Aries raises an eyebrow. “Do you not remember that there is a deranged psychopath gang leader after your baby daddy?”
Con waves her hand. “Marko is all bark and no bite. He’ll resurface sooner than we think.”
“Con, you need to take this threat seriously. Please do not underestimate him,” I say, concerned for her and CJ. I decide to shoot him a text to check in. I haven’t heard from him in a few days.
Atlas: You good?
“I get it. I don’t want to talk about Marko, but I can’t wait to hear how the date goes,” Con says, effectively changing the subject.
“No pressure, right?”
“This is the first date I’ve ever seen you go on, and it’s with Natty, so this is kind of huge. Cara called me to let me know last night. That’s how huge it is.”
“You’re all a bunch of gossips,” I grumble.
“Says you,” she replies with an eye roll. “You’re usually the one finding everything out. Now it’s our turn.”
“Working hard, I see,” Cam says as she walks over to all of us sitting and standing around Con’s desk.
“Sorry, Cam, but Atlas has a date and—”
“A date?” she asks, voice going up an octave. “With who?”
“Natty. He walked out of the garage with her and somehow made things happen,” Con updates, tone impressed.
Cam laughs and wraps her arm around me. “You scored a date with Natalie Ward? Damn. She’s hot.”
“I know,” I reply, lip twitching.
“Shame there are no sisters left for you, Aries. Or you could have gone on a double date,” Cam adds, letting go of me and hugging Aries instead.
Aries laughs, but says not much else. My brother is more than happy playing the field right now, so I know that he’s not bothered about the lack of a date. He has plenty of women on his roster right now, rotating them as he sees fit. Aries has never had a long-term girlfriend. What he does do is sleep around...a lot.
More than he’d probably ever admit out loud.
He never ends on bad terms with any of these women; it’s just always a sex-only arrangement. I don’t know if he’ll ever settle down. I don’t think he’s made that way.
CJ replies to my text.
CJ: Yeah, it’s been quiet. Not sure how I feel about that.
Atlas: Let’s meet up next week, cool?
CJ: For sure.
“Okay, I guess we better do some work, then,” I tell the group, and we all head off to what we are supposed to be doing. I send Cara a quick text message before I tackle the invoices and order forms that await me.
Atlas: What’s your sister’s favorite flowers?
Cara: Which sister?
Atlas: Very funny. I’m not Rhett, I don’t want more than one sister.
Cara: You’re an asshole.
Atlas: Sorry. But come on, it was funny.
Cara: Chrysanthemums, or any white flowers.