Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
I sputtered, spewing some of my beer. I swiped my hand over the top of the computer to clean up some of the mess. My eyes were wide when I looked back at my dad. “What? He… he does not.”
My dad smiled down at me. A real smile. Not the half-assed thing he normally gave me. “He does. Whether you want to see it or not.”
My stomach knotted at those words. I’d known Court six months. He couldn’t… he didn’t… he’d never even indicated. How could my dad even know that?
“It doesn’t matter,” he continued. “What matters is that you can’t give up your life. It’s a good one.”
He almost sounded… proud.
“I thought you hated it,” I gasped out. “I thought you despised me working in Hollywood as a publicist. That you thought it was trash work.”
“I didn’t despise it. I don’t understand it, but I realize its importance. That you’re good at it. The only thing I hated was that… you never needed me. But I did that to myself. When you needed me when you were little, I wasn’t there. I shouldn’t be surprised to find you grew up independent and that you didn’t need anyone.” He gently touched my shoulder. “You got out of here. You made something of yourself. I’m proud of you, Bug.”
I swallowed back tears. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Now, get out of my house.”
I laughed and swiped at my eyes. “I’m not ready to leave just yet, if that’s okay. But maybe I’ll call up a friend and get out of your hair for a while?”
He patted my shoulder twice and stood. “That’s fine with me. As long as you know that this isn’t permanent. I like having you home. Just not as a hidey-hole. You can come and visit more if you want.”
“I’d like that.”
He smiled at me and finished his beer. “All right. I should get back to bed. Ashley is going to wonder where I went.”
“Night, Dad.”
“Night, Bug.”
I watched him walk away, wondering why it had taken so long for us to have that conversation. Stubbornness sure ran in the family.
Before I could let myself dwell on what he’d said about Court, I picked up the phone and called Winnie. I needed to get out of here.
36
English
“When I said that I wanted to meet up, I was thinking coffee,” I told Winnie two days later as I stood at the entrance to The Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.
“Welcome back to Hollywood,” Winnie said.
She slid her arm through mine and walked me up the front steps. I’d been inside the iconic hotel more times than I could count. It was a favorite of my clients. Plus… it was the place that Josh and I had met. Which used to give me a thrill every time that I stepped inside the classic pink building, but today, my stomach just turned as the happy memory was now twinged with sadness.
“What is this event even for?”
I’d had to head into the city and get a new dress since I’d brought nothing remotely high fashion back with me from New York. I was in love with the red bustier dress I’d purchased. It gave me ample cleavage while hugging my frame and accentuating my assets. I’d paired it with a new set of Jimmy Choos.
“Who knows? Who cares? Gregory is meeting us inside.”
I groaned. “I thought you were off-again with Gregory?”
“Yes, but you’ve been gone forever, English,” Winnie said, waving her hand. Her British accent tight around my name. “We’re back on. Have been for a few months. The event rented out all the bungalows, and he’s secured one for us.”
Gregory was a director, producer, composer, and all-around entitled dude-bro prick. He thought the world revolved around his pretentious ass. I was not pleased to hear that Winnie was back with him. She could do so much better. Even if… I was going to take advantage of his generous hospitality.
“So, tell me about New York,” Winnie said as we stepped into the main ballroom already bedecked with celebrities. “Was it snowing?”
“No, not yet.”
“Did you choose an agency to work with up there?” Winnie grabbed two flutes of champagne and passed me one.
“Actually, no. Currently unemployed.”
Winnie wrinkled her nose. “But why?”
“Well, Kensington Corporation offered to take me on full-time. But I said no.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted though?”
“At the time… I was sleeping with Court.”
Winnie froze. Her large brown eyes rounded. She reached out and grasped my arm. “English! You?”
I laughed at her expression. Winnie had always been the naughty one. She thought nothing of fucking her clients. She was able to keep her heart separate from her vagina.
“Yes. Me, of all people.”
“Well then, good for you!”
“But… we’re not together right now.”
Winnie sighed. “Broke your heart? Left you hanging?”
“Something like that.” I shrugged, ending the conversation I didn’t want to be having. “I’ve actually been considering starting my own agency.”