Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 82767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Hmmm,” I gave him what I hoped was a patronizing smile, stood up and tidied the desk where I had been working.
“Sorry,” he said. He looked exactly how I wanted him to – as if he felt pretty stupid.
“A little bit more when I come back, and your backup will be done,” I added as I left.
I felt a pang of guilt. This was so unlike me. But then I thought about Dynasty Games going down the drain, and I shook the guilt off. I walked away, closing my eyes in a silent hope that I had made him feel awkward enough that he would find some excuse to be out of the office for long enough to allow me to browse his files. In the meantime, an early lunch would mean I was in his office when he was out for lunch, and that was a start. Drew sprang to my mind, and I decided to call him. I had been holding him a little at arm’s length while I tried to figure out how I felt about recent developments between us. I knew he was eager, and I made up my mind to go with the flow and be less resistant to the idea. Beatrix was right, I needed to get laid. I sent him a text and he responded instantly. He wasn’t far away and would love to meet for lunch.
We met in the little patch of green opposite Clover House that the employees jokingly called the park. I had picked up some sandwiches and juice, and we had a makeshift picnic on a bench. I had tried to convince him to meet elsewhere, but he was eager to see the building. It wasn’t until I saw him approaching me that I realized that this was the first time he was seeing me as Effie Hancock. He walked right past me, and I had to call him back. He turned, and the look of amazement on his face made me burst out laughing.
“Don’t want to be seen with me, huh?” I laughed.
“Oh man!” he laughed. “I would not have picked you out of a lineup. You look so…”
“Glamorous? Exotic? Exciting?” I asked, tilting my head to pose dramatically.
“Oh yeah, all those things…” he said, still wide-eyed.
“I know, I look like shit,” I laughed. “But you know what? It really helps me remember to keep my mouth shut and do the job I’m here to do.”
He ran his hand over my smooth hair. “How do you even…”
“It takes a lot of time, a lot of product, and a lot of swearing,” I grinned, turning so he could see how my usually unruly mass of hair was pinned tightly into a neat roll.
“I don’t know what to say,” he breathed, taking a sandwich from me and giving me another careful look up and down.
We ate together and talked a little about how I was getting on with my snooping.
“I’m sorry if you feel involved. I know you think it’s a bad idea,” I added.
“I just don’t want you in there with those people. This Keegan guy is likely up to his neck in trouble, and I don’t want you to be part of it,” he shook his head.
“I won’t be,” I said. “And so far, I haven’t found anything to suggest he is behind the theft from Dynasty Games.”
“What’s he like?” Drew asked.
“He’s an asshole,” I answered. “But he’s no idiot. His brother practically told me that he is dodgy. And he has some kind of mysterious criminal past.”
“Please be careful,” he said, and his look was so sweet and caring that I threw caution to the wind and kissed him on the cheek right there. He looked surprised.
When I got back to work, I met Taylor in the lobby. She was about to leave for lunch, and she called out as she approached me.
“Tonight, at nine! Not taking no for an answer, so if you have the balls to turn me down again, I will cry in front of all these people!” She looked deadly serious, and I laughed. She and Frank were the two good things to come out of my time at Clover House, but I felt so guilty that I couldn’t be myself with her.
“I can’t…” I protested.
“You got something else on?” she demanded loudly.
“No, but I…” I tried to think of a valid excuse, but she was staring me down, and really, if I were honest, under normal circumstances I’d have loved to go out on the town with her.
“You don’t want to?” she asked, slightly embarrassed now.
“I do!” I argued. “but…”
“It’s settled then, I will text you the details and you will be there?”
“I…” I couldn’t think of how to say no without hurting her feelings and making it impossible to work together comfortably. Anyway, I liked Taylor; I often wished we had met under different circumstances. “I will be there,” I agreed.