Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“Sit down, Mindy.”
“Wow, pleasant as always. I’d really love to have met you before you were in love.” He ignores me and tosses a stack of papers across his desk. “Dude, I was kidding. And she totally turned down my offer—”
“I need you to read that and sign it.”
“Seriously? Is this about that one time? If I had known she was allergic to—”
“Read it and sign it.”
I roll my eyes and grab the paperwork. This is so silly. I give it a half-assed read, not really caring what it says. Probably something along the lines of ending my life if I bring Fay within half an inch of another man. I skim through it, all the lawyer mumbo jumbo making my eyes cross. “Wait…” I back up, rereading the second section. My eyes dart up to meet Theo’s. “What is this?”
“Read it.”
“I am reading it. Jesus. But it’s not making sense. There’s nothing about strippers and threatening my life. And why is…” I read further and raise my head in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Theo leans forward and places a pen at the edge of his desk. “It’s a dissolution agreement that severs your contract with the studio. Russell has been served. He has thirty days to destroy any film, tape, audio, and documents of your employment with him. If he doesn’t, he will be sued out the fucking ass.”
My mouth hangs open as I stare at Theo. He casually stares back. “Mindy, sign.”
“I need a minute because what?”
He rolls his eyes. “A lawyer was hired on your behalf to wash away any involvement you’ve had with Russell and the studio. Along with that…” he sits forward and grabs another document, turning it to face me, “a sale of the building that has been completed,” he holds up another document, “with the plan to turn it into a park.”
Yeah, nope. I’m still staring. Gawking is more like it.
“Are you going to sign it? I have a very busy day.”
And I have a brain that’s about to explode. “I know this is hard for you to comprehend since you’re so smart, but you lost me at ‘lawyer’ and ‘dissolution.’ Speak in smaller words or draw me a picture because I don’t fucking get what’s happening here.”
He sighs, linking his fingers together. “Are you sure you want to know all the details? You’ve been straightforward about not wanting to know anything about anything.”
I really hope Fay forgives me when she finds out I smacked her fiancé. “Just say it.”
“Some time ago, Tate called. You know, the call you were hanging off the couch like a monkey trying to listen to—”
“I was not!”
“I saw you fall off twice in the window's reflection.”
“I was stretching—”
“Like I said, busy day.”
“Fine. Go on.”
“I’m strict on professionalism. If I had gotten wind of you two sooner, I would have fired him and ensured he never worked again. To be honest, it was on my to-do list after I found out—right after spanking my fiancée for not informing me.”
I shrug. “Bestie code.”
“Code or not, I wasn’t paying him to keep your bed warm. If he’d done his job, a lot could have been avoided.” Ugh. That makes me feel like a jerk. “I’m not here to scold you or tell you how to live your life. Who am I to tell anyone not to go after what they want?” He adjusts his tie. “Tate hired me to put the studio up the sale. He also hired a lawyer to erase that part of your life.”
“Why?”
“Because he thought it would help you move on and make something of your life without having anything tainting your future. And it won’t. If you ever fucking sign.”
“He did this…for me?”
“Mindy.”
“But why? How? How does he have the money to do all this?”
“He wrote me a retainer check for one-point-five million. Whatever isn’t used goes into a trust in your name that’s only allowed to be accessed for tuition fees. If you read that, you’ll find all the details on page seventeen.”
One-point-five million.
He wrote a one-point-five million check to have my entire past erased so I could have a clean future.
He took the money he swore he would never touch…for me.
“He…he…he—”
Theo swipes his hands down his face. “Maybe I should have poured myself a bourbon for this.”
I startle him when I snatch the documents from his desk and stand. “I’m—I need to read these over. I’ll let you know what I decide.” I don’t bother saying goodbye and walk out.
***
I can’t stop reading the contract. Well, actually, I can. The tequila has made the words really blurry, and I’m too drunk to make them out anymore. I get up and search for a magnifying glass. “Why would he do this? Probably to taunt me,” I mumble to myself. “Probably expects me to go running back to him. Men. Hey, let’s blow one-point-five million on making her life better so she forgives me.”