Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 108846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
My eyebrows arch. “That was coming from you?”
“It sure as hell wasn’t coming from Charlie. He’s still paranoid we’re replacing him.” Henry pauses. “But he’s been impressed. Says you’re not nearly as stupid or lazy as he assumed.”
I snort.
Wolf settles into the chair he was leaning on. “If you haven’t figured it out yet, I make a lot of my decisions based on my gut, and it has rarely steered me wrong.”
“Whatever you base it on, you seem to be winning at life,” I agree begrudgingly. The guy has more money than he knows what to do with.
“My gut says you are capable of a hell of a lot more than popping umbrellas and stacking firewood. In the last two years, you have proven your loyalty—”
“To your wife, not you,” I cut in.
His jaw clenches. “Don’t think for one second that I’m clueless about your feelings for Abbi. Now shut the fuck up and listen.”
After a beat, I purse my lips and nod.
Taking a deep breath, he continues, “You’ve proven your loyalty to my company and to those I would kill for. You keep your mouth shut when you could be cashing in on the things you know. You’ve got solid instincts. From what Abbi says, you’ve been trying to turn your life around, make better choices. You’re not fucking every female that walks across your path.”
Hey, Pot. I bite down on my tongue.
“You keep calm and pragmatic in the face of pressure.” He rubs a hand across the back of his neck, as if uncomfortable. “You crawled into a collapsed mine shaft to get me out. I literally owe you my life.”
My chest rises on an inhale, but I have no answer. Again, that was for Abbi.
“What do you know about Mermaid Beach?” he asks, swinging our discomfort to safer waters.
“There aren’t actually mermaids there?” I flash a crooked smile before I shift into semiserious mode. “It’s an up-and-coming area on the north side of the Gulf of Mexico.” I’ve overheard more than one person talking about getaways there lately.
“It’s exploding. This location is primed to become one of our most successful.” He tosses a travel magazine across the table toward me, to where a modern white Wolf Hotel graces the cover—a luxury resort on the Emerald Coast. “My father saw the potential decades ago when he bought that land. He knew the area would draw tourism one day, and here we are. They’re calling it the Hamptons of the South. The sand is made of white quartz crystal from the Appalachian Mountains, carried down by rivers and bleached by the sun. It looks and feels like sugar. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world.” He hesitates. “This was William Wolf’s baby, and I’m determined to make sure it exceeds expectations.”
I don’t know much about Henry’s father except what I’ve heard from Abbi. It sounds like their relationship was complicated, but Henry obviously respected him greatly. “Which is why, again, I’m wondering how your gut says a guy from your outdoor crew is the right call. I’m a little worried. Should I call Abbi in here?”
He smirks. “I thought you’d be more excited.”
“Did you, actually?” I counter dryly.
“Why does everything with you feel like a test? I’m seconds from pulling this offer.”
“Okay, okay,” I hold up my hands in surrender. “Say for a second I was mildly intrigued. What if I go out there and it doesn’t work? What if I hate it? What if I fuck it up?”
“You have a team of experienced managers who know how to do their jobs, and you have Belinda to help you get a handle on things. I’m sure you remember her,” he adds.
“Vaguely,” I lie. “Is she on board with this?” With having a supremely underqualified guy run all the facilities, one she got caught on a security camera fucking two summers ago?
“Of course she is,” he retorts without missing a beat, his lie delivered as smoothly as mine. “Give it six months. If you hate it or still feel like you’re not the right person, you can demote yourself and go back to doing grunt work. Here is your contract, which includes compensation and perks.” He slides a sheet across the table with his index finger.
I scan the page.
And struggle to keep my calm. “That’s … enticing.”
“I thought it would be.” He pauses. “So, is that a yes?”
“Wait, you want an answer right now?”
“Before I leave this room in …” He glances at his gold watch. “Four minutes. We’ve moved up the start dates for the last wave of hires to next week. I need you in your new office by Thursday.”
“Fuck, man! I knew you were impatient, but that’s in, like, three days.” Today is Monday, which means I’d be leaving Miami on Wednesday. “That doesn’t give me any time to sort out my shit.”