“Surprise. I need you all to get naked for money.”
Simon shrugged his shoulders. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Amanda got up off the couch, standing next to me as she surveyed the room. “So we’re going with a chonky ‘real’ men of Firefly look.”
“Your air quotes are offensive,” Bobby said.
“We’ll never be able to find eight men,” Amanda said. I honestly thought she’d be the biggest supporter of this idea. She’d get to boss around a bunch of naked, burly bears. Then it’d be up to her to pimp the calendar online. The outlandishness of Firefly producing a risqué calendar to save a library is what small towns did.
“Seven men, though…”
I raised my eyebrow when I realized she had turned her gaze toward me. As the guy with the creative vision, I was supposed to be behind the camera. It never dawned on me I’d be the man stripping. If the others were willing, then I couldn’t argue.
“Fine. But I call February.”
“I’m going to need to buy a new tool belt, aren’t I?”
I pointed at Bobby. “That’s the spirit.” Only in Fireflycould a conversation about stripping feel like a PTA meeting.
“I’m not sure my agent will?—”
Bobby put a hand over Chris’s mouth. “What my lovely boyfriend is saying, he’d be more than happy to whip it out for the town.” Bobby gave Chris a peck on the cheek. “And they thought your strip tease was the end of your public nudity.”
Amanda crossed her arms as she began pacing. “Seven people. I think we can make this work.” Amanda had joined the bandwagon. “Bobby, can you help with backdrops? Chris and Simon can be in charge of props. You can ask for donations from the shops around the green.”
Jason raised his hand.
“You’re going to be in charge of blackmailing. You’ve got all the dirt. Find us seven ‘real’ men.”
“Air quotes,” Bobby said with a frown.
“And me?” As Amanda took over the project, I feared what she’d do.
“Snacks.”
“Snacks?” I asked.
“Have you met a man who doesn’t want snacks after he whips it out?” She had a point. “Sexy snacks.”
Sexy snacks? I worried that handing over the reins to Amanda had been a bad idea. Though… now that I was thinking about it, I usually wanted food after sexy times. Dammit, I hated when she had a point.
“I think we can pull this off,” Amanda said. “I’m so glad I came up with the idea.”
Yup, it had officially gotten away from me. There was no point in trying to wrestle back control. I knew exactly what would happen the moment I sent out the S.O.S. If she wanted to wrangle a bunch of men letting it all hang out, who was I to object? If it helped save Firefly’s library, I’d gladly strip. It’s not like I’d have to look them in the face for very long. My package and I would be nothing more than a memory by the end of the summer.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“It’s probably another pie.” I shot Simon a dirty look, glancing between him and the pie tin on the coffee table. “’Cause I need more pie?”
“This one—” He poked Jason in the chest. “—he said I had to.”
“Jonnie?”
That voice. My muscles tensed.
I spun about to see Evie standing in the archway holding a bag of groceries with a duffle bag hanging off her shoulder. She had mentioned coming, but I assumed she’d find an excuse. I expected to get a text saying this wasn’t a good time and then complain about her job. I had the urge to rush over and wrap my arms around her, but I held still. We were a long way from tearful embraces.
“That’s our cue to head out.” Amanda grabbed Jason by the hand, pulling him off the couch. “Penis Patrol… Cock Corps. We’ll workshop it. Come on, we have work to do.”
