Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
My skin prickled. She knew one of my weaknesses was that vampire show.
“I’ll bet,” I replied, and Rowan scoffed. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave my romanticizing for my nights alone,” I said, which made Kendall chuckle and Rowan roll his eyes.
My first time meeting one of my celebrity crushes, Kendall had made a big to-do about it in front of them, embarrassing the hell out of me. And, of course, I’d gushed and rambled, likely making a fool of myself, given how mortified Rowan had seemed. So now I made sure not to profess too much. Easier said than done.
Rowan motioned for her to have a seat in the chair she used with her name printed on the back. Again, strange celebrity rituals. “Give me five minutes.”
“Take your time,” she said as he swept from the room, no doubt to greet the celebrity guest and discuss his outfit choice for the show.
Her personal assistant, Naomi, came in to ask about a schedule change, and Kendall approved it. We sometimes had to coordinate the two sets of calendars, especially if it involved Rowan traveling to an event or being on-site. Naomi was normally quiet and all business and never stuck around to chat or gossip.
Kendall tried not to rub at her eye as she blinked repeatedly. The false eyelashes seemed more of a pain than they were worth. Her makeup was normally heavy for the camera, but I definitely wished I had her cheekbones, which were more defined today with bronzer and blush.
She clicked around on her phone while I finished steaming the first blouse.
“He’s trying to get me to wear animal prints again, isn’t he?” she asked nonchalantly.
“Yep,” I replied over my shoulder. “I’d try to ruin this blouse for you, but he’d go ballistic, so you’ll have to suffer through.”
She laughed. “He means well. And most of the time, he’s right.”
When it came to fashion, sure. I’d give her that.
2
I moved on to steam her second blouse while Kendall prepped the questions she would ask her guests on the show.
One of mine would be: have you ever used your vampire teeth in the bedroom?
I covered my laugh with a cough.
“How did you and Rowan meet?” Seemed I was in an inquiring mood this morning.
She winced. “Unfortunately, through Brett.”
Another off-limits subject. His ex-boyfriend seemed to hold his own in the asshat department, and not only given the stories I’d overheard about their tumultuous breakup. He’d once called me to try and get a message to Rowan about something—Rowan had been ignoring his calls, apparently—and Rowan told me to block his number. At the time, I didn’t even know who the guy was, and of course, Rowan never shared any other details, but Anita had filled me in the best she could. Nobody really knew the nitty-gritty details except Kendall.
“Is Brett a friend of yours?” I asked, teetering on hallowed ground.
She shrugged as if she wasn’t quite sure. “An acquaintance.”
“So you don’t talk on the regular?” Yep, I was pushing it.
“That’s a sore subject. I don’t like how things ended between them, so not anymore.”
If I’d learned anything, it was how protective she was over Rowan. And vice versa. Which would be a good relationship to have. But they’d known each other for years, so maybe it took time to gain Rowan’s trust.
By then, I would be long gone. His loss.
“I can only imagine,” I said, desperate to know more but not wanting to step on any toes. Kendall had been welcoming and open, and no way I wanted to cross her too.
“Rowan is the best and makes me look good, especially when I’ve been feeling crummy and putting on the pounds.” She ran a hand along her belly, which was a sensitive topic for her. Rowan always chose clothes that skimmed that area or hid it, so he was a genius all his own. “Plus, I have a soft spot for him.”
I smirked. “I hadn’t noticed.”
She winked, then cleared her throat. “I knew his father and what a perfectionist he was. His designs were amazing. Every rhinestone had to be sewn on just right, or he’d make his team start from scratch,” she mused. From what I could gather, he’d been known for his intricate ball gowns and wedding dresses. “That man was brutally honest too.” I held in a gasp. I’d never heard anything about the famous designer except that he was brilliant and popular. “Brett had some of that in him too. Guess sometimes you end up in relationships with people who reflect your parents.”
That almost made it sound like Brett bordered on harsh or cruel.
Her eyes took on this faraway look, as if she was recalling one episode or another, and suddenly I felt sorry for Rowan, which he so wouldn’t appreciate. But it did give me some new insight.