Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Lars had returned sans cat. Thank God. “Hey. I didn’t know you guys were working together.”
“Susie and I talked about it at dinner last night. I needed some help with social media.” Austin gave me a sad smile. “Didn’t expect her cat to hate me on sight. If this doesn’t fix it, I’ll take it to the repair shop and see what they can do.”
“This is all so wildly unprofessional,” I said. “The least I can do is take it to the shop for you.”
“Thanks. But I know the owners.”
I frowned. “Right. Of course.”
“I’ve had newborn babies pee on things at photo shoots,” said Cleo. “But never a cat.”
I lifted the edge of the cloth to check all was well. “I’m seriously reconsidering giving the little jerk a home at all.”
“No, you’re not.” Lars headed for the kitchen to put the beer in the fridge. “You’re just upset. Which you have every right to be.”
“You would take her side,” I grumbled. “She sucks up to you.”
Austin removed the cloth and sighed. “This will have to wait. I’ve got a show tonight at North Admiral. Would you mind throwing out this shirt for me?”
“Of course,” I said, accepting the stinky article of clothing. “Here, take the bottle of peroxide so you can put more on the guitar when you’ve got time.”
“Good idea.” He packed the instrument into its case. “I’ll talk to you later. About the pictures and...yeah.”
I gave him my best professional smile, but felt horrible about what just went down. “Sure.”
“Hey.” Cleo gave my back a rub. Back rubs from my bestie got me through the worst of times. She was a good woman. “I was supposed to have a thing with Tore, but...”
“No. It’s okay,” I said. “You go.”
“Really?”
My smile felt all sorts of wrong. “This is unfortunate, but it’ll be fine.”
Cleo said her goodbyes, and Lars helped her carry her gear out to her car.
Now was a great time to pace. Back and forth across the living room in a fevered fashion. Once I disposed of the shirt, of course. Every window was open to air out the room, but the horrible scent still lingered. What a feral little thing.
“You all right?” asked Lars, when he came back inside.
“No.”
“Hey, it’s—”
“My cat urinated on a client’s fifteen-thousand-dollar guitar,” I moaned.
He paused. “Susie...”
“Austin must hate me. He definitely will when I tell him I don’t want to go out to dinner with him. Though maybe he’s changed his mind about that and fair enough.”
“Austin asked you out?”
I nodded. Still pacing my heart out. “And he’s really great. He’s attractive, smart, funny...”
Lars crossed his arms.
“We only turned our backs for a minute. We were just setting up the last shot by the mantel. She’s never done anything like this before.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“What if he wants me to replace the instrument? I spent all of my spare money doing up the house.”
“I’ve known Austin a long time and he’s not the kind of guy to act like an asshole. Not over something like this.”
I kept right on pacing. “Did you see the look on his face when he left?”
“Yeah,” said Lars. “But it’ll be okay. He was upset. Not angry.”
“I just have the worst feeling.”
“You’re fine.”
“He probably does hate me.”
“He wants to get into your pants, by the sound of things,” said Lars. “But it’s not like he’s going to sue you when you turn him down.”
“Oh my God,” I gasped. “He could sue me. I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I should just go on the stupid date.”
“What?” He frowned. “No. He’s not going to sue you. I don’t think going out with him is the answer. Unless you’ve changed your mind and want to go out with him.”
“No, not really.”
“Right.” Tension eased out of his broad shoulders. “There’s your answer then.”
“What a mess.”
“The peroxide was working, right?”
“Who knows?” I kept on pacing, tugging hard on my braid. “What if word gets around that I destroyed a client’s property?”
“There’s no reason anyone would find out.”
“No one will hire me ever again,” I said morosely. “I’ll be the cat-pee lady. That’s what they’ll call me.”
“Susie...”
“Hmm?”
Lars stepped into my path and grabbed hold of my shoulders. He’d startled me mid-doom spiral. And the frown on his face and intensity in his eyes was immense. “You have to calm down,” he said sternly. “Nothing bad has happened yet.”
“But it might.”
“You don’t think you’re maybe being a touch overdramatic?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “What if I did go out with him?”
“That is not the answer,” he said through gritted teeth. “As we’ve already discussed twice now.”
“Yeah, but are you really sure it wouldn’t help? Because right now it’s not like it would hurt anything. I can smile and be friendly for the sake of my immediate economic future. It’s not like he isn’t a pretty man.”