Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Richard and Dawson make small talk as we wait for our food, and I sit patiently beside them, trying to ignore all the glances Richard sends my way. He places a hand on the bench between us, and I watch as it creeps closer with each passing second.
The food finally arrives, and I am, of course, disappointed with my meal. Both of them have incredible, delicious-looking plates of carbs in front of them, and I’m stuck eating like a model before fashion week. At least my mom would be proud.
“I haven’t seen you at Clear View recently,” Richard says with his mouth full of buttery bread dipped in pasta sauce.
“Well, I’ve been traveling abroad to meet with clients face to face and establish some new connections,” Dawson explains, politely wiping his mouth with a napkin. Dawson might be a complete and total asshole, but compared to Richard, he’s at least not a disgusting asshole. “I’ll have to visit sometime soon. I need to catch up with you and all the other members.”
They’re of course talking about Clear View Country Club. I personally haven’t been, but that’s where my mom met Henry and this whole nightmare began. After stepdad number three won the divorce settlement because of Mom’s affair with the gardener, we weren’t left with a lot of money. Thankfully for her, her name still carries some weight in this Godforsaken town.
She hasn’t been in a single movie, TV show, or even a commercial since the 90s, but her teenage beauty status means there are plenty of “Where Are They Now” clickbait articles written about her. It keeps her somewhat relevant, anyway. Mom needed a new meal ticket, and she managed to schmooze her way into Clear View at the exact right moment because Henry was there, and the moment she saw him, she sunk her claws deep.
Now I’m here being ogled by the most disgusting man I’ve ever seen in my entire life while she gets to sunbathe by an infinity pool. Tell me how that’s fair?
“Did you get to take your lovely assistant with you abroad?” Richard asks, his gaze landing on me once again. He flashes a greasy smile at me, and my skin crawls.
“Harper is new.” Dawson smiles back at him and takes a bite of his food.
“Is that so?” Richard leans back and smiles at me, licking his lips with hunger in his eyes.
“First day on the job, actually,” Dawson continues.
Richard laughs and reaches a hand out for my shoulder to squeeze it. It feels like a heavy, limp noodle being left on me, and I want to shake it off and run away. Actually, I would love to take the champagne in front of me and pour it in his eyes, but that definitely won’t go well. Art school will be flushed down the drain because I’ll be fired immediately.
“Then I suppose she needs someone to show her the ropes of this business, doesn’t she?” Richard raises an eyebrow and reluctantly pulls his hand away from me, but not before letting it slide down my back just a bit. “I would love to take you to dinner tonight and let you pick my brain.”
I don’t need to be a mind reader to know exactly what he’s thinking. I’m a young, naïve girl new to this world of absolute sharks. In his head, anyone would be lucky to get an offer like this. He must think I’ll be frothing at the mouth for a chance to sleep my way up the chain.
“I appreciate the offer, but I really shouldn’t.” I shake my head and offer him a polite smile, not wanting to offend him. You never want to offend a man like Richard. That’s bound to go horribly. “I don’t want to waste too much of your time.”
“I promise it’s not a problem for me at all.” Richard leans closer, once again putting his hand on my thigh and squeezing it. “It’s always such a pleasure to help the new generation. Especially when they’re as ravishing as you are.”
“I think I’ll have to work tonight, anyway.” I look at Dawson and silently plead with him to help me. There’s no doubt in my mind that he can see the fear on my face, and I want to crawl out of my skin. He’s already torturing me for an entire year; the least he can do is step up and get me out of this.
“I think that’ll be a lovely idea,” Dawson says with a grin that makes my heart sink to my stomach. “You can never have too much experience in an industry like this. Richard knows what he’s doing. A lot of people would be lucky to be in your shoes.”
“So that settles it then,” Richard says, clapping his hands together. He looks at me and licks his lips, leaving a sheen of saliva on them that makes my stomach curdle. “I’ll send a car to pick you up this evening.”