Page 274 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 5
Maybe she really was just a kid. How old was this girl? And if this was the kind of girl Tanner thought I’d findtrue lovewith or whatever bullshit he was calling it, he’d lost it. He was as crazy as Rob said.
I sat down on my stool and pretended that awkwardness hadn’t just happened.
Tanner said something to Abigail, she pouted again, kissed him on the cheek, then walked away like he’d dismissed her. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I thought she might be a good fit.” He sat down next to me and stole my drink.
“A good fit for Matt?” Rob asked. “Was she even legal? She looked like she was 17.”
“She’s 25.”
Rob shook his head. “She booped his nose. I boop my daughter’s nose.”
“Well, she has a kid,” Tanner said. “She’s probably just used to hanging out with little Timmy all day. Anyway, how is everyone? It’s been forever.”
“It really has,” Mason said. “Bee and I have been so busy. How is Club Onyx going under new management?”
“Don’t worry,” Tanner said. “It’s still running as efficiently as ever. You’ll have to stop by sometime. It’s been far too long. And I’ve made some very interesting changes. But no business talk tonight. What about you, James? How are you?”
“Good,” James said. “Penny and I have been busy too, but not with work. Liam isn’t sleeping through the night. But at least he doesn’t pee in my face.”
“Like a boss,” Rob said. “My son is going to go pro. In something. But we’re more interested in what you’re up to, Tanner. Especially on Tuesday nights.”
“Hm?” Tanner laughed. “What about Tuesday nights?”
Rob leaned forward. “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw you rocking a man bun and a leopard printed tux last Tuesday outside of One57. And a few Tuesdays before that…a maroon tux with black paint splatters all over it.”
“A man bun?” Tanner laughed again and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t think I could pull that off.”
“It was you.”
Tanner shook his head. “I promise you, young sir, it wasn’t.”
Young sir?Rob was older than him.
“But it looked just like you,” Rob said. “Except without the glasses. And obviously, your clothes and hair were more…extra.”
“Maybe I have a very extra twin running around town then?”
“But…”
“Rob, come on,” I said. “Stop interrogating him. Besides, Tanner was with me on Tuesday night.” Wait, was he? Or was that Monday? Actually, Tanner usually was busy on Tuesday nights. And Thursdays too, now that I thought about it. But I doubted he was gallivanting around the city in weird suits. He owned like a million businesses. He was just a busy guy.
“Enough about me,” Tanner said. “And more about…Georgia.” He said “Georgia” like he was the host of a game show.
“The state or the country?” James asked.
“The woman.”
A girl I hadn’t seen a few seconds ago melted into Tanner’s side. “Sorry I’m late. I had a meeting.”
On a Saturday? What was she…a stripper? She was certainly dressed like it.
“You must be Matthew,” she said and stuck her hand out for me. “Tanner has been telling me all about you.”
I didn’t take her hand, because at the same time another girl walked up to our table.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Tanner, am I early? I’m always early.” She laughed awkwardly. “You must be Matt. I’m Stacy.” She gave me a huge smile.
I turned to Tanner. “Tanner, a word?” I didn’t wait for his response. I just walked over to the bar to get another drink. Since he’d stolen mine.
