Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“You watched?” I asked incredulously.
“Yep. I was working on the couch, so I decided to turn it on. Didn’t get any work done, though.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. It was very entertaining. It was amazing watching you sit there, cigar in one hand, drink in the other, wiping the floor with those guys.”
I suppressed my smile as much as I could because compliments like that really hit me deep. “Well…thanks.”
“You won quite a bit of money.”
“Yeah. But I’ve got to pay taxes on it, so it’s not as much as it seems.”
“I’m surprised you don’t just do that full time.”
“Those high-stakes games only happen a couple times a year, so it’s not like I’m doing that every weekend. And I only care about the money, so it could never be a career. I’m having a hard time with this case, but this is what I live for.”
“I can tell.” With a strong posture, he remained still, his eyes combing over the information on the wall before turning back to me. It was rare to see someone so handsome and so brilliant, but he was an anomaly—like me. “Well, I’ll let you get back to being stumped.” He turned away.
“Thanks, MapQuest.”
He stilled and turned back to me, the corner of his lip raised in a smile.
“Sorry…couldn’t help it.”
Looking slightly amused, he walked out.
“Guess who I ran into the other day?” Meredith sat across from me, her second cosmo in front of her.
“The star of Chippendales?” I asked.
“If only…” She shook her head.
Tanya was beside her and released a sigh. “I hate the guessing game.”
“Me too,” I said. “But if it’s not a member of Chippendales, I’m probably not going to care.”
“Mason,” Meredith said. “At this bar I was at.”
“Ah…that motherfucker.” I tilted my head back and took a long drink. “I’m sure he’s doing what he does best, finding the next heart to break.”
“He made eye contact with me then avoided me,” Meredith said.
“Smart.” I snapped my fingers. “Last time he tried to talk to someone I’m close with, he got his ass kicked.”
Meredith chuckled. “That was so awesome. Wish my dad would do that. But he’s old and shit.”
“My dad will probably outlive me, honestly,” I said. “With all those salmon smoothies…”
“What?” Tanya asked. “What the hell is a salmon smoothie?”
Meredith nearly spat out her drink. “Please don’t tell me your hot dad drinks those.”
Now I almost spat out my drink. “Ew, don’t call my dad that.”
“Sorry.” Meredith gave a shrug. “But he is.”
“I need a refill.” I grabbed my empty glass and moved across the room to the bar, needing more alcohol on my lips and in my liver. I set down the glass and waited for the bartender to give me attention.
That was when I noticed Atlas around the bend in the bar, his dark eyes on the TV on the wall. A baseball game was on, and once he got his drink, a cognac, he took a sip while his eyes remained on the TV.
He seemed to be alone.
The bartender came to me next and made me another drink.
I kept watching Atlas, wondering if he was waiting for someone.
He looked exactly the same as he did at the office because all he ever wore were jeans and t-shirts. Never even bothered with a collared shirt. Couldn’t picture him in a tie. My dad was the same way, preferring comfort over fashion.
Atlas turned his gaze my way, and then his eyes steadied on me, seeing me stick out from the crowd.
I gave a smile and held up my glass.
He didn’t smile with his lips, but his eyes did light up with amusement. He raised his drink slightly and gave me a small nod.
I almost walked back to the girls, but I decided to stop by. He was the best-looking guy in this bar, but he didn’t have any women actively hitting on him and buying him drinks. If I’d seen him before he’d pissed me off, I’d be the first one in line.
He turned to me when I approached. “What are you drinking?”
“Gin and tonic. It’s the perfect after-work drink.”
“Cognac.” He gave his glass a slight swirl. “The perfect anytime drink.”
“So, what are you doing here?”
He held up the glass and took a drink. “Is that not obvious?”
“I just mean you’re alone.”
“Who are you here with? A date?”
“Psh, no.” I nodded to the back. “With my bitch crew.”
“Bitch crew?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Yep. Do you have an asshole crew?”
“I wouldn’t call them that…and they aren’t here. I’m waiting for someone.”
“Ooh…a date.”
“Unfortunately.”
I propped my chin on my closed knuckles and gave him a quizzical look. “What a lucky lady…”
He chuckled. “It’s a blind date,” he said with a laugh. “A date I was coerced into.”
“You seem like someone who can get your own dates.”
He gave me a soft smile. “Wow, a compliment.”