The Bacelor: Make A Sex Deal

I laughed. “How about I just bring you there sometime this week and you can see it for yourself?”

“Yesss! Perfect.” Her grip lightened, but she didn’t pull away. “I’m so, so happy for you.”

I returned her smile. “It has everything I was looking for in a house. Size. Views. A sick media room. Since it came turnkey, I’m going to leave all my things at my condo and rent that place fully furnished-I’ll make more money that way-and my plan is, over the next year, to pick up a couple of more properties and rent those out too.”

“I love this for you. You’re kicking ass, my brother.”

“Well, I just know that as much as I enjoy law, it can’t be my only gig. I want more.”

“You’re going to get more. I’m sure of that.” She released me and settled back in her seat. “You know, I was over at Ford’s house the other night for dinner, and it’s funny; he and Sydney were talking about moving too. I guess they want a bigger place. And then Craig was telling us that he’d just bought a house as well. It seems everyone is hot for real estate right now.”

Craig knew all about my new house and the private dinner I’d thrown for Oaklyn.

Since he was my cousins’ personal chef, I’d asked him not to say anything to Dominick, Jenner, or Ford about coming to my place and cooking for us.

I’d tried to cover my ass.

But I wondered if he’d kept my secret since my sister was notorious for getting people to open their vaults.

I was going to poke a little and see if anything came spilling out.

“I saw Craig recently,” I admitted. “He didn’t mention anything to me about moving.”

“No? Huh.” She shrugged. “Where did you see him?”

“I don’t remember.” I attempted to look like I was thinking. “Jenner’s maybe. The grocery store. I don’t know. I’m drawing a blank.”

Her brows rose. “You went to the store?”

“I’m not that much of a diva, Hannah,” I groaned. “Besides, I do eat. A lot.”

“Obviously. I just figured you had your housekeeper do your shopping.”

I crossed my hands over my phone, hiding the screen-something I probably should have done earlier. “She does, but that doesn’t mean I don’t run in on occasion.”

“Next step: hiring Craig full-time.” She smiled. “I’m sure that’s in your near future.”

She was waiting for a response, so I gave her an honest one. “Most likely.” I paused, deciding which angle to take this. “He didn’t happen to tell you that he saw me, did he?”

“No. Not a word. Why?”

Her answer had come fast.

Her expression casual, her body relaxed.

I didn’t get the sense that she was trying to hide anything.

“I don’t know … just wondering.” It was time to change topics. “Anyway, why do I get the feeling that you have something you want to talk to me about?”

“I do.” She sighed, her head falling back, and while she gazed at the ceiling, she took several deep breaths. “Oaklyn is going to kill me.”

The one person I didn’t want to discuss, but it sounded like Oaklyn was the whole reason Hannah had come in here.

“Why do you say that?”

She finally looked at me, and I couldn’t tell if there was emotion in her eyes or something else. “Her gift for winning President’s Club was a trip, and she invited me to go with her.” Her head turned, giving me more of her profile. “Did I tell you that already?”

Is this a fucking trap?

Did Hannah and I discuss this?

Shit, I can’t remember.

“Vaguely familiar … maybe. Go on.”

“We’ve planned this whole vacation-where we’re going, what trails we’re hiking in Sedona, and we even booked spa treatments and excursions and dinner reservations. I’m talking the whole nine, ya know?”

“Okay …”

“And I just found out this morning that I have to be in court, so I can’t go with Oaklyn. I have to cancel my part of the trip.”

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Oaklyn was going to be crushed. As much as she hated that she was lying to her best friend, I knew she was looking forward to their vacation.

“That sucks-for the both of you,” I said.

“I just feel terrible. I locked her into these dates, and she moved all her meetings around to make it work, and now, I’m bailing.”

“Can you reschedule your court date?”

She shook her head. “I tried.”

“Then, Hannah, you really have no choice. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“But here’s the thing: we prepaid for some of the specialty spa treatments and excursions, and they have a no-cancellation policy. I don’t mind losing out on the money I forked over-this is my fault after all. I can’t help that work is taking precedence over play, but what about Oaklyn? She shouldn’t have to lose out-moneywise or funwise-because of me.”

My heart was aching for my girl. “Talk to her about it. See what she says. Maybe she’ll come up with a solution.”

“I hope so.” She leaned forward, almost holding her stomach. “Because I’m really feeling like the worst friend ever.”

Oaklyn

“H

iii,” Hannah said as I answered the phone, holding it against my ear, trying to block out the noise from the terminal.

“Hey, you.”

“Are you at the airport?”

I scanned the faces of the people sitting near me at the gate. Everyone was either occupied with conversation or on their phone, the space around us so loud and busy.

I still attempted to keep my voice down as I replied, “All checked in and waiting to board.”

“I can’t believe I’m not sitting next to you right now.”

I took a deep breath to calm the flutters in my chest, where a mix of excitement and anxiousness was swirling like the center of a storm.

This was the first time I’d ever traveled alone for pleasure. I could have taken Camden-he’d certainly offered to go in Hannah’s place enough times.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want him here.

I did, more than anything.