“No, listen. I let him borrow $1,000 for college, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, he never went. He just left town, and he hasn’t paid me back.”
“He hasn’t paid any of us back for those loans we gave him,” Becky said. “I say we nab the varmint and tar and feather him immediately!” She slapped her palm against the table. The people around us glanced over and she waved happily at them.
“Gee, extreme much, Beck?” I asked with a laugh. “I figure if I can get a little blackmail material on him, I can force him to pay us all back. I’ll soon be between jobs and completely broke, and I’ve got Puppy Chow to buy now!”
“Be honest, Jaime. You just hate that he got away with it,” she argued.
I slammed the table with my hand. “Damn straight. This is a personal vendetta, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.”
“He’s such a scoundrel,” Suzy said. “Dig deep and find something juicy...and make him pay us back,” she whispered as she leaned in closer.
“Blackmailing somebody just isn’t right, no matter how much they owe you,” Tammy said with a disgruntled sigh.
“Are you seriously going to cast moral judgment on me?” I asked in disbelief. “We’re talking about Charlie Rowlands here, Wicked himself. I’m sure he owes you too.”
She sat very still for a moment, considering that, and her face suddenly lit up with realization. “You know, you’re right. Let’s do it. It was an epically dumb idea for him to come back here, and it’s his own damn fault if he’s got a trail of pissed off women after him,” she said, giving me a fist-bump.
“No one else care to join me?” I said with a smile, looking around at the others. “What do you say, ladies? Are we all in this together?”
They all chuckled, shook their heads, and wished me good luck.
“Just don’t end up in jail or on the news,” Lydia said.
“Hey, it’s Halloween. I’ve got plenty of black to wear,” I said, standing to put my ebony leather jacket on. “You’re in, right?” I asked Tammy.
“I guess I’ve gotta be. You need a getaway driver, don’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Fine. Let’s go,” she said, and we raced out of the restaurant while the others cheered us on.
Chapter 3
Tammy drove us to our destination so we could dig up dirt on Charlie. When we pulled past his big beautiful house, I couldn’t stop staring. “Are you sure this is his place?” I asked.
“Yep. His daddy was loaded, bought this house especially for him right before he passed away. Heard the rumors today when I was getting my hair done. You know how that Tina in the real estate office can’t keep her mouth shut.” Tammy smirked and glanced over at me. “Or her legs. Pregnant again and I doubt it’s Todd’s.”
“Focus, Tammy, gossip only on Charlie tonight,” I said and forced my curious thoughts away from Tina and Todd’s drama. “I guess this was his dad’s way of luring the prodigal home, huh? I know he was really upset about Charlie taking off.”
“Hell, I’d come home for a house like this. It’s beyond gorgeous.”
“Murphy’s Law,” I said.
“How so?”
“He screwed us all over—some literally—then got rewarded with a mansion. How is that even fair?”
“Life isn’t fair...and by the way, don’t ever include me in the hash marks on Charlie’s bedpost. I never screwed him, and I won’t.”
“Neither did I.”
“I know, but I also know you wanted to.”
I nibbled my lip. “He’s hot. Everyone thinks so. Don’t even try to tell me you never fantasized about it.”