Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“Yes, the Stiel building houses the global headquarters of their billion-dollar family real estate development company. Jonathan’s daughter, your client’s mother, sits on the board of directors as well and is a highly regarded, very well-known socialite in the elite Dallas circles. Do you understand how important this is? How important it is that you don’t call August Stiel a spoiled fucking brat who needs a spanking?”
I felt my hackles rise. August? What kind of name was that? Sounded like a stereotypical trust fund brat. “Shit, Lanny. Maybe he’s the kind of guy who enjoys a good spanking.” I glanced up from the file and caught him pinning me with a glare.
“Keep your filthy hands off the clients, Saint. Self-defense moves only. Help me make this man happy,” he warned.
“Dude, I believe I have a proven track record of making men happy,” I said dryly before standing up.
“Get the fuck out of here. You’re due in Hobie at five. I’ve arranged for you to use a room at a local fitness studio, and I assume you can stay with your crazy-ass family.”
After heading north toward Hobie, I realized I already knew the owner of the fitness studio where I’d be working with Lanny’s client. Twist had been founded by Neckie Birch, who was by far the hippiest bohemian to ever come out of Hobie High. She’d been the super-chill girl my twin sister had crushed on the entire four years we were in school with her. MJ would have died if she’d found out I was spending time with Neckie Birch for the next few weeks. I wondered if I could convince MJ to take some vacation time to come hang with me in Hobie to get her flirt on.
I was surprised to see Twist had quadrupled in size since the last time I’d been in. Apparently the fitness business was good in the growing town of Hobie, which was a far cry from the tiny Jazzercise studio and ramshackle rec center the town had sported while I was growing up.
After introducing myself to the receptionist, I glanced through a glass-windowed classroom to see Neckie herself conducting the cooldown sequence of a stretching session. I was shocked to discover her smuggling a beach ball under her yoga tunic, but as much as I wanted to grill her about the unexpected pregnancy, I stepped out of the way so as not to interrupt her current class. My fingers immediately flew across my phone screen.
Me: OMG Nectarine Birch is knocked up!
MJ: Liar.
Me: Swear. I’m at Twist and she’s as big as a yoga ball.
MJ: Photos. NOW.
I tried surreptitiously taking photos of the lovely preggo before sending them to my sister.
MJ: *sigh* she’s so fucking hot. Even round like that.
Me: Meh. If you’re into that kind of thing.
MJ: I didn’t think I was, but damn. Why are you at Twist?
Me: Long story. Work. I’m in Hobie for a month.
The phone rang. “Well hello, baby sis.”
“I’m older than you are, idiot,” MJ said.
“Only because I was a gentleman and let you exit first.”
“Please tell me Neckie isn’t in any danger, Saint.”
I could hear the worry in her voice, and it squeezed my heart. MJ was a pretty stoic person in most cases, but she’d always had a soft spot for the free-spirit woman currently giving new meaning to the term child’s pose.
“No. No, she’s fine. Sorry to worry you. I’m not here for a bodyguard gig. Just using the studio to teach a self-defense lesson. I’ve been assigned to this pissant duty as punishment for running my mouth.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Serves you right. Suck it up and be glad he didn’t fire you.”
“Come hang out with me,” I whined. “I need my baby sister to entertain me. Plus, you can flirt with the human incubator.”
“What’s the point? She’s brewing some guy’s kid. All hope is lost. Leave me alone to stew.”
“There’s no ring on her finger…” I teased.
“Her fingers are probably swollen. Seriously, Saint. Don’t mess with me. I’m really upset about this. I… I always kind of…”
She didn’t need to say the rest. I already knew she’d always held a torch for Neckie. But hearing the hopeless tone in her voice made it real.
“I’m sorry, Em. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Nah. It’s good. Maybe that’s the sign I need to get out there and go on some dates. I’m thirty-one for god’s sake.”
“Law school and the partnership track at the firm have kept you pretty busy. But I thought you were seeing that chick from Hallie’s party.”
“Pfft. I wasn’t the only one. I found out when I met Hallie for drinks and her friend Dawn went on and on about her hot new girlfriend with the tiger tattoo and ear gauges. But it’s fine. She was a little too high-strung for me. I need someone relaxing to come home to after a long day at the firm. Not someone who wants to run right back out and party all night.”