there wasn’t. The flight just had the typical harried middle managers.”
“Damn. But now that you’re going to be in your Brand New Home, the next item on your list to a Brand New Em is to get you a man friend. Or at least laid. Maybe your new neighbor will be an option.”
“I thought you said he was a widower of 20 years?”
“Well, you do like older guys,” Ashley said.
Em snorted at her friend.
“Anyway, the guy has something to do with the music industry, and I know how you love your music. Maybe he’s all covered in tattoos. You like that, right?”
“So an older, tattooed musician? Yeah, I’d like that, but an older musician that’s been a widower for 20 years? Maybe not so much. Just because I don’t date 25-year-olds doesn’t mean that I want to date someone that’s old enough to be my father, Ashley.”
“You know I don’t date 25-year-olds, Em; I just sleep with them,” Ashley said in an exasperated tone. “Would you stop being an analyst for once and maybe have a little fun?”
“Would you just let me get moved in and settled before you start playing cupid?” Em shot back.
“Okay, but because I’ve helped you so much, you owe me a night of karaoke.”
Em groaned. She detested karaoke, but she did owe Ashley. Not only had she given Em a place to sleep in after she moved out of Assclown Tripp’s townhome, she had given her a heads-up on her new place and handled all the real estate crap. Ashley was a gem—a brassy, big-mouthed gem, but a treasure nevertheless. Em would have never made it through the previous months without her.
“Fine. But as soon as some idiot starts singing ‘I’ve Got Friends in Low Places,’ I am so out of there.”
Chapter 4
Em surveyed what seemed like a million boxes.
“Hm. Maybe I do have too much stuff,” she muttered to herself.
She looked in delight at the shelves that lined the tall windows. She was so glad that she had display space now. She’d missed seeing all her pretties.
Em was tempted to unpack her glass collection first thing, but she wanted to make cookies or cupcakes for the widower downstairs for being such a good sport about having his day disrupted by moving vans and huge guys clomping up and down the stairs.
She had just pulled the last batch of cookies out of the oven when Ashley called.
“Remember, karaoke tonight, Em! We’ll get some drinks and pick up hot Irishmen! It’ll be great! And if we don’t, we can still have fun. We haven’t gotten to hang in ages.”
“Ashley, I just technically moved out this morning,” laughed Em.
“You’ve been out of town for two weeks! You’ve been working so much and on the road, I barely get to see you. I thought you might be more social once you got rid of Assclown Tripp and started staying with me, but I barely see you! It’s work, work, work, all the time. That new boss of yours seems like a slave driver.”
“Ashley, he’s on the road as much, if not more, than I am. He’s a true working boss. He’s really dedicated.”
“Is he at least attractive? Y’all spend so much time together; I hope he’s at least easy on the eyes. Maybe it’s time for mixing a little pleasure with your business, if you know what I mean.” Em shook her head. Ashley had a one-track mind.
“You know that I’m not going to defecate where I masticate anymore, Ash. That’s what got me in the situation with Tripp in the first place.”
“Do not ever utter that phrase again, Em. It’s horrible.”
“I’m trying not to curse as much.”
Ashley laughed so hard that she almost dropped the phone. “Em, you wouldn’t be you without your fussy knickknacks, granny furniture, and foul mouth. Don’t ever change, sugar.”
Em ignored her friend’s commentary but answered her question. “Yeah, Rory is hot, but in addition to being my boss , Ashley, he isn’t really my type at all. He’s just up your alley, though: red hair, wicked Irish brogue, and smooth moves. He
“Damn. But now that you’re going to be in your Brand New Home, the next item on your list to a Brand New Em is to get you a man friend. Or at least laid. Maybe your new neighbor will be an option.”
“I thought you said he was a widower of 20 years?”
“Well, you do like older guys,” Ashley said.
Em snorted at her friend.
“Anyway, the guy has something to do with the music industry, and I know how you love your music. Maybe he’s all covered in tattoos. You like that, right?”
“So an older, tattooed musician? Yeah, I’d like that, but an older musician that’s been a widower for 20 years? Maybe not so much. Just because I don’t date 25-year-olds doesn’t mean that I want to date someone that’s old enough to be my father, Ashley.”
“You know I don’t date 25-year-olds, Em; I just sleep with them,” Ashley said in an exasperated tone. “Would you stop being an analyst for once and maybe have a little fun?”
“Would you just let me get moved in and settled before you start playing cupid?” Em shot back.
“Okay, but because I’ve helped you so much, you owe me a night of karaoke.”
Em groaned. She detested karaoke, but she did owe Ashley. Not only had she given Em a place to sleep in after she moved out of Assclown Tripp’s townhome, she had given her a heads-up on her new place and handled all the real estate crap. Ashley was a gem—a brassy, big-mouthed gem, but a treasure nevertheless. Em would have never made it through the previous months without her.
“Fine. But as soon as some idiot starts singing ‘I’ve Got Friends in Low Places,’ I am so out of there.”
Chapter 4
Em surveyed what seemed like a million boxes.
“Hm. Maybe I do have too much stuff,” she muttered to herself.
She looked in delight at the shelves that lined the tall windows. She was so glad that she had display space now. She’d missed seeing all her pretties.
Em was tempted to unpack her glass collection first thing, but she wanted to make cookies or cupcakes for the widower downstairs for being such a good sport about having his day disrupted by moving vans and huge guys clomping up and down the stairs.
She had just pulled the last batch of cookies out of the oven when Ashley called.
“Remember, karaoke tonight, Em! We’ll get some drinks and pick up hot Irishmen! It’ll be great! And if we don’t, we can still have fun. We haven’t gotten to hang in ages.”
“Ashley, I just technically moved out this morning,” laughed Em.
“You’ve been out of town for two weeks! You’ve been working so much and on the road, I barely get to see you. I thought you might be more social once you got rid of Assclown Tripp and started staying with me, but I barely see you! It’s work, work, work, all the time. That new boss of yours seems like a slave driver.”
“Ashley, he’s on the road as much, if not more, than I am. He’s a true working boss. He’s really dedicated.”
“Is he at least attractive? Y’all spend so much time together; I hope he’s at least easy on the eyes. Maybe it’s time for mixing a little pleasure with your business, if you know what I mean.” Em shook her head. Ashley had a one-track mind.
“You know that I’m not going to defecate where I masticate anymore, Ash. That’s what got me in the situation with Tripp in the first place.”
“Do not ever utter that phrase again, Em. It’s horrible.”
“I’m trying not to curse as much.”
Ashley laughed so hard that she almost dropped the phone. “Em, you wouldn’t be you without your fussy knickknacks, granny furniture, and foul mouth. Don’t ever change, sugar.”
Em ignored her friend’s commentary but answered her question. “Yeah, Rory is hot, but in addition to being my boss , Ashley, he isn’t really my type at all. He’s just up your alley, though: red hair, wicked Irish brogue, and smooth moves. He
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