Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
“You’re my sister.”
“You’ve made my point,” I say.
“That I’m not stupid? Thank you. Your hair is all over the place and so is your makeup. Who is he?”
“Why are you here?”
He reaches for the cups on the security desk. “I came to have coffee with my little sister.”
I accept the cup and give him a curious look. “What are you up to?”
He laughs. “Stop already. I just came to check on you. And—”
“Cat!”
I rotate before he fills in that blank to find a petite and pretty brunette, who is about five feet tall and wearing five-inch heels and a black pantsuit, hurrying my way. And officially, this morning just keeps getting better. Not really. “Who is that?” my brother asks.
“My agent,” I say a few beats before Liz stops in front of me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her, and then hold up a hand. “Never mind. I know what you’re doing here. No. End of conversation.”
Her brow furrows. “Why are you wearing—”
“Do not finish that sentence,” I warn her. “I don’t need to hear that question again.”
“Right,” she says. “Let’s talk upstairs, so you can fix yourself. You’re a mess.”
I throw my hands in the air. “Of course I am. Let’s go.”
I start walking, and my brother and my agent are quick to keep pace while I sip my coffee, which is actually perfect. “Thank you,” I say, glancing at my brother as I punch the elevator button.
“You’re welcome, little sis.”
“This is your brother?” Liz asks, giving him a once-over with a little too much interest. Granted, he’s good looking, but she’s my agent and he’s my brother.
“Yes,” Gabe answers for me. “I’m the older brother.”
“Age?” Liz asks.
“Thirty-six.”
“Married?” she brazenly asks.
The elevator opens and I roll my eyes and enter, while the two of them go to opposite walls but keep talking. “Never married,” Gabe says.
“Why?” Liz asks, as if replaying my conversation with Lauren about Reese. “What’s wrong with you?”
I watch the interaction, which has forgotten me and with each floor turns more and more direct, until finally I can’t take it anymore. I glance at Liz, who is all red-cheeked, and say, “Seriously? You’re flirting with my brother in front of me.”
“I am not,” she says indignantly.
“You’re not?” Gabe asks. “That’s too bad.”
The elevator doors open and I exit the car and just leave them both there. Once I’m at my door, I enter my apartment and leave it open. Kicking off my shoes in the entrance, I really want to just go shower, but I walk to the kitchen instead. After setting my bags on a red leather barstool, I walk to the microwave and stick my coffee inside. By the time it’s out, the two of them are standing on opposite sides of the island looking at me.
“Cat,” Liz begins.
“No,” I say. “I decline the book deal.”
“Why are you declining a book deal?” Gabe asks. “You hit the Times with your last book.”
“How do you even know that?”
“Of course I knew that,” he says.
“You did not,” I accuse.
“I did too,” he insists.
“You did?”
“Yes,” Gabe says. “I’m not the ass you are apparently remembering me to be.”
“You hate that I left my legal career.”
“I’m over it. Your column is damn good, and so was the book. Why are you turning down another deal?”
“Wait,” Liz says, glancing at Gabe. “Did you congratulate her when she hit the Times?”
“No, but—”
“And now we know why you’re single,” she says. “Next time send her flowers and chocolate. And no. I was not flirting with you.” She refocuses on me. “Back to his question. Why?”
“No,” I repeat.
“Why?” Gabe presses.
“Yes,” Liz says. “Why?”
“Dan is an ass,” I say. “He also represents everything I hate about the system. I’m not writing a book with him.”
My cellphone rings, and I’m quick to pull it from my purse in hopes that I can just end this meet-and-greet in the kitchen. I glance at Reese’s number and answer, “Hey.”
“Did you walk home?”
“Yes.”
“It’s chilly out and I have your panties. You must have felt that.”
I laugh and cut my gaze as inquiring eyes suddenly study me more intensely. “I survived.”
“Come back and get them.”
“They aren’t exactly usable at this point. But I’ll be about an hour. My brother and my agent showed up at my house.”
“Take the book deal, Cat,” he says, turning serious on me.
“I can’t have this conversation with you right now.”
“Just don’t decline it officially until we talk. Promise.”
“No.”
“Cat—”
“No.”
“Right,” he says. “We’ll talk about this later, naked. But soon. Get back here or I’ll come after you.” He hangs up.
I set my phone down and look between Liz and Gabe. “You both need to leave. I have someplace to be.”
Gabe cuts his stare and looks frustrated, like he wants to say something but thinks better of it. “I’ll see you later,” he says, heading out of the room.