Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
That gambling reference takes me back to the casino.
She looks away quickly. I wonder if some part of her remembers, too.
“Must’ve been hard, throwing yourself into new ventures with a kid.” Especially a kid who was put on this planet to raise more hell than a nest of cobras.
“You know what’s hard?” she snaps. “Everyone assuming I’m this fragile thing who never had a fighting chance because I’m a single mom.”
“I never said—”
“Being a mom is hard, sure. Sometimes, the juggling act gets tricky. I’m sure you noticed the other day. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do it.”
“That’s not what I meant. Don’t take it so personally. I never said you couldn’t do it. Obviously, you’re still trying like hell, or we wouldn’t be stuck in traffic, driving each other goddamned bonkers.”
“Right.” Like she finally figured out maybe she didn’t need to fly off the handle at me, she takes a shaky breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to go off on you. I guess I just—a lot of people make assumptions, you know? I thought you were ready to give me the same lecture. Anyway, for now, I’ve got my eye on real estate.”
I do my best to nod politely.
“Actually, I’ve already cobbled together a few suggestions for enhancing The Cardinal’s look, if you’re interested.”
“Suggestions?” This time I look at her, and she shrinks back in her seat.
Fine.
If her suggestions are anything like her instincts today, I’m not sure this will work.
“Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself? This is still your first week on the job.”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“You haven’t developed a taste for the luxury market yet.”
Her eyes narrow, but she folds her arms.
“I’m sorry I didn’t like your place. It felt stuffy and cold.”
“That’s not the issue. You’re new to this industry. You clearly have a talent for starting businesses”—and not finishing them, but that’s not the point—“but this isn’t something you can do on a whim. The shotgun approach doesn’t work here. If you want to go places, you need to do what we did when we first stepped in—observe. Listen. Think.”
She grips her seat belt with white-knuckled fingers.
“Okay,” she says quietly. “I get it. I’m sorry.”
Goddamn.
I never meant to snap at her, much less hammer down her ego.
Too bad she’s gotten on my last nerve.
Even so, I’m trying to help her. I’m acting like a mentor. I want her to understand this is a long game with tons of moving pieces, and one stumble early on in this industry can hurt you down the line.
Everyone has long memories here.
I should know.
I also can’t stand the fact that she’s been jumping around and flailing like many serial entrepreneurs. The scattershot approach usually ends in defeat, rather than stumbling on the next big thing.
I look across at her, at her set face and the hard line of her mouth under those big brown eyes.
What happened between us years ago hasn’t stayed locked up in the past like I hoped. She may not remember me, but I think the energy is there. Call it subconscious or whatever the fuck.
It’s here, right now, this ugly dynamic that has us bowing up at each other like alley cats.
That’s why I’m snapping at her. Not that she’s pissing me off. This shadow of a one-night stand I never imagined I’d relive.
Maybe we need to talk about it and drag this monster out in the open.
Goddammit, Pat, couldn’t you have just kept it in your pants for one night on that boat?
I pull up outside the office. She throws her seat belt off like she can’t get out of my sight fast enough.
“Salem, wait,” I tell her.
She hesitates, and I hate every bit of this situation as she twists back around.
“What is it? What now?” she asks sharply.
It guts me how badly I messed up. I’m supposed to be the professional mentor, the leader. Not the guy who’s losing his shit at snide remarks every five seconds she’s in the room.
“I need to ask you something,” I say. “You won’t like it, I’m not going to like it, but it needs to be done before this relationship—our professional relationship, obviously—goes any further.”
Her face pulls tighter.
She faces me with wide eyes, glistening until the flecks of gold in them shine.
I hate that I notice her eyes so much.
I shouldn’t notice fucking anything.
Sighing, I release the steering wheel with effort, trying to ignore the horror in her expression. According to her, I’m the bossman from hell.
And to make this better, first I have to make it worse.
“So here’s my question,” I tell her, locking eyes. “Were you ever on a riverboat casino?”
5
MISS UNLUCKY (SALEM)
Were you ever on a riverboat casino?
My heart stops ticking like a broken clock.
Patton Rory’s words bounce around my head like a stray bullet, lodging between my ears.
Oh, here we go.