Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
I was trying my best to make sense of the spreadsheet in front of me, but I couldn’t seem able to comprehend anything today. All I could do was think about Miles. Should I try to talk to him once he returned? If it had all been a game, why would he care now? Why would he have insisted I come to work? Why did he keep trying to talk to me? But even if he hadn’t meant to hurt me, how would anything ever work between us?
“Ben?”
I hadn’t even heard anyone approach my desk. I looked up and saw Ford. “Sorry. I got lost in thought and….”
“It’s fine.”
I glanced at Miles’s door. “He’s gone out with Carter.”
“I’m not here to see Miles. I’m actually here to see if you’d like to go to lunch.”
I studied him for a moment. “Did Miles send you?”
“No.”
“Is there any reason why I should believe that?”
He tilted his head, seeming to consider his answer. “Probably not, but it is true. Come on. We can go anywhere you want, and it’s on me.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I want to.”
I glanced around. I couldn’t say too much here where someone might overhear, so I simply stood and followed Ford to the elevator.
“What would you like for lunch?” he asked once we stepped out onto the sidewalk.
“I’m not very hungry.” I hadn’t felt like eating since I’d left Miles’s penthouse.
He studied me for a second. “Has Miles ever taken you to Bistro Noelle?”
“No.”
He grinned. “It’s fabulous. I’d love to introduce you to it, and the menu is varied so I’m sure you’ll find something you’d like to eat.”
Ford texted someone as we walked along, and I contemplated how I was going to get through an entire lunch with him. He was personable and not hard to talk to, but he was Miles’s friend. What was I going to say? Your friend is an asshole who pretended to want me so he could see how far I’d go to help out my worthless family?
When we reached Bistro Noelle, a blond man in form fitting white pants and a blue linen button-down was seated in the waiting area. He stood as we entered and gestured toward me. “I assume this is Ben.”
Ford nodded. “Ben, this is Worth. He’s also one of Miles’s closest friends.”
Worth held out his hand, and I shook it. His eyes lingered over me longer than they should have. “I see why Miles is so obsessed with you.”
“Worth,” Ford scolded. “That’s not helpful.”
Miles had told me a little about his friends. They’d known each other since they were in boarding school. Worth was a flirt but a solid friend. I’d wanted to meet him, but that was when I trusted Miles and thought…. Shit. I was not going to cry here.
“Come on.” Worth put his arm around me. “Let’s get a table and get you a drink.”
Normally I would have refused the offer of a drink this early on a workday, but I thought I might need it to get through this lunch. I already wanted to bolt, and we’d just been seated.
“So,” Worth said once our drink order was in. “What did Miles do to piss you off?”
The question shocked a strangled noise out of me. “I don’t…I’m not….”
“Don’t worry,” Ford said. “We both love Miles, but he can be a complete ass. Neither of us think he’s perfect.”
“And he’d be happy to tell you all our flaws, mine especially,” Worth added.
“How much do you know already?” I asked.
“We know why you applied for the job as his assistant.”
“I didn’t—”
Ford held up a hand. “And we know you didn’t do what your family expected, and that you’ve suffered for it.”
“I truly didn’t, but….”
Ford frowned. “What?”
“I should tell Miles this. I just don’t want to talk to him right now.”
“Understandable,” Worth said. “We can pass along anything you tell us.”
I studied Ford for a moment. “You’re his attorney. I’m already compromised enough.”
Ford smiled. “Right now, I’m just his friend, and yours if you’ll let me be.”
“My family has a contact within the company. I passed along some false information to them, but they’ll eventually realize it’s fake.”
Ford nodded. “Who is the informant?”
Before I could answer, our server returned. I hadn’t even looked at the menu, so I let Ford order for me. Once the server left, I knew I had to come up with an answer.
“I know you probably won’t believe me, but I don’t know. My father said they demanded anonymity.”
Worth’s expression turned fierce. “Is your father the one who hurt you? I will track him down personally and—”
“What?” Ford asked. “Intimidate him with your abs?”
Worth flipped him off.
“We should let Carter handle the more violent side of things.” Ford faced me again. “And we will.”
“It doesn’t matter. I just need a chance to make a plan to get away.”