Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
I stared at him.
“But you’re so gorgeous, and your family has owned the House of Permian for almost a century now. Yet no one knows. Is it because you don’t want the public to know that you’re the brains behind a successful business?”
He nods.
“Yep, you got it. I don’t hide my wealth, but there’s no need to trumpet it either. If I thought putting my face out there as marketing for the House of Permian would help sales, I would do it in an instant. But people don’t want to see me, sweetheart, although I love that you think I’m irresistible,” he winks. “Instead, they want to buy into the myth of Coco Permian, and the image we’ve created for the brand in the years since.”
I frown at him.
“Yes, but I read on Wikipedia that Coco Permian was a Nazi sympathizer and actually tried to take this company away from your grandfather when they were dispossessing Jewish people of their belongings.”
Reed nods wisely.
“You’re right. But that happened in the past, and the fact is that Coco was unsuccessful. My grandfather maintained control, and if anything, Coco was pushed out, although she left with a lot of money. Plus, it’s her image that keeps this company going. People buy into her glamorous aesthetic, and her elite appeal.”
I’m still puzzled though.
“But anyone could go onto Wikipedia and find out what I just read myself.”
Reed grins at me and takes my hand.
“That’s because you’re smart, Cat. You like to educate yourself about interesting topics. But most of our buyers aren’t like that. For one, the Asian market is now the biggest market for luxury goods, and those folks likely aren’t reading Wiki in English. Second, we try to control the narrative somewhat. We can’t dictate what goes on Wikipedia, obviously, but we try to minimize Coco’s ugly backstory as much as possible. For example, there are multiple coffee table books on the House of Permian, but we always make sure to keep our founder’s legacy clean.”
I sigh and squeeze his hand encouragingly.
“It must be heart-wrenching. She tried to steal from your grandfather, and now you’re protecting her reputation.”
Reed looks at me seriously.
“Yes, and sometimes I wonder if it’s the right thing to do too. On occasion, I consider revealing how ugly Coco Permian was on the inside, and as a person. But we, as a company, have decided against it because in terms of dollars and cents, it’s not the smart choice.”
I nod slowly.
“I agree. And I suppose your family won in the long term because she’s long gone, and you have control of the business.”
He nods seriously.
“I do, and I take my responsibilities very seriously.”
I smiled at my boyfriend, in awe of his intellect and good judgment. After all, Rev always talked himself up as a powerful CEO, but now I see that Rev was all smoke and mirrors. It’s Reed who’s the real thing. Reed leads with a firm hand, and has the ability to navigate choppy waters without retreating into a cave. He’s a model for his employees and someone that I’m proud to be seen with.
“You’re amazing,” I said, staring up at him with adoration.
Reed merely leaned forward and kissed my pouty lips.
“So are you,” he growled. “You are the light of my life, Cat, and I thank my lucky stars that I met you when I did.”
My heart thrilled to hear these words because my life has expanded exponentially ever since I met Reed. Before, I thought it was exciting to go to Aspen or Bear Mountain with Rev. But Reed is about international travel, and not just domestic. As a result, we’ve been to France, Italy, and he’s hinted about a potential vacation to Shanghai. I love exploring all these places I’ve never been, and it’s even more exciting because I have Reed at my side.
But now, I’m in my tiny bathroom at my apartment, sitting on the toilet seat with disbelief. Holy hell. This cannot be happening. I can’t be pregnant, yet the indicator has a pink plus sign on it, telling me that I am, indeed, expecting.
My hands scrabble to open a second pregnancy test to be sure. I got two at the pharmacy because my period hasn’t come in a few months. I didn’t even notice at first because of the drama in my life, but this morning, I woke up, blinked, and my mouth went dry. Oh my god. Reed was sleeping next to me, peacefully unaware. I looked at his bronzed back with its hard, heavy muscles and went warm inside. It would be wonderful to be pregnant with his baby!
But I didn’t really expect it to be true. It was more of a theoretical possibility more than anything. Now, however, theory has become reality. I pee on the second stick and wait impatiently. Minutes seem to slow to hours and I stare at the wall, trying to get my mind in gear. At long last, something shows on the second indicator, and it’s two straight lines. That means I’m pregnant, for sure.