Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Who’s Daphne?” I asked, cocking my head curiously.
Seb glared at me, then turned to Janet. “I’m going to kill him. Help me here.”
Janet was a petite brunet in her midthirties with a pixie haircut who rocked the rolled-up jeans and well-pressed oxford shirts she paired with funky oversized jewelry. Like the chandelier earrings currently scraping her shoulders. Poor thing had been assigned to me two years ago, and I had a feeling she plotted her exit every other day.
Nah, just kidding. Janet loved me. Even when she wanted to hate me.
“Daphne was your date last night.” She swept a no-nonsense gaze in my direction and sighed before addressing Seb. “But dating is messy and requires a lot of social media management. Plus, both of his potential love interests from last night are wannabe actors. I think we should veer focus to something wholesome, like charity work.”
“Hmm. I like that, but…it’s not personal enough. No one’s going to care if he shows up at a children’s hospital if there’s a hint of a story to be had about him being lawless,” Seb griped.
I raised my hand. “I’m right here, guys. In the room.”
They spared me a brief glance and continued brainstorming. Whatever. I closed my eyes and slouched into the upholstery with my arms crossed, content to let my boss and manager work out the details. This was so much easier when Seb had still been single and the easiest, safest solution to any PR fallout would be for us to hook up and feed the rumor mill a little fodder.
Ah, the good ol’ days, I mused, drifting into a sleepy state where voices infiltrated, but nothing really made sense.
A new girlfriend, quiet romance in another country…Italy, Argentina?
“No romance at all.”
“I wish we could do something family oriented,” Janet said.
“No way. His brother is a nightmare.”
I fluttered my eyes open when I sensed their stares. “Total prick.”
“Oh, my gosh! I can’t believe I forgot about the cousin…the old man,” Janet chirped eagerly.
“What cousin? What old man?”
Janet wiggled excitedly in her seat, popped open a tab on her iPad, and flipped through her emails at lightning speed before settling on one. “Gowan is the last name, and according to this email, he was either a friend of your family’s or possibly a relative.”
Then he was probably a creep like the rest of them.
I sat up, interested in spite of myself. “Sounds phony.”
“Maybe. Jasper Gowan’s nurse is a huge Baxter fan.” She angled the iPad so Seb and I could read. “She’s been writing fan letters to you for over a year—ever since she started working for Jasper. I’m sure I’ve shown you one or two.”
Maybe, but I received a ton of fan mail—as in a fuckton. I was pretty sure Janet had assistants who went through it, so I probably should have remembered a piece she’d flagged. I didn’t.
“Uh…okay?”
“Well, her last one went on and on about how handsome, clever, and brave you must be to play a character who solves mysteries. She also said she loves chatting with her employer about you because he knew your family. Your mom, specifically.”
My heart lurched and forgot to beat for a second.
“My mom.” I swallowed around the hangover cotton ball lodged in my throat and tried to clear it without sounding like a prepubescent teen. “What do you know about him?”
Janet’s fingers tapped at the screen as she did a quick Google search. “Gowan is single—his partner passed away twelve years ago. He worked for an aerospace firm for five decades, made a fortune in the stock market, and has been involved in countless LGBTQ charities throughout his life.”
“He doesn’t sound like someone my mother would have known. How old is he?” I asked. “Is he from Columbus or—”
“He’s eighty-five, originally from Toledo, and now resides in Beverly Hills.”
“Hmm. If he really knew my mom, she would have said something.” I sighed, sinking into my seat again.
Janet tucked a stray strand behind her ear and glanced between Seb and me. “I’ll do some more research and find out what I can. A nice piece about you connecting with an elderly family friend or cousin after your mom’s passing could be a wholesome diversion. It doesn’t really matter if it’s true. It’s just a puff piece, you know?” she explained unnecessarily.
Yeah, but—
“I think I’d rather have a fake girlfriend,” I grumbled. I did not want to deal with family shit.
Seb made a buzzer noise. “No girlfriend, no boyfriend. Janet’s right. Look, the old man and his housekeeper are probably delusional, but connecting with fans of all ages is the kind of sweet story that will help the public forget you dumped your date during dessert and went home with the male escort and sometime waiter you told to call my office this morning.”
I furrowed my brow. “Escort?”