I glare at him.
“You get Reese’s Pieces?” He’s throwing some serious shade my way with the expression he gives me.
“Do you even know me at all?”
He grins. I tear into the bag of Reese’s and he opens his mouth. I shove a few in and he closes his eyes as he chews. “Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.”
“Can we go now?” I ask.
“You in a hurry?”
“Kind of. It’s a long-ass drive, and if I have to spend it with three stinky boys, I’d like to get on the road sooner rather than later.”
Tommy sniffs his armpits. Mace grins. “Hey, you gonna share those lollies, babe?”
We all laugh at Mace’s super Aussieisms and I offer the packet to them and then rethink that decision, pulling out a couple pieces for each of them and handing them back.
“Why does Gabe get hand fed?” Mace complains.
“Because Gabe is driving, numb nuts.”
I glance at my best friend and smile. “Sorry about Annie having to work.”
He chuckles. “You liar, you’re not sorry at all.”
I press my lips together to hide my smile and Gabe’s eyes dart from the road to mine and back again. His lips tip up a fraction of an inch in a secret smile meant only for me, and I give one of my own as I glance out the window at Venice flying by.
Guilt and jealousy war within me. I honestly don’t know why he and Annie are still dating. I mean, she must have a magic vagina because I can’t find a single redeeming quality in her these days. She went from being one of my closest new friends to deciding she hated me all in one weekend. I guess I don’t blame her. If I was in her position, I’d probably be a little pissed that Gabe and I were friends too.
“So, who else is coming up?”
“Santa and Logan will come up tomorrow,” Gabe’s eyes dart to mine. “They’ve got clients today.”
“And hopefully that hot chick who almost came to work for us, but whom Annie vetoed.” Mace says.
“Junnnnnnno,” Tommy draws out the girl’s name like he’s salivating over it.
“Well clearly you two have been holding out on me,” I say, glancing at the boys in the back. “I need details.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” Gabe says. “And Annie didn’tvetoher, I did. I don’t like the idea of being sued because my staff can’t keep their hands to themselves.”
“That doesn’t sound like you boys.”
“Hey, I can be professional,” Tommy says. “It’s this dickwad you’ve got to keep your eye on. They do things differently Down Under.”
“Fuck you.”
Tommy shoves him and they tussle in the back seat. “Come on, man. You attacked Lo here the second you laid eyes on her.”
“It wasn’t an attack.”
Gabe removes his hand from the steering wheel and fake coughs. “Bullshit.”
“Come on, Lo. Tell ’em.”
“Well, it was slightly aggressive,” I say. “But it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.”
“I’m happy to try again. Just say the word, darlin’.”