A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Lance, why don't you take a seat? What kind of coffee do you like? I'll have someone whip up a cup for you," Monty said, trying to sound as accommodating as possible.

Lance shot him a look. "Dude, you are seriously annoying."

He didn't even bother to glance at Monty or the others, keeping his eyes fixed on Calliope instead.

"Hey, Callie, who are these weirdos? Are they your family or something? I never even heard you had family-I figured they were all dead and gone!"

He gave the run-down office a once-over. "Why are you even working at a dump like this?"

"If you're so into running a company, I could just buy you one, you know!"

"Seriously, just let someone else handle this mess for you and come with me already. Weren't we supposed to head out together?"

Lance rattled on, barely pausing for breath.

Calliope ignored him, laser-focused on her work.

Finally, without even looking up, she said, "Lance, if you don't shut your mouth, I'm gonna shove a couple of dirty socks in it!"

He shot

me. I've got nothing better to do, and who knows how long Callie'll

determined to leave a good impression. If JK Group ever ended up working with the Jewell Group, that'd be

three of them over to play a

played poker?" he asked, pulling out a deck

they figured Lance, having

was a card shark. He played

group had

his brow. "We can't beat you!" "Yeah, I'm tapped

winced at his empty wallet. He'd hoped to win a

were just as shocked. Who knew this

suck!" Lance teased, shaking his head. "If it was Callie playing, she'd

act like you're family, but you're nothing like her.

Horatio exchanged

Monty and the others, especially Horatio and Valerian. He went on about how Calliope's

brothers-who'd grown up withel