Page 84 of The Boyfriend Experience

Questions I probably should’ve asked myself before I agreed to her plan, but it’s too late now. I crouch down, she puts her foot on my shoulder, and then she’s climbing up the side of the building like a monkey. Two minutes later she’s on the second-floor landing, spraying the hell out of the fire escape with WD-40.

“OK, I’m gonna ride it down, you get on, and we’ll climb back up. Ready?”

And before I can say anything in reply, she’s on her way down.

It makes noise. No doubt. But it doesn’t squeak. When she reaches me, we both look up, then around. Just to see if anyone heard and will come see what the fuck is going on.

I almost wish someone would see us so we’d have to run away, probably laughing like girls gone wild, and forget this whole crazy plan.

But none of that happens, because if anyone did hear the fire escape come down, they don’t bother looking.

So I take a deep breath, climb up after her, and resign myself to the insanity of Vivi Vaughn because this is the first step in getting my life back.

When we get to the second-floor landing we both look in the window. It’s dark in there, too dark to see anything.

I try to open the window, but it doesn’t budge. “Locked,” I whisper.

“No problem,” Vivi says, fishing through her bag of tricks for something else. And then, like she’s a spy in a Mission: Impossible movie, she removes a glass cutter, fastens it to the glass, and pivots the arm around in a circle. It makes a little bit of noise, but I’m surprised at how fast and quiet the whole act of cutting through a window actually is.

A few taps later and the glass circle she traced is now a hole. One more second and she’s got her hand inside, flipping up the lock, and then I’m staring at an open window.

“Let’s go,” she whispers, taking one last look around the alley before she sticks her leg in and enters.

My heart is beating so fast, I have to take several deep breaths to calm myself. But then I hear voices down below. People are coming down the alley, so I have no choice.

I slip my leg in after her, and disappear inside Hanna’s building.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - LAWTON

“No?” I ask Hanna. “So everything she’s told me about you is wrong, is that what you’re saying?”

“Look,” Hanna says. “Every story has two sides, OK? And whatever she told you, I’m sure you think it’s all real because you think you know her. Or, at the very least, you met her first and only got her side, so naturally that’s the one you believe.”

“Right,” I say, blowing out a laugh with the word. “OK, so tell me then.” But just as the word comes out of my mouth, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out and look at the screen.

Oaklee: Take her downstairs to the bar. Or dinner. Take her anywhere but her place. And do it quick.

I look at Hanna and say, “Excuse me a minute. I have to answer this text.”

“Sure,” Hanna says. “Take your time. I’ve got all night.”

So I text Oaklee back. What are you talking about?

Oaklee: Just do it! I need her to be out of her place like now.

Me: Where are you?

Oaklee: I’m in her apartment. I’m watching you two talk right now.

Me: WTF Oaklee!

Oaklee: I have to find proof. Vivi is here with me, so don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Just get her out of there!

I turn back to Hanna, who is sipping beer from the bottle of Buffed Up. “Everything OK?” she asks.

“Sure. But… I’m hungry. So how about we go grab some food while you tell me all about how I’ve got you wrong?”

“I can order us something from downstairs—”