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 arranged the Chinese takeout on the coffee table and streamed the first Harry Potter movie while she went to change. She came back out of her bedroom a few minutes later in black sweats and my Harvard Lacrosse sweatshirt.
“So, that’s where that went,” I said with a laugh.
She tugged on the sweatshirt and then grinned. “Yeah. I was accidentally wearing it when Josh showed up.”
“Did he notice?”
She sank into the couch. “Yeah.”
“And?”
“And what?” she asked, wide-eyed.
“Does he know we’re together?”
She tilted her head. “Are we together?”
“You’re the one who is just getting out of a marriage. Whatever this is, it’s up to you.”
“Okay,” she said.
“But I think we are,” I added. “Together.”
She smiled up at me, and it took a lot of self-control not just take her to the bedroom and remind her how much of mine she was.
But she didn’t agree or disagree with the assessment otherwise. So, I let it go. It didn’t matter to me whether or not we were something. As long as she was here. The rest we could wade through when the time came.
“Josh guessed that we’re together. I didn’t really say anything one way or another. He wasn’t happy to see it.”
“Good,” I said vengefully.
She snorted, reaching for the Chinese food. “You’re such a dude sometimes.”
“Hey, he hurt you. I can be happy to see his downfall,” I said as I plopped down onto the couch next to her and dug into the noodles.
She just laughed at me and picked at her rice. She ate like a bird. I watched her sigh over her food and barely touch it as we watched the first movie.
* * *
I’d just turned on the second when she tilted her head back onto the couch and stared at the ceiling.
“I quit my job,” she muttered.
“Yeah. How are you feeling about that?”
I pressed the pause button on the TV. I’d been waiting for her to be ready to talk again.
“Shitty,” she said.
“Even after what she did?”
“Yeah. Margery found me. She helped build my career. She was like a parental figure to me.” She laughed sardonically. “The only good one in my life.”
“And then she fucked you over.”
“Yep,” she said, popping the end of the word. “Just like everyone else. All the time.”
“Well, what’s the plan now?” I asked.
She shook her head. “There is no plan. I was confident on the phone. Acted like I’d be able to take her down, but really, Court”—she finally met my gaze—“who the hell am I?”
“You’re one of the most successful publicists in the industry.”
“I’m not even a publicist. You know, technically, I don’t even work for you anymore. The contract was through Poise.”
I grinned. “Well, that makes us a little easier.”
“Yeah,” she said softly, “it does.”
She silently chewed on her bottom lip. I knew that I was supposed to be sympathetic that she’d only quit her job because of what she’d found out. But I thought English was way ahead of the company she’d been working for. She didn’t need Poise. They needed her.
“What am I even going to do? I have a non-compete. I know Margery is going to try to blacklist me from getting another job. And it’s not like I can start my own company.”
“Why not?” I asked.
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “I have five years of experience. Plus, I’m just breaking into the New York scene.”
I shrugged. “So? Five years to become one of the best. That’s impressive as hell. And you have me for the New York scene. You have all of us.”
She frowned as she looked at me. She thought I’d been joking, but now that she was looking at me, she could tell I was serious.
“You actually think I could do it?”
“No,” I said evenly. “I know that you could do it. Look what you did for me in six months, English. Fuck.”
“Yeah, but… you’re different.”
“I’m different in that I’m more difficult than your usual clients. In fact, I remember you telling me that I was the worst client you’ve ever had. So, if you can fix my problems, the sky’s the limit, right?”
“Yeah. I did say that,” she said softly as if finally considering it as a real option. “But… I don’t know. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I’d need my own agency and a name and an office space. I’d need to contact my old clients. I’d need capital.” She sighed and shook her head. “That I don’t really have. Not until the divorce is finalized.” Then, she glanced around her apartment. “Well, maybe I could sell this place. I don’t know if I even could. I’m probably not supposed to make any big purchases or sales yet.”
“Don’t worry about the money.”
“What? Why wouldn’t I worry about the money?” she asked, her blue eyes returning to mine.
“I can help.”
“No way,” she said immediately.