Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | It's Complicated - A Reservations Story |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Kindle Alexander |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | B09LCZXVT7 |
| Book Information: | |
Nightclub manager Julian Cullen runs Reservations with impeccable precision and a deep sense of pride. But repressed memories from his abduction two years ago surface, leaving him struggling emotionally. Julian vows to reclaim his previous life but doesn’t factor in the biggest distraction of all: the handsome cowboy hanging around the club intent on gaining his attention. Entrepreneur Beckett St. Clair built an industry-leading survivalist training company through hard work and dedication. The tough-as-nails outdoorsman can navigate any situation or so he thinks…A chance encounter with a guarded nightclub manager leaves him tumbling head over heels into uncharted territory. One man is lost to his past, the other dreams of a future. Both men will soon find out love is never easy…it’s complicated. | |
| Books by Author: | Kindle Alexander |
Chapter 1
Julian Cullen stood behind the wall of one-way mirrors in his office at Reservations, the nightclub he managed. He assessed the new tables and barstools as he looked down over an almost empty main floor. The cleaning crew scuttled around, hard at work this morning, making the place as pristine and as close to perfect as possible.
Reservations had a standard of excellence to maintain, and Julian worked day and night to ensure each employee on his team understood their role in meeting those expectations. From the club’s janitorial service to the attached restaurant’s kitchen staff, Julian demanded they all measure up. If they didn’t, then he cut them loose.
This club had reason and purpose. It saved lives. It had saved his.
“Did you walk away again?” The deep, husky voice drew Julian from his musings and back toward his desk, where the red light showed the speakerphone still active. Shit.
Now Julian had two options. One, stay quiet and let his boss, Thane Walker, owner and operator of Reservations, believe he had indeed walked away from their conversation like he had done many times before while being censured. Or two, confess he’d been lost in thought about the argument he’d had with the incompetent master chef a few minutes ago.
Of course, the disagreement hadn’t gone well for the chef. Julian had fired the belligerent man on the spot. It didn’t matter to Julian that he didn’t have any jurisdiction over the restaurant side of Reservations.
Julian rolled his eyes, then let one of those intensive, counseling-learned sighs build in his chest. He inhaled a deep centering breath and held it, closing his eyes to let the calm descend over him like a comforting blanket. The exhale gave way to a slow release of the tension that had invaded every muscle in his body. Weird how something so simple had become his key method for getting through his day-to-day life.
He opened his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips as he turned toward the office desk, talking as he went. “I may have tuned you out. Did you say my raise for the new position is going to be S-class money or Bugatti money?”
Thane’s harsh laugh echoed from the speaker, the following harrumph let Julian know he’d played the moment properly. He’d distracted Thane. Julian was nothing if not capable of being a massive distraction.
“With as big of a pain in the ass as you are, you should pay me to work there. Why did I ever think it was a good idea to offer you a regional position? You used my good mood against me. I think you should lower your salary expectations to the range of a used Civic, maybe a late ’90s model if you’re lucky, and that’s only if you quit pissing everyone off.”
Julian’s grin brightened as he realized Thane didn’t know what had happened this morning with the so-called master chef. Thane couldn’t be any farther than about mid-flight on his way back to his corporate office in Ellicott City, Maryland. If Julian didn’t mention the incident, he might get a couple hours of peace before his boss exploded on him.
Though, sparring with Thane was one of Julian’s favorite pastimes. Especially now that Thane had finally eased off on treating Julian as if he would shatter at any given moment like a fragile piece of crystal teetering on the edge of a table. The kid-glove treatment had needed to end well before now. That was most likely the real reason he kept stepping outside his job description to make sure all the parts of Reservations worked cohesively with excellence as their goal. Julian wanted to prove to everyone around him that he wasn’t the same shell of a man they had first met. Or perhaps Julian was just a first-rate asshole. He casually shrugged a shoulder, liking that last option the best as he walked across the office to the desk chair.
“Answer my question, Cullen. What do you really know about the Marlboro Man?” Was that what they’d been talking about?
At the reminder, a new annoyance built inside Julian. Why did Thane even care? The Marlboro Man had easily passed the rigorous background checks to become a member. Julian had danced with the cowboy last night. End of story. Nothing more mattered.
“Stop digging around in my love life…” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Who was he kidding? He didn’t have anything close to resembling a love life. Hell, he didn’t even have a relationship with his own damn hand. How pathetic was that?
Thane meant well, but it wasn’t enough to ease the sudden burst of frustration.
If Thane didn’t like the way Julian stepped outside of his position… Well, Julian was damn well sick of Thane Walker’s constant hovering.
“Unless you’ve changed your mind and we’re back on. All you gotta do is ask and you will receive. You know how well I can suck a di—”