Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“It’s business, Raine. Not a grudge. Gil Blower is an odious man, but I want to save Mint and Cooperton for the greater good. Hundreds of thousands of investors are affected by poor management, and I can help,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Out of the goodness of your heart?”
He scoffed. “I don’t do anything out of the goodness of my heart. This a strategic investment.”
“Ahh.”
Graham pointed at his menu meaningfully. “Do you fancy tea or coffee?”
“Fancy?”
“Would you like tea or coffee?” he translated with a smile.
“No, thanks, but I wouldn’t mind a bite of tiramisu.”
“Then you shall have it.”
A waiter appeared out of nowhere to take our orders and collect our menus, leaving us in awkward silence for the first time that night. It was an obvious signal that shit was about to get serious. I didn’t want to think about moving again. I’d just gotten here, for fuck’s sake. I had big plans to see Europe and return to WeHo a little more polished and capable—like someone who’d assessed his life and made necessary changes to become a better human. I needed more time to do that.
“Now that I’m full and tipsy, we might as well get to the punchline. If relocation was a possibility, where would you send me?”
“Los Angeles?”
“No, thanks. Or…I politely decline. I don’t want to go home. I’m just not ready.”
He arched a brow. “Do you like Las Vegas?”
“For thirty-six hours, yes.”
Graham snort-laughed. “That’s oddly specific.”
“But accurate. I can do a lot of damage in a day and a half. Anything more is overkill. Besides, it’s hot and I melt easily. And don’t tell me it’s different because it’s a dry heat. If it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, it’s just too fucking hot.”
“Understood,” he commented, his eyes lit with amusement. “And Miami?”
“I’ve never been. I’d love to visit, but I’m not sure I want to live there. Same with New York City. If I have a choice, that is,” I added quickly. “I get that you want me out of here…the sooner, the better. How far away from London do you need me to be?”
Graham snorted. “Proximity isn’t an issue.”
I frowned. “I’m not following. I thought you were worried about me spilling the beans or getting ideas.”
“You’re putting words into my mouth. I said I didn’t make a habit of hiring lovers. You’re distracting, and it’s unprofessional on my part. Maybe I’d feel different if I liked you less.”
“There’s a compliment in there. I can feel it.”
“Certainly.” He grinned, swirling his wine idly as he leaned in. “To be perfectly frank, I’m puzzled that my staff hired an inexperienced person as an assistant.”
Oh. Fuck.
“Ooooohhhhh.” I drew at least ten syllables out of two and let me say, I’d never been happier to see a tiramisu in my life.
He eyed me sharply as he poured milk into his tea. “Something wrong?”
“No, no, I just…”
“You just…what?” he prodded.
I cleared my throat and set my spoon on the dish. “It’s not their fault—it’s mine.”
“How so?”
I stuffed my mouth with tiramisu and winced. “I might have accidentally, unintentionally, and maybe a teensy bit on purpose told a fib or two to get hired.”
My words tumbled out in a nervous rush that no doubt required a moment to decipher. Shit, damn, fuck. I’d probably screwed myself for real this time, and maybe Julia or HR by default, but I didn’t want to lie. He’d been kind to me, and I couldn’t repay his generosity by pretending to be something I wasn’t.
“I believe you mentioned that in Vegas.”
“Oh, yeah.” I widened my eyes incredulously.
“If I didn’t know, I would have figured it out. You stick out like a sunbather at a formal ball. I don’t mean that unkindly, so don’t be offended. It’s just rather obvious that you’ve never worked as an assistant at an executive level.”
“What gave me away? Was it my overly ironed shirt?” I asked sheepishly. “I still think that’s England’s fault.”
Graham chuckled. “The shirt was a minor hint. So was your, shall we say…relaxed approached to office etiquette. Bernadette is a perfect example.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, she’s fondly referred to as the Ice Queen behind her back. She knows it, of course, and I think she quite enjoys striking fear in corporate ranks. In other words, she would never discuss turquoise jewelry or share a personal penchant for it with anyone in my office.” He picked up his cell and tapped the screen. “She sent a message that a nice young man was waiting for me in my lobby with an empty folder, but not to worry…my office door was locked. Security was on alert if needed.”
“But I told her I was Julia’s assistant.”
“She didn’t believe you, but she liked you.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and smiled. “To be honest, she probably assumes you’re my…”