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)
Sixteen? I don’t think I knew that about her. Had she mentioned it when she was trying to sell me on the idea of her managing The Mayfair? I wonder if she was polishing mirrors in a fancy hotel while I was delivering bread to the kitchen of the same place. Our paths could have crossed a million times in this city, although I am a little older than her. I slide my hand onto her hip and pull her toward me, wanting her closer, as she and Andrew continue to talk.
I tune back into their conversation just as Andrew says, “If you’re ever looking for another job, let me know. I have plenty of contacts in hospitality.” He hands her a card.
She shoots me a smile and thanks him, ensuring him she’ll be in touch. It’s certainly on-brand for Jules—always keeping me on my toes. But the more I get to know her, the more I know I’m going to work hard not to lose her. She’s too valuable… an employee.
SIXTEEN
Leo
It’s official: Jules Moore is trying to kill me. I’m doing my best not to stare at her legs while she sits next to me in the limo, but she’s hot AF tonight. I’ve managed to avoid her most of the week. I needed to take a step back after our evening together. She’d just been so… perfect in her role as my fiancée, so dazzling, so entirely attractive. Luckily, I’ve been busy at work and so has she. I was only in one night, when she happened to be out. So here we are. Dressed up and ready to go to the opening of Vault in SoHo.
“The woman says I can resell it and get more than I paid—or you paid for it, so long as I don’t ruin it,” she says.
“What?” I missed everything she just said as I’ve been running through all the reasons I shouldn’t find Jules attractive. It’s not a short list.
“My bag. It’s Chanel and cost a fortune. But it’s what everyone with money wears, so I thought it would be appropriate. I just don’t want you to think I’m not thinking about the money. I know it’s expensive, but if I can resell it and get more than you paid for it, I’m actually making you money.”
“You don’t need to return the bag,” I say, distracted.
“It was ten and a half thousand dollars, Leo,” she counters.
“Keep it. If we manage to pull this off, it’s worth far more to me than ten thousand dollars.”
“And a half. Don’t forget the half. It represents five hundred dollars. Anyway, I’m not keeping the bag. Changing the subject, are we expecting to meet anyone at this restaurant? Do you know the owner or something?”
“Not expecting to meet anyone, but Manhattan’s a small place.” In a city of over a million people, it should be easy to be anonymous, but gossip spreads quickly in this town. You never know who’s watching and whispering. My profile’s higher than ever in the business community. Even if I don’t know someone personally, they always know someone I know. “I would normally say no to this kind of thing.”
“Yeah, you rarely say yes to anything. It always surprised me about you when I was your assistant.”
“I like what I like. I have my favorite restaurants and bars. I have a small circle of friends who I trust… Everything else is just noise.”
She doesn’t answer right away. I turn from the window to find her staring at me. Our eyes lock.
“Is your family still in Brooklyn?”
“Moved down to Florida, although they have a place up here. Heading south started off as something they did in the winter and now… my dad’s golf handicap is seven.”
“That sounds like he’s really bad at golf.”
I chuckle. “It means he’s really good at golf. Much to my mother’s annoyance. Last time I was down there, she told me she won’t miss my father when he’s dead because he’s never around anyway.”
“Wow,” she replies, and I try not to focus on her pout as she speaks.
“Yeah, she’s brutal. But she also loves him. She’s a pretty good golfer too. She just doesn’t want to do it every day.”
“It’s nice that they’re still together.”
“It doesn’t sound like it, but they were made for each other.”
“They must be very proud of you.”
She looks at me with a softness I’m not used to. “They’re proud of me and my brother.”
“Oooh a brother,” she says.
A lick of jealousy crawls up my throat. “He’s married,” I reply. “Happily.”
She laughs. “I wasn’t asking for his number. You’ve just never mentioned him before.”
“We’re not close. He’s quite a bit younger than me. Went to college in state. My parents had a bit more money by that point. Met his high school sweetheart, settled down in Long Island. He has a good life.” I can feel her heavy gaze turn assessing. “What about you? Any siblings whose numbers I need?”