Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 140874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
He was going to be so surprised.
As we’d planned, Emma called just as we were leaving. But unlike what we’d planned, she called me. I fumbled for my phone in my handbag, and frowned at the screen. “It’s Emma.”
When I answered, she huffed, “Tell my father that he turned off his phone again.”
I covered the mic. “Your phone is turned off.”
“Oh, right.” He reached into the pocket of his gray-tinged taupe trousers. He’d paired them with a simple eggshell white shirt with French cuff, and he carried the jacket over his shoulder. He laid it carefully over his arm as he diverted his attention to his phone.
“Do you want to talk to him?” I asked cheerfully, delighting that Emma and I were partners in our little ruse.
Oh my gosh. I was totally making a memory with Emma. With my stepdaughter. That was a little weird, but a little awesome at the same time.
“Yes, put him on.”
I gave my phone to Neil, so that he was out of hands entirely, trying to juggle his jacket and both phones. I pretended not to notice his dilemma, adjusting the belt of my short white trench coat and staring up at the opening elevator doors.
“Emma, we’re just stepping out—”
He paused, and I heard the highs and lows of Emma’s voice as a tinny rhythm from his phone’s speaker. “That’s kind of loud,” I mouthed at him, indicating my ear. Chemo may have damaged his hearing, but it wasn’t smart to ruin what was left.
He shot me a look of disapproval. “I’m sorry, Emma, what was that?” Then, after a pause, “Why doesn’t he have any money?” Another pause. “We’re supposed to meet Rudy for… Oh, bloody hell. Yes. We’ll be there. But I’m very pleased to know that you preferred to go out clubbing with Michael, rather than spend your father’s fiftieth birthday with him.”
Emma’s gently wheedling tone—the one I’d heard her use with her father on several notable occasions relating to her wedding expenses—simpered through the phone. Neil was powerless to resist.
“Fine, fine. We’ll be there in…” He checked his watch. “Probably forty minutes. Damn. No, I know, it’s not your fault. We’re on the way.”
“Is everything alright?” I feigned concern as he hung up the call.
“Only Horrible Michael stealing my daughter away to an over-priced club on the night of my birthday, and then not being able to pay for it when he does.” Neil waved Tony off and opened the door for me. He motioned to me to slide over, rather than walking around the back of the car. Then he hit the intercom, informed Tony of our change of plans, and Neil settled back in his seat like a man trying to get comfortable in an iron maiden. “Honestly, drinks and dancing on a Monday night. What kind of husband is he going to make?”
“I seem to remember someone in this car fucking his secretary until she couldn’t walk on a Tuesday night, then sending her home with no panties and expecting her to show up for work on Wednesday morning.” I tapped my lips with one straightened index finger. “I wonder what kind of husband he’ll make.”
Neil gave me a look that warned I might not find out. It was all I could do to keep from giggling madly.
“I have to call Rudy,” he said handing my phone back.
When he reached for his, I shook my head. “No, I’ll just text him. I’ve already got the message half-typed.”
Neil’s knee bounced in agitation for the entire ride. By the time we pulled up outside of 1 OAK, he was so tense that his shoulders probably felt like phone books.
He pushed the intercom. “Tony, would you mind terribly taking this credit card inside to my daughter and her idiot fiancé?”
Shit. That was going to make my job harder. It was up to me to get him into the building.
I chewed my lip, trying to pick the perfect reason we should go in. I wouldn’t have a second shot without sounding suspicious. “Hey, I’ve never been here, and you’re the only chance I’ve got of getting in. What do you say we have one drink? Just long enough for me to say I’ve been there.”
He let out an annoyed, resigned sigh. “One drink. Lest the night mimic those insane movies were people hop all over the city from party to party, getting into zany mishaps.”
“That’s the spirit, grumpy man!” I laughed as Tony knocked on the window.
Neil rolled it down just a hair. “I’m sorry, Tony, we’ve changed our plans. Sophie wants to go in. Can you circle the block a few times? We won’t be long.”
“Certainly, sir,” he replied, and when I looked over my shoulder at him, he winked.
Hey, you can’t keep secrets from the domestic staff. They find out everything eventually.