Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 83171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Skye,” I say. “Her name is Skye.”
“Christ, okay. Skye. Anyway, apparently Addie’s really freaked out now. Thinks Skye’s after her job or something.”
“That’s not true.”
“Are you sure? How well do you know this woman, Braden?”
Not as well as I’d like to.
Damn.
“Well enough,” I say. “She wants to be a photographer. What do you see in Apple anyway? That black hair of hers is freaky.”
“What can I say?” Ben laughs. “She’s hot. And she’s a good person. She’s not her sister.”
No, she’s not. I need to remember that. Back when all the shit was going down between Addie and me, Ben and Apple were on my side.
“Look,” Ben says. “I think it’s great if you’ve found someone you care about. Really. And if she’s the reason you’re taking a step back and doing some delegating that’s long overdue, I’m all for it. There’s just one thing that concerns me.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“You barely know her.”
He’s not wrong. “You’re right.”
“Wow. Should I check the sky again? Will I see flying swine?”
I chuckle at that one. “I know what I’m doing, Ben.”
“Will you take her to the club soon?”
“When she’s ready.”
“I’m happy for you,” Ben says.
“What for?”
“Sounds like you’re falling in love.”
God, those words… “I’m not falling in love. Like you said, I barely know her.”
“That doesn’t always matter. There’s no timetable for love.”
I scoff. “Like you’d know.”
He laughs. “I suppose you got me on that one. All right. I just wanted to check in. Since you’re not in Manhattan, I’ll see you at the office in the morning.”
“I’ll be there.” I end the call and throw my phone on the desk.
My own words haunt me.
I’m not falling in love. Like you said, I barely know her.
It’s not the words so much as the fact that, as I replay them in my mind, their cadence like a snare drum, they seem…off to me.
Off as in I’m not sure I truly mean them.
Then I whisk the thought from my mind and do what I do best when I don’t want to think about something.
I work.
Chapter Forty
I work far into the night and finally hit the sheets at four a.m. I allow myself an extra hour of sleep in the morning, rising at seven instead of six.
I don’t have any appointments anyway. As far as the office knows, I’m still in New York.
Once I arrive at work and let Claire know I’m available if anyone needs me, I head into my office.
A few hours later, Claire leaves for an early lunch, so my calls come straight to me from Reception. When the phone buzzes, I hit the speaker button. “Yes?”
“Mr. Black, I have Skye Manning on the line.”
My heart does a little flip-flop just at her name. What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve purposefully kept my mind Skye-free since my call from Ben last night.
“Sure,” I say. “Put her on.” A click. Then, “Good morning, Skye.”
“Hi, Braden.”
My breath hitches just hearing her voice.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry to bother you at work, but I got the contract with Susanne Cosmetics, and I was wondering if you knew a good, reasonably priced lawyer who could review it for me.”
“Email it to me. I’ll review it.”
“But you’re not—”
“An attorney? True, but I’ve reviewed my share of contracts. I also have four attorneys here in the office who can help me with the legalese if necessary.”
“Braden, I didn’t call you to give you work. I’m perfectly willing to pay an attorney.”
“I have the best attorneys here at corporate.”
“None of which I can afford, I’m sure.”
“Did I say you had to pay?”
“No, but—”
“Forward it to me. I’ll be in touch. Goodbye.”
Yeah, I was short with her. I have to take a step back.
For God’s sake, I cut a business trip short for this woman. I agreed to “date” her. I’m letting her call me her boyfriend.
I cannot and will not let my infatuation with Skye Manning affect my work.
As for her contract? It will take me ten minutes to review and pronounce sufficient. There’s no need for her to pay for an attorney, not when I’m perfectly capable of reading the document and offering advice.
I check my phone. It’s noon, so I order lunch to be brought in.
Just as it arrives, Claire returns. She walks in carrying the containers. “I’ll get this set up for you.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, my nose in my phone.
Claire sets a bare spot on my desk with a ceramic plate and stainless steel utensils. I hate eating out of takeout containers with plastic flatware. The damned forks always break. Ben says it’s because I spear my food like I’m spearing a fish. Whatever. I’m worth a billion dollars, and I’m not going to use plastic utensils. Yeah, I said it.
Claire’s phone buzzes, and she looks up.
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “Finish up in here. It’s lunchtime. Whoever it is can call back.”