Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
“Noted.”
“Miss Clarke sends her congratulations.”
“Congratulations from Kendall?” I look up fast. “She actually said that?”
“No.” He rolls his eyes. “But perhaps if you pretend she did, you can smile at all the investors and supporters tonight.”
“There was nothing going on between us.”
“I don’t get paid enough to put up with your delusions, sir. No offense.”
“I’m not afraid to fire you.”
“I doubt you ever would,” he says. “Even if I told you I was the one who changed the screens to you being Satan.”
“It was you?”
“No.” He smiles. “I would never.”
“You did that?”
“You deserved it.” He laughs, and for the first time tonight I laugh too.
“I can’t believe you, Brian.” I shake my head. “I thought you were my one loyal confidant.”
“I still am, but you were teetering on the edge of ultimate bully at that point.”
“Have I changed at all since the first survey?”
“You’re making progress.” He nods. “You could make even more progress by finally realizing that Fridays are part of the weekend and no one wants to be here past five o’clock.”
“Is that coming from you or the others?”
“Everyone,” he says. “But Miss Clarke was working on a private petition before she quit.”
“I’m sure she was…” I down the rest of my whiskey.
“If I tell you where she’s working next, will you go back to the party?”
“I can’t believe you’ve known all this time and won’t tell me… She’s not answering my calls.”
“Would you answer your calls?”
No. “She could at least respond to my texts.”
He shoots me a blank stare.
“I’ll go back to the party if you tell me.”
“Okay.” He gestures for me to move forward. “I’ll tell you after you give a toast.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your side of the deal?”
“Because I’ve never lied to you.” He nods toward the party.
I hesitate a few seconds.
“She has an interview tomorrow.” He narrows his eyes. “I would get a move on it, if I were you.”
I move toward the door without another word and slip into the party. I make a toast with the shareholders, put on a fake smile, and take pictures with anyone who asks.
When the final streamer has hit the floor, Brian keeps his word and reveals where Kendall is trying to work next.
Over my dead body…
THE ACCOUNTANT
KENDALL
My heart still hasn’t gotten the memo that Lucian is an asshole.
It still aches whenever I drive past his headquarters, and my lips still long for another taste of his mouth.
Shaking away the thoughts of him, I park in a spot at Sea Rush Headquarters and let out a deep breath.
You’re going to rock this, Kendall…
I grab my briefcase and make my way inside the building.
The receptionist escorts me to the boardroom where the board is waiting for me.
I take a seat in the empty chair, trying to still my nerves.
“Good morning, Miss Clarke.” Max Marin, the CEO, smiles at me. “As you know, this is the final step in the interview process, and we’ve been beyond impressed with you so far.”
“I’m honored by that.” I return his smile.
“We do have a few questions about your previous employment at Pearson Tech,” he says. “Not to pry too much, but we’ve heard that it’s a pretty intense place to work. Can you explain your typical workday there?”
“Yes, I—” Images of the “intense” fucking Lucian and I did all over his office and on trips fly through my mind. “As an auditor, I worked with all the departments, so I allocated different days for each one. I spent half the day in my cubicle and the other half chasing down reports and such.”
“Did you ever report directly to the CEO?”
“Towards the end, yes.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Can you elaborate on that a bit?”
“In what way, Mr. Marin?”
“Well…” He leans forward, placing his head on steepled hands. “If you being interviewed is enough to get Lucian Pearson to call here and tell us that he wishes he didn’t let you go, you must be underselling yourself.”
“He said that?”
“He did.”
A familiar voice is suddenly behind me.
“This is a private interview, Mr. Pearson.” Mr. Marin narrows his eyes. “We got the memo on you making a mistake in letting her go. We don’t need it in person, as well.”
“I think you do, actually.” He strolls further into the room, into my view, and my heart does the stupid thing all over again.
Seeing him after all these weeks lights me up like a furnace, and as much as I want to excuse myself from the room, I can’t. His gaze is pinning me to my seat.
“I miss you.” His voice is steady, but the words stun the room into silence. “Really fucking miss you.”
“And if you were always planning to make an exit from my company, that’s fine.” His expression softens. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back—personally, not professionally.”