Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
With a heavy sigh, I got to my feet.
“Portia,” I yelled.
She appeared in seconds, blushing as always, with her hands clasped in front of her slender body.
“Yes, Mr. Ulrich?”
“I’m leaving,” I told her shortly.
She nodded vigorously. “Enjoy your time with your friend,” she said shyly as I brushed past her and stalked out of the office.
Downstairs, at the bar on the first floor, Clint was waiting for me.
“I don’t feel like drinking,” I said bluntly.
Clint followed me out of the bar and into a cab. We drove across town, where there was an indoor sports complex with batting cages and racquetball rooms.
“I need to blow off some serious steam,” I said.
Clint raised an eyebrow. “That girl again?”
I shook my head. “No. Well, yes. But mostly my parents. They’re flying in this weekend and they basically whipped me into agreeing to brunch.”
Clint snickered and I punched him in the arm. We walked inside the complex and I paid for a bucket of baseballs. Then, we walked to one of the cages and I flexed before picking up a bat. Batting cages were always one of my favorite ways to de-stress, and I swung the bat for what felt like hours before I heard Clint whistling behind me.
“What?” I turned around and he chuckled.
“You feel like giving someone else a turn, champ?” Clint asked.
I groaned. I was about to resist, but my arms were sore and I was drenched in sweat.
Guess I had a lot more things on my mind, I realized as I handed the bat over and went to sit behind Clint.
I just hoped I’d be able to sort through all of my shit soon.
16
Harper – Friday
It was the day of the final photoshoot with Nico, and I felt like a total mess. The morning hadn’t gone smoothly so far – Ada had woken up with a fever, and I’d brought her into work with me until my dad had arrived from Boston to pick her up and take her home.
“Make sure she stays hydrated,” I told my dad as I pressed a twenty-dollar bill into his palm. “I think we have some juice at home, but make sure to grab a couple more things of apple juice. It’s her fav—”
“Her favorite,” my dad interrupted. “I know, hon.” He chuckled until he saw the stressed look on my face, then reached forward and smoothed my hair away from my brow. “Hon, she’ll be fine. Kids run fevers all the time.”
I swallowed. “I hope so.”
Watching my dad carry Ada out of the office made my heart heavy – I wished more than anything else in the world that I was going with them. I hated knowing that my little girl was sick and pale at home without me. Even though she was with the person who I trusted most in the world, I still felt like a bad mother. I kept having to remind myself that if I lost my job, I really would be a bad mother – and then where would we go?
Back to Boston?
Just when things with Nico were beginning to heat up?
My mind stayed crowded and confused all morning. Even going for a long walk at lunch did little to clear my mind. I paced by the square with the food trucks, subconsciously hoping that I’d run into Nico, but there was no sight of him.
By the time I got back to the office, Nell was waiting for me and doing everything but crossing her arms and tapping her toe.
“Harper, there you are,” she said, as if I’d been gone for hours instead of twenty minutes. “I was looking everywhere for you.”
“I was on lunch,” I replied, trying not to show my impatience. “I’m sorry – today’s a bit rough.”
Nell raised an eyebrow. “Come with me,” she said.
I followed her into her office and sat down in front of her desk, expecting to be reprimanded. Instead, Nell opened the glass door of the mini-fridge that she kept under her desk and handed me a small bottle of mineral water.
“Take this,” Nell said. She looked at me with an expression that was a blend of gruffness and sympathy.
I took the water and drank. To my relief, it did seem to help a bit.
“I know it’s rough, having young kids, especially when they get sick and you can’t be there,” Nell said. Then, her smile faded. “But I need one hundred percent of you here, Harper. Today’s a very important day.”
I nodded solemnly. “Of course,” I told her.
“Are you going to be okay? Being around him,” Nell said. I blinked – for once, the sense of awe that crept into her voice every time she spoke of Nico wasn’t there, and I wondered if something had happened between them to change her opinion of him.
“Of course,” I repeated. “All professional.” I wanted to add I promise, but it seemed like the kind of thing a kid would say.