Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Umm, I didn’t mean to give you that impression. Don’t worry. Your job is safe.”
“Really?”
‘Yes, really. Now how about that shower? I’ll fix you something to eat.” He left the room as fast as he could. While walking down the stairs, he took in his surroundings. The house was huge. Mason Collins was certainly loaded. Wait, he was now Mason Collins. This would be a hard adjustment to make.
He remembered the tiny apartment he and Brandi started out in. It could have fit five times over in this living room alone. The house looked like something straight out of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Brandi and the kids would love it. It needed a homier look, but that could easily be rectified.
Thoughts of his family brought him crashing back down to reality. How was he going to woo his wife in this body? He knew he would have his work cut out for him.
When he found the kitchen he saw a note next to the answering machine, which was blinking. Mason picked the note.
I quit! Clean your own damn house. You are a heartless bastard and I hope you burn in hell. And I’m not Mexican! I’m from Peru. Luisa
This was certainly another interesting start to his new life. It seemed he pissed off the housekeeper. Mason was almost scared to listen to the messages on the answering machine, but he knew he’d have to eventually.
The first message was from yet another very irate woman. “You son of a bitch! You have screwed with us for the last time! Ben was up all night waiting for you to show up. You forgot you promised to spend the weekend with him, didn’t you? I bet you were with some bimbo, you pathetic excuse for a father!
“You only want him around to shoot your crummy commercials, but enough is enough. I suppose you won’t be bothered to show up to Parents’ Night next week at his new school, either. If you can’t keep your commitments to your own son then stay the hell out of his life.” Click.
The more he was finding out about the old Mason Collins, the less he liked.
The next message began. “Dad, it’s Ben. I don’t care what Mom says. I know you had a good reason and that I’ll see you at my soccer game this week. The coach is going to start me at goalie. I’ve been practicing really hard. Okay, I gotta go. I hear Mom coming. Bye, Dad, I sure do miss you.” Click.
Beep “Mr. Collins, this is Don Keaton at the Sunny Brook Nursing Home. I’ve left several messages about your past due payments. I regret to have to say this, but if payment is not received within five days we’re going to have your mother removed, in which time you will either need to come get her or she will be moved to a state-run facility… provided there is any space.” Click.
Mason raked his fingers through his hair. He had to agree with Paul; Mason Collins’s soul belonged due south.
He rummaged through the kitchen cabinets trying to find something to make for breakfast as he thought of a game plan to tackle the problems ahead. By the time the blonde sauntered into the kitchen, the meal was ready. He’d found enough ingredients to make blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs. She gave him an uneasy smile as he pulled out her chair at the table.
When he sat down across from her he gave her a long, hard stare. He couldn’t have breakfast with someone whose name he didn’t know.
“Uh… I know I’m going to sound like a jerk but what is your name? I’m feeling a little forgetful this morning.”
She blushed. “Gina Scott. It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t okay. I really have to apologize for putting you through this. I must not have been myself.”
“Oh, but… I kind of wanted it to happen.”
“You did? So you’re saying you would have slept with me if I didn’t threaten your job?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. The girls in the office were telling me how… oh, dear, I’m babbling.”
“Please finish.”
“The girls around the office say how well-endowed you are and I suppose I was a little curious to see if it’s true. I justified sleeping with you because you did threaten me, but now that I know you were bluffing, I’m feeling really guilty.”
“Don’t. The blame is completely mine. It won’t happen again.” There was an awkward pause. “Gina, exactly how old are you?”
“Twenty… almost. In two months.”
He was really relieved that she was of age. “You said that you cheated on your boyfriend. Are you going to tell him? How do you think he’ll react?”
She paused before answering. “I don’t know. We’ve been having problems lately. He’s very hard to please. I got these implants to make him happy, but it wasn’t enough. All I’ve gotten is a backache and his temper whenever we go out. Ever since I got these things, I get a lot more attention.”