Tough Love
Page 73
“She’s going to love it! Thank you!”
“My pleasure.” The door finally shut.
Through the glass, both women blew him kisses. Laughing, Armie turned, and realized Stack and Vanity had been listening in.
“Hey, Stack, Vee. What’s up?”
Surprised, Vanity said, “You changed your hair!”
Until she mentioned it, Stack hadn’t noticed. But yeah, Armie’s usually bleached hair was closer to a real color now. Sort of a light brown.
Armie ran a hand over his head. “Yeah, I was due a change.” He bounced his gaze between them. “Everything okay?” He looked at Stack’s arm. “You’re slipping, man. Why’d you let him hit you?”
Before Stack could warn Armie to shut it, it was already out there, and Vanity slowly pivoted to face him.
Stalling, Stack said, “Those girls follow you home like stray puppies?”
“Something like that.” He grinned. “I tried to shake them off, but they were determined.”
“To invite you to an orgy?”
Armie laughed. “Nah.” Grin sheepish, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Their friend is getting married, so they’re throwing her a bridal shower. I’ll be the entertainment.”
Stack wanted to praise him for that outrageous announcement because it reclaimed Vanity’s attention.
Eyes wide, she pivoted back to Armie. “You’re serious?”
“Yeah, apparently I’m going to offer lap dances, maybe strip or something. Not sure what all the plans are.” Shaking his head, he laughed again. “But whatever. Sounded fun.”
“You’re nuts.” Stack knew Armie was up for just about anything, so he shouldn’t have been surprised. But that was over the top even for him.
Armie glanced at Vanity. “You sticking around?”
“I’m taking the self-defense class.”
“Great, then let me borrow Stack a minute, ’kay? You can catch up with him when the class starts.”
Not fooled, Vanity pointed at Stack. “You’ll explain later.” Then she headed down the hallway, taking advantage of the five minutes remaining before the class.
Soon as she was out of hearing range, Stack said, “Big mouth.”
“How was I to know it’s a secret? You’re standing there all purple and swollen, and it’s not like the girl is blind.” He frowned at Stack’s arm, grimacing for him. “Why are you dodging the truth, anyway?”
Stack shook his head, unsure how to answer. “I just didn’t want her involved.”
“Oh, really? You look plenty involved to me.”
He shrugged. “Getting there. Maybe.” Stack didn’t even know what he wanted, so he sure as hell couldn’t be sure of Vanity’s intent. A fling? Convenience? Or more? “She has a way of plowing in full-steam ahead. It’s bad enough when it’s my family, but I don’t want her mixed up in this.”
“Did you tell that to Leese?”
“No, why would I?”
Armie tipped his chin toward the room. “Because they’re friends—and he’s chatting her up right now.”
* * *
TRYING FOR THE tone of casual conversation, Vanity asked offhand, “So how did Stack hurt his arm?”
Leese barely smiled while collecting his equipment and stuffing it into his gym bag. “Did you try asking Stack?”
Okay, so Leese wasn’t fooled. “I have a feeling he won’t tell me.”
“So you want me to be a snitch?”
She lightly punched his arm. “You’re my wingman. You’re supposed to back me up.”
He finished with the bag and straightened, looking down at her with his pale blue eyes. “Not this time. Case you’re unaware, Stack is staring daggers at us both.”
She stiffened but didn’t turn to see. Lowering her voice, even though she knew he couldn’t hear, she asked, “Is he coming this way?”
“Nope. Just staring.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “I’m glad he has enough sense not to cause a scene.”
“And why would he cause a scene about me?” Leese studied her. “What did you tell him after I left this morning?”
Flapping a hand and struggling against the urge to glance guiltily at Stack, Vanity said, “We agreed that you were an honorable man. He knows there’s nothing between us.”
Dryly, Leese laughed. “Let me clue you in about men. He might know we’re not involved, but he won’t like it all the same.”
“My pleasure.” The door finally shut.
Through the glass, both women blew him kisses. Laughing, Armie turned, and realized Stack and Vanity had been listening in.
“Hey, Stack, Vee. What’s up?”
Surprised, Vanity said, “You changed your hair!”
Until she mentioned it, Stack hadn’t noticed. But yeah, Armie’s usually bleached hair was closer to a real color now. Sort of a light brown.
Armie ran a hand over his head. “Yeah, I was due a change.” He bounced his gaze between them. “Everything okay?” He looked at Stack’s arm. “You’re slipping, man. Why’d you let him hit you?”
Before Stack could warn Armie to shut it, it was already out there, and Vanity slowly pivoted to face him.
Stalling, Stack said, “Those girls follow you home like stray puppies?”
“Something like that.” He grinned. “I tried to shake them off, but they were determined.”
“To invite you to an orgy?”
Armie laughed. “Nah.” Grin sheepish, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Their friend is getting married, so they’re throwing her a bridal shower. I’ll be the entertainment.”
Stack wanted to praise him for that outrageous announcement because it reclaimed Vanity’s attention.
Eyes wide, she pivoted back to Armie. “You’re serious?”
“Yeah, apparently I’m going to offer lap dances, maybe strip or something. Not sure what all the plans are.” Shaking his head, he laughed again. “But whatever. Sounded fun.”
“You’re nuts.” Stack knew Armie was up for just about anything, so he shouldn’t have been surprised. But that was over the top even for him.
Armie glanced at Vanity. “You sticking around?”
“I’m taking the self-defense class.”
“Great, then let me borrow Stack a minute, ’kay? You can catch up with him when the class starts.”
Not fooled, Vanity pointed at Stack. “You’ll explain later.” Then she headed down the hallway, taking advantage of the five minutes remaining before the class.
Soon as she was out of hearing range, Stack said, “Big mouth.”
“How was I to know it’s a secret? You’re standing there all purple and swollen, and it’s not like the girl is blind.” He frowned at Stack’s arm, grimacing for him. “Why are you dodging the truth, anyway?”
Stack shook his head, unsure how to answer. “I just didn’t want her involved.”
“Oh, really? You look plenty involved to me.”
He shrugged. “Getting there. Maybe.” Stack didn’t even know what he wanted, so he sure as hell couldn’t be sure of Vanity’s intent. A fling? Convenience? Or more? “She has a way of plowing in full-steam ahead. It’s bad enough when it’s my family, but I don’t want her mixed up in this.”
“Did you tell that to Leese?”
“No, why would I?”
Armie tipped his chin toward the room. “Because they’re friends—and he’s chatting her up right now.”
* * *
TRYING FOR THE tone of casual conversation, Vanity asked offhand, “So how did Stack hurt his arm?”
Leese barely smiled while collecting his equipment and stuffing it into his gym bag. “Did you try asking Stack?”
Okay, so Leese wasn’t fooled. “I have a feeling he won’t tell me.”
“So you want me to be a snitch?”
She lightly punched his arm. “You’re my wingman. You’re supposed to back me up.”
He finished with the bag and straightened, looking down at her with his pale blue eyes. “Not this time. Case you’re unaware, Stack is staring daggers at us both.”
She stiffened but didn’t turn to see. Lowering her voice, even though she knew he couldn’t hear, she asked, “Is he coming this way?”
“Nope. Just staring.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “I’m glad he has enough sense not to cause a scene.”
“And why would he cause a scene about me?” Leese studied her. “What did you tell him after I left this morning?”
Flapping a hand and struggling against the urge to glance guiltily at Stack, Vanity said, “We agreed that you were an honorable man. He knows there’s nothing between us.”
Dryly, Leese laughed. “Let me clue you in about men. He might know we’re not involved, but he won’t like it all the same.”
