Chapter 5

Back in their apartment, Shea finished her breakfast and got up from the table.

 “I’m going to take a long, hot bubble bath and try to forget last night ever happened,” she said. 

 “I don’t blame you,” Brooklyn said, taking one last sip of her coffee before getting up to put her plate in the sink and refill her cup.

 Looking back at Shea, she asked, “Is it my turn to do the dishes?” 

 She nodded and said, “I did them last night.”

 Frowning, Brooklyn asked, “Why do you always get that chore when it’s take-out night?”

 Shrugging, Shea grinned at her friend and said, “Just lucky, I guess.”

 “Or you’ve got really good timing, and I’m just now catching on,” Brooklyn said, threatening to throw the dish sponge at her. 

Shrieking, Shea ducked and ran for her room. Brooklyn laughed as she shook her head and turned the water on to wash the breakfast dishes. 

 Once she had finished, she dried her hands and walked back to her laptop, powering it on as she sat down. 

 She set her elbows on the table, clasping her hands and leaning her chin against them as she stared at the screen. 

 “How should I approach Addy’s new job as a story?” she murmured. “Should it be from her perspective? Should it be an overall piece on Barto Luciani?”

 Nodding as her computer finished booting up, she said, “I’ll start with a little research on him, then tie in her job, possibly showing a parallel between the two.”

 Bringing up her browser, she typed his name into the search bar and read through various articles, making notes as she went. 

 She had just spotted an intriguing headline when the bathroom door burst open, and Shea came rushing out, dressed only in a towel.

“You will never guess what I just got!” she yelled, holding her phone in the air as she dripped bubbles onto the floor.

 “Shea!” Brooklyn said with an annoyed look on her face and pointing to the floor. “You’re dripping!”

 Shooting an annoyed look at Brooklyn, Shea said, “I’ll clean it up after. Now, do you want to hear this or what?”

 Brooklyn nodded, looking contrite.

 “What’s got you so excited you left a perfectly good bubble bath to come out here to tell me?”

 Shea grinned and handed Brooklyn her phone.

 Taking it, Brooklyn read the screen.

 “Hey, babe! I’m sorry we weren’t there when you guys came back from the ladies’ room,” Adam had texted. “The guys and I were suddenly exhausted and had to go home. I barely made it to my place before I passed out on the couch. I just woke up and had to send you a text to make sure you three made it home okay last night.”

 Brooklyn set the phone down and looked at Shea in astonishment. 

 “Does he think you’re stupid or something?” she asked. 

 “I know, right?” Shea giggled. 

 Glancing back down at the phone, Brooklyn asked, “What are you going to send back to him?” 

 Shea tapped her finger to her lips as she tilted her head and looked up at the ceiling. 

 “I haven’t decided yet,” she said. “Maybe when we get together with Addy, we can all come up with something during lunch.”

 Brooklyn nodded and handed Shea back her phone. 

 “That sounds like a plan,” she said, then frowned and added, “But for now, wipe up those bubbles!”

 Shea whipped off her towel and bent over to wipe the floor, giving Brooklyn a wink. Brooklyn held her hand up to the side of her face to block the view. 

 “Geez, Shea! I didn’t mean like that!” she said, going back to the table. 

 Shea stood up and giggled before throwing the towel over her shoulder and sauntering back to the bathroom. 

 Brooklyn shook her head and sat back down at her computer, reading the article she’d found. Her eyes grew larger as she read. Then she gasped, her hand going to her mouth. 

Later that day, the cab carrying Brooklyn and Shea pulled up to the cafe near Addy’s job for lunch. Shea hurried up to their friend and hugged her. 

 “I can’t wait to show you what Adam texted me,” she said, giggling. 

 “Let’s get inside and sit down,” Addy told her, linking her arm through Shea’s. “Then I want to hear everything!”

 The two friends hurried into the cafe. Brooklyn followed behind them at a slower pace. Shea and Addy went to their usual table and sat down. Brooklyn sat down with them, chewing on her lower lip. 

Shea pulled out her phone and pulled up the text from Adam before handing it to Addy. Addy took it with a gleeful look on her face. 

 Reading the text, she threw back her head and laughed. 

 “So, Brooklyn was right,” she said, handing Shea back her phone. “The guys did put something in our drinks.”

 Shea nodded with an angry look on her face. 

 “I don’t even know if I’m going to respond to him,” she said, frowning.

 Addy pursed her lips and said, “Maybe we should think of a way to let other women know about these creeps. After all, if they were drugging our drinks, what’s stopping them from doing it to someone else?”

 Shea frowned and said, “You’re right. We should do something about it. But what?”

 They both turned to look at Brooklyn, who was staring down at the table as she drew invisible doodles with her finger. 

 “Hey, Brooklyn, you okay?” Addy asked, reaching over to tap her friend’s arm. 

 Brooklyn looked up with a startled look on her face and asked, “What?”

 “You’ve been awfully quiet since we left the apartment,” Shea said, looking at her with concern. “Are you feeling okay?”

 Brooklyn gave them a weak smile and nodded. 

 “Yeah, I’m good,” she told them.

 Then, giving them a saucy smile, she asked, “What do you think we should do about these three?”

 During lunch, they discussed their plot against the three guys. Afterward, they all piled in a cab and headed back to their apartment. 

 “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Shea asked as she sat between the other two. 

 Addy said, “I plan on taking it easy for the rest of the day and working on some new designs. I want to have more to show Barto Luciani when we meet.”

 Brooklyn bit her lip and looked out the window. 

 “What about you, Brooklyn?” Shea asked, turning to look at her. 

 Jumping at the sound of Shea’s voice, Brooklyn turned and said, “I think I’ve got some research to do on my article if I’m going to get it turned in on time. What about you?”

 Shea nodded and said, “I think I’m going to go shopping. There’s a sale at this little boutique nearby, and I want to check it out.”

 The three friends laughed, and Addy said, “You are such a shopaholic, Shea!”

 Nodding, Shea said, “You know I’m your best customer.”

 “That you are,” Addy said, nodding knowingly. “You are practically paying my share of the rent with your shopping.”

 “I can’t help it,” Shea said, shrugging. “I love fashion, and when you’re a big-name designer, I hope the first thing you design goes to me.”

 “You know it,” Addy said, nudging her friend. 

 The cab pulled up to their apartment, and Addy paid the driver as they got out. 

 “Well, girls, I’m off to go shopping,” Shea said, grinning at them. 

 “I’m off to design,” Addy said, laughing.

 “And I’m off to write,” Brooklyn said, smiling at them. 

 Then the look on her face changed, and she gave them an evil grin. 

 “And I know how to get back at those guys,” she said.