Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 95311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Though to be honest, she had never possessed a strong tolerance. The first time she had gotten absolutely silly, can't-see-straight drunk in high school she had only had two beers. And college had been mostly late night studying and coffee dates with friends with only a party every month or two.
She walked over to the window to close the curtain, when something on her street caught her eye. Her car. Maybe James had brought it back late the night before. Hannah drew the curtains and slipped out of her dress into an oversize t-shirt and old, soft jeans. She curled up on the couch with a bottle of water and aspirin and wished she had called to have her cable turned back on. She couldn't think of a better way to spend her weekend then curled up watching a movie marathon and completely forgetting the outside world. Instead, she called home. She talked to her mother, her father, her best friend, anyone she could think of in Stars Landing that she missed. And she practically missed them all.
–
Monday rolled around quickly and Hannah was dreading going to work. The more she rolled the memories of Friday night around in her head, the more she cringed. She really had overreacted and then she had drug EM and James into her business. She felt silly and girlish for actually having broken down into tears at her boss' event.
Hannah walked into the lobby, nervously ready for her day. "You didn't call," Tad accused, walking up to her and handing her a coffee cup.
She accepted it gratefully, looking at the empty desks that would soon be filled with busy women. "It didn't go very well, Tad. I really don't want to talk about it."
Tad looked at her a second and something knowing came into his eyes, like he had already pieced it all together himself. He noticed her throwing nervous glances at EM's office and patted her shoulder. "He has court today, remember?"
Hannah felt the rush of relief wash over her. Thank God. She could just throw herself into her work and not have to worry about an awkward morning interaction.
He finally tore into the office in the late afternoon. She heard him slam the door to his office and drop his briefcase onto his desk. Everything about the movement on the other side of her office door seemed angry.
She opted out of running to get him a cup of coffee and stayed focused on yet another business trip she had to plan, to North Dakota of all places.
"Coffee," EM's voice blared through her office, making her jump and lose the papers in her hands. She cursed the invention of the office intercom as she picked the scattered pages up again.
Part of her wanted to be offended at the rudeness, though she knew she was supposed to have had coffee to him already. The other part of her was relieved. If he was being harsh and demanding, then things were back to normal. There would be no more strange, long stares. No more offers of food or wine. No more feeling the hard line of his body pressed up against her while they danced. And certainly no more crying and making a total fool of herself.
A part of her also went out to him. He had spent hours in court. After meeting Dan, she had no misconceptions about the relationship. Dan was clearly a very clever and conniving woman. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't about to take no for an answer. Judging by the way Dan had acted at the party, she doubted the divorce was her idea let alone something she was about to go along with without a fight.
Suddenly, she wondered about how, exactly, she had gotten a man like Elliott Michaels to walk down the aisle. Was it simply a matter of business? Trying to get whatever her father had? Had she faked a pregnancy- clichéd and trashy as that seemed? Or had there been an actual relationship that had bloomed and turned into something more than his usual weekend fling? Had he actually loved her?
Hannah cringed at the idea of someone being able to love someone as cold and calculated as Dan. But then again... EM himself could likely be described as such by most of the people he came into contact with. It was possible there was a time that the two saw something similar in each other and thought to join alliances. James had said it was a terrible marriage and that they had been officially and legally separated for a while already. Hannah thought back to cleaning EM's house and looking for a blow dryer. There hadn't been the slightest trace of makeup or clothing or even a feminine touch. Except, she reminded herself, all the bath goodies and the dryer itself. Had she actually used Dan's old bath salts and soap? Or did EM just keep those supplies stocked in case of overnight guests? One-night stands or flings?