Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“Yet there you are, stuck at home with eight flat tires. I’ll be right there.”
By the time Ryder picks me up and we get to work, the meeting Samuel requested at dinner last night is over, and I’m fuming.
Since I already know the meeting was to let everyone know the collab with Ronan has been secured, I go straight to my office. About thirty minutes into my morning routine, Josie lets me know Ronan’s on the line.
“Do you not have my personal number?” I ask when I answer.
“I do,” he admits. “But calling your office gives me a reason to talk to your assistant.”
I chuckle. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Lush is having their opening tonight, and I wanted to extend an invite to your team. Celebrate our new joint venture.”
Lush is a club-slash-restaurant that’s opening in Houston. It’s known for its high-class clientele, and unless you’re somebody or you know somebody, the wait list to get in is months out. They stock Kingston liquor, so I’ve been to a few of the openings at their other locations. The ambience is chill, and the food is top-notch.
“Sounds good, man. I’ll let everyone know.”
“Perfect. Reservations are for eight.”
“See you then.”
We hang up, and I spend the rest of my day working in my office. I call Samuel to let him know about the dinner, and he says he and Selene will be there.
I have lunch with Ryder and invite him to dinner. He says he can go, but Nora is away with her friends for a girls’ trip, so she won’t be able to make it.
Thank fucking God.
“Is Anastasia driving you to dinner?” Ryder asks on our way to my place.
“Nah, I have someone from the dealership coming to fill my tires. Unless she slit them. Then, they’ll have to tow them in to get new tires put on.”
Thankfully, the tires weren’t slit, so within minutes of the mechanic arriving, all the tires are back to the way they belong.
Since the reservations aren’t until later, I take a shower, get dressed in my suit, and then spend the afternoon reading while waiting for my fiancée to get home.
She works late most nights, but my hope is that she arrives on time tonight since I have a surprise waiting for her. Just a little thank-you for deflating my tires and making me miss our meeting.
chapter fourteen
ANASTASIA
Today has been great. Not only has Julian stayed the hell away from me—I must admit, after deflating his tires, I was expecting him to come for me—but the agency approved Kingston to move forward with the childcare program. I can’t wait to tell my dad tomorrow.
At first, I started it to give myself a one-up on Julian. But I’ve learned how many employees have had to take time off or hire expensive nannies so they can come back to work, and now, I’m excited to help make this idea come to fruition. I have no plans to have kids anytime soon, if ever, but it’s nice to know how many people will use this service, knowing their babies are somewhere safe and they can see them while at work.
It’s a little after seven, and I’m planning to order in and then take a long soak in the tub with a large glass of wine. When I pull up to the garage and press the button on the clicker, the garage door doesn’t go up. Weird. I press it again, and nothing happens.
Leaving the car parked in the driveway, I grab my purse and make my way around to the front door. I’m searching for my house keys that I never use, so I’m not paying attention when the sprinklers on either side of the sidewalk kick on. They’re turned up so high that they soak me from every angle as I scream out in surprise and sprint to the front door, covering my bag that holds my laptop close to my chest.
By the time I make it to the door and open it, I’m beyond drenched and pissed. My initial thought is that I’ve never noticed the sprinklers on at this time because I always go in through the garage. Then, I close the door behind me and find Julian sitting in the reading chair, his ankle resting on his knee, a book perched in his hand, and a smirk splayed across his face.
Motherfucker!
“Were you playing in the sprinklers?” he asks in an amused tone. “You know we have a pool, yeah?”
“You’re an asshole,” I hiss, shaking the water off me.
He stands and walks down the hall, then returns a moment later with a towel. And that’s when I notice he’s dressed to the nines in an all-black suit with an equally black shirt and bow tie, looking like he just stepped off the cover of GQ.
“Going somewhere?” I mutter, snatching the towel from his hand and towel-drying my dripping hair.