Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
He doesn’t seem the least bit surprised by that. In fact, he ignores that admission and continues pressing me on how the hell I ended up with lipstick on my face.
“Did you get up on the ladder with her, Reid?”
I shoot him a look. “She got down. I got up. I got the dishes. She went in to kiss my cheek. She tripped over one of the legs of the ladder and fell into me.”
I expect him to laugh, but his expression turns serious. “Is she all right?”
“I caught her.”
He finally cracks a smile. “With your face?”
“My tie,” I admit. “It didn’t fare well either. It was covered with lipstick. I didn’t realize until I got back here.”
His gaze drops to the open collar of my shirt. “Damn. Look at that. Reid Hunt without a tie is a rare sight.”
I’d laugh along with him, but he’s right. I rarely leave home without the complete corporate look in place. For as long as I can remember, my goal was to wear a suit and tie every day. Since work sucks up the majority of my time, and I’m often meeting clients on the weekends or in the evenings, I dress the part all the time.
“Does this mean you’re headed to Italy to replace the tie?”
I motion for him to step back so I can leave the washroom. “No. Evie ran over to Berdine to grab a replacement.”
He nods. “Of course she did.”
“That means what?” I ask as I settle into my office chair.
“It means I’m not surprised that you sent her to do that for you.” Standing next to my desk, he glances at his watch. “What else are you making her do for you today?”
I avoid answering by posing the same question to him. “What are you making Natasha do for you today?”
“Not run personal errands for me.”
I open the cover of my laptop and scan the screen. “I’ve got work to do, so get lost.”
“I will as soon as you tell me what’s going on with Randall.” He walks toward the visitor chairs facing my desk but he doesn’t take a seat. “Have you asked about Azelius yet?”
“Not yet,” I answer succinctly, not bothering to add that I haven’t talked to Randall since he asked me to be his best man. I’m planning on changing that today. “I’m calling him later to set up a time to meet for a drink.”
That appeases Vance enough that he starts toward my office door. “That deal would be a good one for us, Reid.”
“I know,” I state the obvious. “Close the door behind you.”
He takes the hint to leave while I pick up my phone and call my childhood friend to see if he’s in the mood for a beer this week.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Evie
If I were to give a tour of my apartment, it would require no more than ten steps in any given direction.
That’s because I live in a studio on the third floor of a walk-up in Murray Hill.
The building is great, and as safe as can be.
There isn’t a doorman, but I have so many neighbors milling about that I can rarely turn the corner on my way home from work and not fall in step beside one of them.
We all look out for each other, and it’s given me a sense of community I didn’t know I needed. I may not know all my neighbors by name, but I could pick their friendly faces out of a crowd without any trouble.
Lottie lives in a much different world than I do.
Technically, it’s just a different neighborhood on the same island of Manhattan, but it feels like this is a world away from my home.
We’re in the elevator on our way up to her penthouse in a new building in Tribeca. After she greeted the doorman, he offered me a chilled bottle of water along with a tip about a private gaming room. Apparently, it’s on the top floor of the building. Although it’s reserved for residents, he told me that if I were ever in the neighbourhood, I could stop by for some complimentary snacks and beverages along with all the gaming time I want.
Since I don’t want any, I thanked him and then followed Lottie to the bank of elevators.
“Your doorman is nice,” I comment as we step off the elevator into a corridor.
She flashes me a smile. “I like him.”
In the past hour, I’ve discovered that Lottie Rushing gets extremely quiet after she’s had a few glasses of champagne.
Tonight was the night we visited a wine bar to taste champagne so she could choose the one she wants served at her wedding.
They all tasted the same to me. That might be because I only sampled the smallest amount of each. I have to work tomorrow, and I can’t go in to the office with a hangover.