Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Tristan leans against the wall beside me.
“She doesn’t want anyone to know we’re involved. Whatever happens is after hours. I asked her to go with me to the Foster Fundraiser event, and she said we can go together. As friends.”
“Ouch.”
I raise one shoulder. “I try and tell myself it’s not like that. The chemistry is off the charts. But…”
“Jack.”
I nod. “Jack. And Rainey is very careful about her reputation. She’s afraid if people find out we’re sleeping together, she’ll be seen as unprofessional in her industry.”
“I don’t get how.” Tristan pushes off the wall and sits down beside me.
“Well, she had a client who was unhappy and bad-mouthed her until other companies stopped calling. She and Kaylee did rebuild their business, but it wasn’t easy. So, now, being professional and doing the right thing is important to her.” And I respect Rainey’s work ethic.
I just wish it didn’t impact us.
Hell, I’m willing to go up against Jack if it means winning Rainey in the end, but that is the last thing she wants. And I’ve yet to figure out another way to get through to her. Except by letting her see how good we could be together. By showing up. Being there. No matter how often she pushes me away.
“Sounds complicated,” Tristan says.
I nod. “It is. But she’s worth it.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rainey
“Argh!!” I set my phone on the desk and lower my head to my arms.
I’m furious. I’ve been on the phone with the vendor I ordered the tapestries of the players from for the Thunder event at Midnight. The plan was to hang them around the club the night of the launch event—the party for the team, their families, and those who work in the front office. Then we’d repurpose them for the stadium this year.
This morning, I called to confirm the delivery date and was told I’d canceled, and my deposit will not be refunded. They were upset as it was a big job and they’d scrapped the work they’d already done. The rush job I’d paid extra for. I’m pissed because they refuse to reinstate the order even though I swore to them I didn’t cancel.
Why would I? The party is in a few weeks, and they’re supposed to be the oh wow part of the event when everyone walks in. I planned to have a spotlight over each one.
And now it looks like I’ll need to start over and brainstorm new ideas. I’d found a specialty company for the tapestries and there isn’t someone else to do them from scratch. Not to mention no refund means a huge hit to my budget. And I refuse to ask the client, aka my father, for more money. I have no idea how this happened or what I’m going to do to replace the tapestries.
“Are you okay?” a familiar and welcome masculine voice asks.
I lift my head to meet Lucas’s concerned gaze.
“No, I’m not.” I tell him about the issue with the canceled order. “And I swear to you, I did not cancel, so I don’t know how this happened.” My frustration level is high, and I don’t know what to do.
“I believe you.” His brow is furrowed like he’s deep in thought.
“What is it?” I ask.
He props a hip on my desk. “Could someone have called pretending to be you and canceled the order?”
I blink a few times at the suggestion. “Why in the world would someone pretend to be me and mess up my order?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Why would someone throw a brick through your window?”
I open my mouth, then close it again. “I would never have made that connection on my own.”
“I’m not saying that’s what happened, but given the threats you’ve received about not deserving good things and preparing to lose everything? It sounds like a possibility.” He lets out an annoyed groan that sounds as exasperated as I feel.
I nod, knots twisting in my stomach at the possibility. “I have two choices. I can sit here and dwell on whoever has issues with me or work on fixing the problem. I opt for fixing it.”
He shoots me an appreciative look and smiles.
“What?” I ask, uncertain what that sexy tilt of his lips means.
He reaches out and strokes the top of my hand, my skin tingling where he touched. “You’re strong and I admire that about you.”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
“And don’t worry. You’ll figure things out. Is Kaylee around to brainstorm?”
I shake my head. “She went out to get coffee.”
“Well, that leaves us. Where do you want to start?” He unbuttons the cuff of his shirt and begins to roll up one side, revealing those strong, tanned forearms, then does the same to the other.
But I push my admiration aside. It’s who he is at his core that affects me more. His compassion and caring nature are as sexy to me as his gorgeous face and scrumptious body. Even more so. “Thank you,” I tell him.