Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 15980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
“It’s your own fault. I freaking messaged you a bazillion times and you never answered,” London huffs, causing me to miss my friend even more. Moving to a new city far away from all my friends seemed like a fun adventure until I actually did it. I met London a few years ago in Houston. She was in town giving a talk about women in business that I attended for my marketing class.
After the seminar, we had lunch and became instant friends. When I discovered she was married to Bender Valentine, the lead singer of the band Bent, I felt like I was living in the Twilight Zone. Then London and Bender invited me to stay with them in Silver Spoon Falls, Texas, and I instantly fell in love with the town and all their friends.
When I graduated with a business degree, Bender wanted to put in a good word with his former record label, Inked Knight Records, but I refused his help. Instead, I ended up working for the record company I’d interned at, J & S Records. It was an okay job until my boss, Walter Smith, divorced his wife and decided I was going to take her place in his bed. Ick.
In desperation to escape the uncomfortable situation, I agreed to let Bender put in a good word for me at Inked Knight Records.
“It was five messages,” I remind my friend. “And I couldn’t answer because I wanted to make the best impression on my first day.”
“Hawk, Falcon, and Raven won’t mind if you check a few messages throughout the day,” London grumbles. “Especially messages from your bestie.”
“I’ve only met Hawk and Raven,” I cut in before she gets going. “Falcon is going to be out of town for the next week or so.”
“Oh. That’s a shame. I was hoping Falcon would take one look at you and sweep you off your feet.” I can hear the gears turning in her brain through the phone line.
“It’s not happening.” My friend is so incredibly happy with her husband, she thinks everyone else should be happily married, too. “I do appreciate Bender arranging for them to hire me.”
“You know it was no problem at all. He actually hated the idea of you working for Walter-the-jerk Smith.” Not more than I hated it.
“I’m still grateful,” I tell her before adding, “But I’m not looking for Mr. Right.”
“Maybe Mr. Right will just drop into your life.” My ever-hopeful friend just won’t give up.
“We’ll see. Now, how are things going there in Silver Spoon Falls?” London falls for my change of subject and launches into a ten-minute-long spiel on the happenings in the small Texas town.
At ten minutes to five, Raven stops by my desk. “I have bad news.” Darn. I knew things were going too well. “The corporate apartment won’t be ready for a few days.” That’s not great news, but it also isn’t the end of the world. Knowing I would have a new corporate apartment mid-month, I gave up my place at the beginning of the month, and I’ve been staying with a friend. Hopefully, Rosalie will let me stay there for a few more days.
“Oh.” I give Raven my brightest smile. “I’m sure my friend will let me stay with her until the apartment is ready.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Raven hands me a key card. “We have a private penthouse upstairs that we use for important clients. It’s empty right now, so you can use it for a few days.”
Heck yes! “Thank you so much.” I can’t believe how nice the Knightleys are. “That’s so sweet of you to make me alternate plans.”
“We want you to be happy here.” Raven pats my arm. “Come on. I’ll take you up to the penthouse for a little tour.”
Two hours later, I sit back in the massive bathtub and let the warm bubbles relax all the kinks in my body. This is the life, I think to myself as I watch my favorite TV show on the huge flat-screen television hanging above the fireplace. Yes, this freaking bathroom has a fireplace and a television. I may never leave.
I’d give my left nut to be able to go straight home and fall asleep in my own goddamn bed, but the general contractor I hired to remodel my new home did me dirty. The fucker lied when he promised to finish the remodel before I returned from my three-week trip to Europe. So, here I am, homeless for the foreseeable future. Stop being a whiny ass. I remind myself I can crash in the penthouse above the Inked Knight Records offices.
When we remodeled our offices a few years ago, I told Hawk, my older brother, that it would come in handy one day and I was right. Our family had run Knightley Records for over fifty years when Hawk and I left the military and decided to come home to take over the business from our retiring grandfather. Granddad Leo had signed tons of strong acts throughout the years, and the company was thriving, but his health was failing.