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Underestimated Too(112)



“Mine too,” she agreed, nodding towards a bench in the somewhat shade. “Celeste is suspicious. She would kill me if she knew what you were up to and I was helping you. I still think this is a bad idea, and you should let it go.”

“Don’t tell Celeste anything, I already know what you think, and… Tell me already,” I pleaded. I couldn’t take it a second longer.

“He’ll do it.”

“He’ll do it?” I exclaimed. Adrenaline instantly pumped through my veins. I didn’t know whether to be happy or disappointed. My mystery novels suddenly became real. “What did he say? What did you say? How much? Is he agreeing to the makeover?”

“Geesh, Morgan, breathe. I propositioned him with five grand, he came back with ten.”

“Is that a lot? How much do you pay people to do something like this?”

“I don’t know, but I agreed to the ten. Guess how much I got for the necklace?”

“More than ten I hope.”

“Twenty three thousand, what do you want me to do with the rest?”

“Keep it. I can’t take it home.”

“And you think I can just take thirteen thousand dollars home?”

“True. Okay, we’ll donate it or something. What’s the plan?”

“You’re going to need Drew’s driver’s license and his social security number. I gave Clay a picture of Drew from Vincent’s birthday party. He’s going to get his hair cut the same. We have to meet him in an hour to buy a suit. I didn’t want him going in there in some cheap, ugly suit. You know the respect thing,” Alicia added.

I grinned, thinking about Celeste, preaching that. Drew thought like that too. You had to dress the part you played. It made sense though. If this guy went in there with jeans, he’d be questioned for sure. “Clay?”

“Yeah, that’s his name. I didn’t ask a last name. I figured it was best for all parties involved not to know.”

“Yeah, but remember Mark Fortune? That backfired on him.”

“Morgan, this isn’t The Gray Train. This is real life. We could send this guy to jail.”

Reasoning wasn’t part of my ability at the time. I was too close to turn back now. There was something in that box that Drew didn’t want me to know about and I was going to find out.

We ate lunch and then met Clay at Paris Graham. That was the only place I knew of to buy men’s suits. I loved going in there with Drew and watching him be fitted for one. I wasn’t worried a bit when Clay called Alicia, telling her he was running late and couldn’t make it until six. I kind of wanted to defy Drew. I already knew what I was going to say if he did get touchy. Call it a test. My birthday was in one day and I would remind him of his words the night before.

“Morgan, we have to go. We have to be at your house for dinner.”

“They don’t need us and you know it. We’re just going to sit there and roll our eyes at each other. They can make a business deal without us there. We have to do this now. I may not be able to get out of the house again until next week.”

“Then you go home. I will stay and take care of Clay.”

“Alicia. What is your problem? If you need to go, go.”

“I am not leaving you here. Drew and Celeste both would kill me.”

By the time Clay finally got there, Alicia was really pissing me off. I knew what she was worried about, why she was so insistent on getting me home. It was none of her business. If Drew hit me, it was on him, not her. She didn’t come out and say that’s what she was all worried about, I could just tell. She needed to mind her own business.

Yup, definitely PMS.

This was so going to work. Clay wasn’t an exact replica, but I’ve seen Drew’s license. He could pass for sure.

“Yes, we’re on our way,” Alicia lied to Celeste. We weren’t leaving until I saw that Clay could pass as Drew. I ignored Drew’s call, responding with a text that we’d be there soon.

“That’s it,” I decided after the third suit.

“Great. Let’s go!” Alicia insisted, essentially dragging me out of there.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Drew yelled in a whisper when I decided I should probably answer. His quiet tone told me that our company had arrived.

“Sorry, we lost track of time. We’re on our way now.”

“I can’t believe you did this, Morgan,” Drew accused. I smiled. He was pissed. What the hell? I almost felt relieved that he was angry, like he’d gone too long without being the Drew I was used to, like I needed him to. Deidra was right. I did need the drama. I felt rejected without it.