Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
“Thanks for coming tonight,” I say. “I thought it would be a useful comparison to the development we’re talking about doing together. It’s similar, but with important differences.”
He nods, his gaze skirting the room. “It’s interesting. I haven’t been up in this area for a while.”
I’m so fucking lucky to get Andrew here tonight. He’s the kind of money man who doesn’t leave his desk, and I knew the idea of developing in this area didn’t sit comfortably for him. It was too risky. Being here will make all the difference.
My gaze catches on Jules. She’s laughing at something Tyler’s saying to her. I want her next to me. “Let me introduce you to my fiancée,” I say.
“You’re engaged?” he asks, a note of shock in his voice.
“It’s recent. We haven’t actually done any kind of formal announcement yet.” I lift my chin in her direction. “She’s the one in the red.”
“I should have brought my wife,” he says. “Maybe the four of us can go out to dinner?”
“Absolutely. Let me get her so you can meet.” Andrew could meet her at dinner, but it’s a useful excuse to get her away from Tyler.
I stride towards Jules and hear her talking to Tyler.
She laughs. “He’s actually very kind and thoughtful.”
He mutters something low and a little too close to her. She noticeably moves her body away from him. What’s that asshole saying? I bet he’s hitting on her.
Someone I don’t recognize stops me and shakes my hand, congratulating me on the development. I smile and thank them, but I’m listening to the conversation Jules is having with Tyler.
“No,” she says, a little more forcefully. “I don’t think that at all. He’s a good man.”
She looks up as I join the two of them, her eyes filled with relief and gratitude. Instantly I want to punch Tyler in the mouth. Jules is tough. She doesn’t need saving, so why is she so pleased to see me?
I slide my arm around Jules’ waist. “Excuse me, Tyler, I’m going to whisk my fiancée away.”
I don’t give him time to respond, guiding Jules away from him, my hand on the small of her back.
I lower my lips to her ear as we walk. “Are you okay?” I ask.
“That guy’s a dick.”
“Couldn’t agree more. Was he rude to you? Inappropriate? I can have him kicked out. Hell, I can kick him out myself.”
She shakes her head. “No, he wasn’t rude to me. I mean, he came on to me, which was—”
“Came on to you?” I growl, glancing back toward where we left that absolute shit stain.
“It was fine. I told him I wasn’t interested.” Jules tugs at my lapel to get my attention, and I look down into her eyes. “He’s not a good guy. He was rude about you. I would have kneed him in the balls if this wasn’t your party.”
That makes me smile. “You’d have assaulted him because he was rude about me or because he came on to you?”
She slips her hand into mine and a sense of peace settles over me. “He was really rude about you.”
“Don’t sweat it,” I say. “He’s rude about everyone. I’ve known him a long time. I don’t take it personally.”
“You guys are friends?”
I chuckle. “Absolutely not. He wouldn’t even talk to me when I was starting out in the business. Now he’s always trying to collaborate. I keep him around to torture him.” He’s not the only one. It’s exactly the same with Hammonds.
“He was trying to convince me I shouldn’t marry you.”
“How ironic,” I say. “So when you were talking to him and describing someone as a good man and kind and thoughtful, were you…?” I trail off.
“He doesn’t know you at all,” she says.
I glance down at her. She’s right, he doesn’t. But does she?
“Andrew,” I say, as we arrive back where I started, “let me introduce Jules. Jules, Andrew and I might be working together on another Harlem development.”
“It’s such a cool building, isn’t it?” Jules says, the perfect, devoted fiancée. It’s a role that seems to come easily to her. “And just what the area needs.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Andrew says. “I was just saying to Leo that you and my wife should join us for dinner.”
Jules doesn’t miss a beat, doesn’t throw me a look that says, “Is this on the schedule?” As far as fake fiancées go, I got a good one. “That would be lovely. Is your wife here tonight?”
“She’s not, she’s working. Lawyer, big case—you know how it is.”
“Jules just started working as manager of The Mayfair,” I say. I’m not showing off exactly, but Jules is clever and capable and should get kudos for that.
“Oh nice. That sounds like a lot of work.”
As she smiles, she practically radiates positivity. “It’s a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. My background is in hotels. Worked in them since I was sixteen. I don’t really know anything else.”