Page 16 of Wicked Flirt
Mad left with Rose to return her to Hailey. The rest of them huddled close, debating if they should go to Hailey’s place or give her some space. She hadn’t seemed like herself tonight, but maybe she just needed some peace and quiet. The question on all of their minds—
What the hell had happened at Josh’s place?
Josh refused to comment, so Sabrina called Hailey to get the scoop. She got off the phone only a moment later saying, “Hailey’s going to bed early.”
It was pretty bad if Hailey wouldn’t even confide in Sabrina. Maybe when Mad showed up with Rose, she could get the details out of Hailey. For now they were all pissed at Josh for upsetting Hailey worse. He was supposed to be fixing things.
Lexi turned to Marcus, who’d been quietly watching the whole exchange. “I feel bad for her. She’s really a loving generous person.” She lowered her voice. “I actually thought she might work things out with Josh.”
Marcus shook his head. “There’s plenty of single guys at my bar if she wants to meet someone away from you-know-who.” He inclined his head toward Josh furiously scrubbing the bar top with a rag at the other end of the bar.
“I’ll mention it to her later,” Lexi said. It was long past time for their meddling but well-meaning matchmaker to find her very own happy ending. “How’s your mom?”
He took a pull on his beer, taking his time answering. Finally he set the bottle down. “The same. No improvement.”
“Did you mention the therapy-dog idea?”
His shoulders drooped as he stared at the bar. “She says a dog is too much responsibility.”
Her heart ached for him. She could practically feel the weight of his burden.
He stood abruptly, tossing some bills on the bar. “I’m heading out.” He raised a palm to her friends. “Night, ladies.” He turned and called over to Josh still furiously scrubbing the bar. “Later, Josh.”
Josh tossed the rag under the bar, jerked his chin at Marcus, and then just stood there, jaw clenched, staring off in the distance.
Marcus turned to her, his dark eyes pained, his jaw tight. “Bye.”
“Bye,” she said quietly, watching him go. For one crazy moment she considered going after him and hugging him or something.
Once she got home from ladies’ night, she stopped by Sabrina’s old apartment and rang the bell, wanting to check in on Marcus. It had to be hard to be the only one your ailing mom could depend on. She planned to share more about her aunt’s agoraphobia and see if there was something that would work for his mom.
He wasn’t home.
Maybe he’d gone to check on his mom. No way could she show up there. His mom would have her head on a platter.
She headed back to her apartment, unlocked the door, and sighed. Ladies’ night had been a bust with everyone worried about Hailey. It almost made her wish for a time when Hailey would’ve been cheerfully all over her about finding the One, as if such a person existed. How effed up was that?
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Chapter Five
Lexi had just returned from a trip to the grocery store the next day with the bare minimum to get by for the week—her dwindling bank account never far from her mind—when she ran into Marcus coming out of his apartment down the hall. He was dressed casually in a black hoodie and athletic pants.
He closed the distance between them. “Hey, Lexi, how’re you doing?”
She bobbed her head. “Good. How’re you?”
“Getting by. How’s Lexi’s Events? Get any new clients?”
She swallowed hard. She’d really been trying to keep positive about her new freelance career, but it was tough when she hadn’t brought in any new business. It had only been a week, but still, tell that to her bills. “Not yet. Working on it.”
“It’s not easy to start a new business. I’ve been there.”
Her throat tightened, eyes hot at the sympathetic understanding in his voice. “Thanks.”
“Listen, I’m on my way back to the city and I’ll be at work by four. Why don’t you stop by my bar and we’ll work out the details for the Mardi Gras event?”
“Really?” Her voice cracked. “But I upset your mom. I told you, you’re under no obligation to keep to our original deal.”
