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 upright from his

come entertain me. I've got nothing

Monty replied eagerly. He was determined to leave a good impression. If JK Group

all three of them over to play

he asked, pulling out a deck of

poker, but they figured Lance,

shark. He played fast, smart, and ruthless-and he wanted to

rounds later, Monty and his group had lost every hand,

said, wiping sweat from his brow. "We can't beat you!" "Yeah, I'm tapped out," Valerian admitted. "Can

hoped to win a little extra cash, but now he was even

Who knew

head. "If

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

and Horatio

laying into Monty and the others, especially Horatio and Valerian.

brothers-who'd grown up withel