Page 104 of The Boyfriend Experience

Because we’re equals.

And this is how you equal.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - LAWTON

We are lazy and mostly naked for the rest of the day. Trying to forget the bad and remember the good. I love her in my arms. I’m riddled with guilt for making her cry this morning, even though she says it was Hanna who upset her, not me.

It was me. It’s been a long time since I let anger and frustration get the best of me, but that’s what took over this morning and I regret it, because it hurt her. She felt alone when she broke down. Abandoned. And that’s something I know a little bit about. No one wants to be tossed aside.

But I’m here for her now. And she’s smiling at least.

“You hungry?” I ask her. She’s wearing a pair of my boxers and one of my t-shirts. I found an old one tucked away in my closet from another era in my life. An Oaklee-appropriate Nirvana Bleach one with all that “We’re bad motherfuckers” wording on the back. Which totally suits her, because she’s filled to the brim with bad motherfucker.

“I could eat,” she says. “Should we order in?”

“Nah,” I say. Because I have another reason I want to get out of here. “Let’s go somewhere. Come on, get up.” I slap her thigh and make her squeal.

And just as she’s about to slap me back, my phone rings on the coffee table.

We both look at the screen. Unknown number.

“Let’s ignore it,” Oaklee says.

“Fuck that. Fuck her.” I pick up the phone, tab accept and put it on speaker. “Lawton Ayers.”

“Lawton,” Hanna purrs. “I didn’t think you’d answer.”

“What do you want?”

“What’s wrong? Things not going your way today?”

“Actually,” I say, “things are going pretty fucking great for me.” I wink at Oaklee.

Hanna makes a noise with her lips. Like she’s annoyed. “The Home TV people called and made me an offer since Oaklee wasn’t interested.”

“Good for you,” I say, watching Oaklee’s expression.

“They want both of us.”

“Sorry, I’m not interested. I give up on TV shows.”

“Not you,” Hanna hisses. “Oaklee and me. They like the idea of dueling breweries.”

“Fuck off, bitch,” Oaklee says. “There’s no bribe big enough in this world that could make me go in business with you. You’re just a fucking liar, you know that? A crazy fucking liar.”

“Oh, how cute,” she croons. “The two of you are spending quality time together before Oaklee goes to jail.”

I look at Oaklee and shake my head at her. Mouth the words, Keep cool.

“What do you want, Hanna?”

“I want Oaklee to say yes or I’m going to the police with that video of her and Vivi Vaughn breaking into my building last night. Do you hear me, Oaklee? Mike and Michaela are coming back for the festival on Sunday to see us duel it out in person before they make this offer. And you‘d better be entering a beer so I can win, bitch.”

She’s fucking crazy. Totally lost her mind.

“Do you hear me?” she yells. “Do. You. Hear. Me?”

Oaklee grabs the phone and puts it up her mouth. “How the fuck am I supposed to enter a beer when you stole it from me? Maybe I should call the cops on you, ya psycho! How about I go through my footage of you breaking into my apartment and send that to the police? How about we pitch that for the pilot of dueling breweries?”