.

“You’d have to cut out my tongue.”

“That would be lovely actually,” I tell him just as my eyes land on Josh.

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