Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“No, no, no.” I could almost picture the nervous man waving his hands around. “I think that is a good course of action and no one will question it. There were…there were concerns last night and I wasn’t sure if I should wait for your call or not.”
The thought of calling me had probably given him hives.
“You did the right thing, Jeffrey. I wasn’t aware of it until just a few minutes ago.” Scrubbing my hand over my face as Manny brought over my sandwich, I mouthed a quick thanks as he waved me off. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. Going forward, we’re going to lay out stricter rules and we’ll have another layer of…something.”
How was it my family that made us have to hire extra security?
“We’ll figure that out at some point. For now, I’m going to be calling Edna Randolph this afternoon and I’m going to take it one step at a time.” And I was going to remember to breathe and not scream at anyone because that wouldn’t help.
Jeffrey’s nervous sigh had my blood pressure trying to decide if it would go up or down. Clearly, we weren’t done with the insanity.
“Just spit it out.” I knew that sound. There was something he really didn’t want to tell me but he wanted to tell me.
“You made a lot of money. A lot. You brought in twice the amount that the Hollywood gofer thing earned.” He let out a nervous laugh as I groaned. “One of the biggest donations ever. So, thank you? Um, okay, bye.”
Well, at least I’d be able to rub it in Aunt Maggie’s face at Christmas.
Chapter Two
Camden
“I had to sign a confidentiality agreement before your grandmother would tell me which grandson she purchased me for.” Crossing his arms over his chest, the sexiest man I’d ever seen frowned as he leaned against the doorframe. “She said I had to stay and talk to you for one hour and then you’d sign the paperwork to release me from the rest of the weekend.”
He was frustrated enough that I knew he wasn’t a door-to-door salesman, but I had no idea what he was talking about.
Would he let me paint him, though?
Maybe I could get just a few quick snapshots in?
Oh, I probably had to figure out why he was upset first before I asked him to take off his clothes.
“Um, I know all that was English and real sentences…and you seem very frustrated…but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” How did we get him not frustrated and shirtless, though? Hmm, or maybe he could stay frustrated? It was kind of sexy. “Um, have you ever done any modeling?”
He just raised one eyebrow.
“Camden Randolph?”
Well, he hadn’t called me weird and stormed out yet, so I was taking that as a good sign.
“Yes? Kind of.” What had he said? “I bought you? My bills are all on autopay so I don’t forget them. Maybe I ordered you online?”
Had he been listed on Amazon?
I’d been looking for a good deal on spoons last week—somehow they kept disappearing. Had I clicked on the wrong button?
His sigh had me guessing he wasn’t from Amazon.
I was glad they weren’t selling people, but it didn’t help me to know what to do with him. Falling back on manners, I tried to look confident. “It’s nice to meet you?”
The bark of laughter he let out as he shook his head made me want to smile, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Alright. We’re starting from the beginning.” He stood straighter and his hands went down to his sides, but the more professional stance just had me wanting to see how he’d look with a sword. Unfortunately, he didn’t let me focus on that. “You’re Camden Randolph, correct? Your grandmother is Edna Randolph?”
“Kind of. I’m Camden, but I’m not technically a Randolph even though she likes to conveniently forget that. I’m her step-grandson.” I’d been rather forcefully dragged into the family, though, so I wasn’t sure that mattered anymore.
The strange sexy man sighed. “No wonder I didn’t know you. You’re Sanderson’s stepson, aren’t you?”
Nodding, I was relieved that we’d managed to make some progress, but I still had questions and he wasn’t going away. “How did you get purchased?”
Was that the best place to start?
“Your grandmother bought me for the weekend for you at an LGBT charity auction.” He paused, probably waiting to get a response, but I wasn’t sure what he was expecting.
What was the right reaction for that statement?
“That’s nice?” Was that a gift I had to write a thank you note for? “Um, I still have no idea what’s going on.”
That got another bark of laughter from the tall man.
“I can see that.” Sighing, he leaned against the frame again, but this time when he folded his arms over his chest, the hostility had faded. “She said we had things in common. She wanted me to spend at least an hour talking to you and then I was free of my obligation.”