Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Patton shows me off without seeming to show me off. He talks up Higher Ends’ success without boasting.
He advises and laughs, ingratiating himself with personal comments aimed at each of the people he’s talking to.
Mostly, I listen, hating that I’m a little in awe.
“I hear your new venture is going well. You must be pleased,” a man says as we order dessert.
I choose a slice of chocolate truffle layer cake.
Patton leans back in his chair. “The Cardinal? Yes, it is doing extremely well, but I can’t take the credit. Salem here has taken it to the next level. Without her wading through the daily operations, we’d be treading water.”
I flush for the hundredth time tonight.
“You must take some credit. You helped me get there. You bought it.”
“And the single best decision I made was hiring you.” There’s that sincerity in his voice again. It completely brings me down. “Also,” he announces to the table, “she’s done everything with one hand tied behind her back ever since I met her. This lovely lady’s achieved everything while being a single mother.”
A few gasps ring out. A loud murmur passes around the table, and even the people who weren’t listening before lean toward us, tuning in now.
“Bravo!” a big man yells, raising his glass.
A few seconds later, the whole table follows him.
“Holy crap, Patton.” I press my fingers to my burning cheeks. Even the chocolate cake that’s coming up won’t help me recover anytime soon. “You… you didn’t need to tell them that.”
I’m dumbfounded he’s staking his own reputation. What will they think of him dating a single mom?
“Proof of how hard you work? I think I did,” he throws back.
And I die.
The lady I met before at brunch—the languid one, who seemed disinterested in me—claps her hands, her bangles jangling.
“Oh, dear! Most of the men here can’t possibly understand, but I do,” she says, “That’s a lot of life you’re juggling. Raising a child all alone, that’s a feat by itself. Never mind the rest of it. You simply must hold your head high.”
Her eyes glisten like it’s a familiar story.
I flash her an empathetic smile.
“Thank you,” I mumble.
“She’s a superhero,” Patton says, and I think he means it. When he looks at me again, the pride in his eyes dances like stark blue starlight.
I’m wilting by the time dessert arrives, holding in a sigh.
Thank God.
Now I can turn my attention away and relax a little. Patton carries on, smoothly discussing his future plans without revealing any major details, all while he probes the others into revealing their plans.
It’s no surprise they like to hold their cards close to their chest and require some coaxing.
Everyone, that is, except Harry Goldblum, who brags about his negotiations to take over another ‘sure win’ golf course in Miami.
I can’t decide if he’s stupidly determined or just plain stupid.
Dinner ends with a few people lingering for drinks, but we can leave the table.
A few men step outside into the night air to smoke. Patton leads me back to our room, one hand possessively resting on the small of my back, slowly burning me down.
“Wait,” I say as we reach the room. “I know it’s cold, but the stars are so beautiful tonight.”
“Hardly the only thing.”
I cough awkwardly.
“The evening’s over, dude. I really appreciate everything you’ve done but… you don’t need to keep up the act.” Even though every single word he says reverberates in my chest, carving another mark on my heart.
Yes, this is pure insanity now.
Reckless and dumb and self-destructive.
But I don’t stop him as he heads into the room and finds me on the patio a minute later, carrying a leafy green blanket that feels like a cloud.
“There,” he says softly, passing it over and holding up a couple drinks he pulled from the mini fridge in our room. “No need to be cold. Or sober. Nice selection of local brews, if you’ll join me.”
No need for another drink. I had plenty of wine over dinner, and I can already feel it going to my head, but I accept it anyway.
We’re already drowning, aren’t we?
Why fuss when I can just admire the waves, even as they swallow us up?
“How’d you know I was a beer girl?” I ask, clinking the bottle against his. The loungers are soft, but I opt for the floor, leaning against the wall as I stare at the night sky. It’s vast here. The near lack of moonlight makes the stars stand out like multicolored diamonds.
“Intuition, I guess.”
“Did I ever tell you?”
“You told me a lot of things.” He shrugs and sits beside me, popping open his can. “You’re a dreamer, Lady Bug, always looking at the sky. That’s the important part.”
“I guess the sky’s usually prettier than what’s down below.” I sigh. “Not counting the present view, I mean.”
“Didn’t say you were wrong.”