Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Butterflies fluttered in my belly as I walked into the store because it reminded me that in a few short months, I’d legally be married to Baird.
He texted to tell me he was on his way upstairs, so I waited for him at the lift. I’d already changed into a summer dress Christina and I had selected from the current season. With the air-conditioning on blast inside the offices, I was a little chilly in the strappy A-line.
My breath caught as Baird stepped out of the elevator. His forehead glistened with sweat, but it did nothing to detract from how hot he was in his short-sleeve shirt and navy chino shorts. If anything, the sweat made me think of sex.
Don’t think of sex!
Baird’s shorts revealed the tattooed dragon that wound around his left calf and ankle. The preppy look was incongruous to the tattooed muscular physique and unshaven face and shaggy hair.
Sexy as sin.
“Hey …” My greeting sounded a little breathless even to me.
His gaze washed over me with a thoroughness that made my skin tingle. “Oi, oi,” he said his trademark greeting, but this time with a husky quietness that caused a low flip deep in my belly.
We stared at each other. I felt like a fish on a hook as my body unconsciously pulled toward him.
“Good. You’re here.” The annoying voice jerked me out of my Baird daze.
Becky eyed my fake fiancé like he was the pair of Jimmy Choos she had on layaway. “Don’t you look the part.”
Baird stared at her with uncharacteristic stoniness. “Who are you again?”
I struggled to swallow a laugh because I knew he knew very well who she was.
Becky’s flirtatious expression faltered. “Becky. From marketing. We met … before.”
He looked at me, cocking an eyebrow. “Did we?”
Biting back a laugh, I nodded.
Baird winked and I grinned, relieved he wasn’t holding the past week against me.
My colleague cleared her throat in annoyance, and I had to unlock my eyes from Baird’s dreamy dark ones. Becky’s expression was all pinched and uptight. “This way. Both of you.”
We fell into step behind her, and I reached out to slow Baird down. As soon as we were far enough behind her, I whispered, “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. When it … when it comes to my mum, I tend to get stuck in my head about it. But I’ve been a shit … friend. Especially after you were so good to me.”
Baird shrugged. “Hey, no worries, babe. I get it. You do what you gotta do.” He gestured with his head for us to continue after Becky.
I frowned because there was something off about his blasé response. Something almost dismissive—and Baird was never dismissive with me.
Then again, I supposed I deserved it. I’d been dismissive with him.
Feeling even more out of sorts, I forced myself to smile as we strode into the marketing meeting room to find Hilary and two other assistants.
“You both look great.” Hilary straightened from tapping at her tablet screen. “We want you to know how delighted Pennington’s is with how successful the campaign has been so far. We dropped the link for the preorder for the dress you were wearing at the nightclub, Maia, and we’re sold out before it even hits the store.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Wow.”
“Exactly. Wow.”
“It helps you made the dress look like a million dollars.” The male marketing assistant, Kal, I think his name was, gave me a shy, boyish smile.
“True.” Hilary studied us. “Now … are you sure you won’t engage with some of these chat show requests? Not even a podcast?”
I shook my head.
Baird gave an impatient jerk of his chin. “Where’s the production team? I’ve got shit to do.”
Surprised by his agitated tone, I searched his profile, trying to read him. Was he still mad at me?
“The team are filming footage of the outside and inside of the store. While they do that, we wanted to run over some things.” Becky tapped on a tablet and then turned the screen to us. There was an image of a stunning ivy-covered castle. “This is Almondbrae Castle just outside of Kirkliston. It’s where you two are getting married.”
Confused, I tentatively took the tablet to scroll through the photos. The venue was absolutely stunning but way more over the top than I’d ever pictured for my wedding. “I thought we were supposed to film our hunt for a venue.”
“You will.” Becky shrugged. “But you don’t actually get to choose. Almondbrae is the only luxury wedding venue that has an opening in August. They had a cancellation, so we got a discount. Your wedding date is August 27, by the way.” There was a spiteful glint in her eyes, like she was enjoying the fact that I didn’t have a say in my wedding date or venue.
Honestly, what the hell had I done to piss her off so much?