Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“Really?” I demanded, clutching this dangling thread of hope. “What is it? Let’s do it!”
Bash’s lips quirked. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for it after what happened with…” He lowered his voice. “Bubbles.”
“Who?”
Bash bit his lip. “Bubbles. Your one true love? Who died? On your trip to Mount Kinabalu?”
Oh. Shit.
“Bubbles didn’t die,” I said firmly. “No, indeed.”
“But you said…”
“When I said I lost him, I meant…” I licked my lips. What had I meant? “I meant literally lost. Poor chap took a right instead of a left and wandered that mountain for days.”
Bash’s eyes widened. “And then what?”
“Then he was found, obviously. By a… a villager. Who nursed him back to health. And they fell in love. Got married in a very quiet ceremony.” I sucked a bit of brie off the side of my finger. “Very disappointing, naturally, but I’m sure we’ll all remain friends in the end.”
Bash shook his head. His smile gleamed bright white under the light of the chandelier, beautiful and dangerous and knowing. “You amaze me, Sterling Chase,” he said, but it sounded like he was saying something different.
Before I could wonder too much about it, though, he cleared his throat and went on. “Well. As long as you’re feeling up to it, why not try to find him at the polo match tomorrow out at Hollow Brook? Since it’s the second part of this fundraiser, I assume you’re still planning on attending.”
Polo? The glittering whirl of the gala was already leagues outside my comfort zone. I couldn’t imagine attempting to navigate a gathering of people who played sports involving animals that cost more than a car. But you survived this, I reminded myself. And if these people had more money than sense, that was their business. Getting one of them to spearhead a project that could literally save lives was mine.
I nodded slowly. “Yes, of course! Polo. Sterling Chase loves polo. Sterling Chase was a polo champion back in high school! And you’re saying Justin will be at the match?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Bash said modestly. “I’m only a personal assistant, of course. But there’s a strong chance. And Devon McKay will be there, too. He’s…”
“On the Sterling Chase board of directors,” I mused, remembering his name from my research on the company. “I mean, uh… my board of directors. Though I haven’t met him in person yet, either.”
Bash nodded before looking away as if searching the crowd. “As you’re probably aware, the people on your board have lots of connections, if you’re looking for funding from outside the company.”
I chewed my lip. I hadn’t been looking for an investor, per se, because money alone was not what I needed. I needed someone with experience, with the in-depth knowledge of how businesses worked that I hadn’t been able to acquire no matter how hard I tried.
But… maybe money was better than nothing.
“I’ll make your usual arrangements for the match, then,” Bash went on, turning back to me. “The town car will pick you up at noon, and I’ll let your teammates know you’re planning to play.”
It took me a minute to process what he’d said. “Play? You want me to play polo?” My voice rose an octave. “You want me to ride a horse?”
Bash grinned. “You’re funny, Rowe. Don’t worry. You can wear your street clothes, and I’ll have your riding gear brought to the stables. There’s a nice dressing room there, as I’m sure you’re aware.”
“Riding gear?” I squeaked. “Like… horse-riding gear?”
Bash patted me on the shoulder, a move unexpected enough to nearly send me careening into a server carrying a tray of drinks. “You’re such a kidder. I remember you telling me how much you love a good polo match. I’ll send the car to your Park Avenue address—it’s 740 Park, right?—and after you play, you can tell Devon all about your project, assuming you don’t find Justin first.”
My mind had stopped processing this after hearing that Sterling Chase lived on Park Avenue. Because of course he would live someplace swanky and so far from Joey’s place it’d be nearly impossible to get there if I worked even part of my Burrito Bandito shift.
“W-wait.” I gulped. “Will you be there tomorrow?”
“Maybe.” Bash shrugged. “I’ve attended matches in the past. Would you like me to?”
“Yes!” I blurted before he’d finished speaking. Getting through the match without committing a horrible etiquette mistake would be impossible without someone I could trust to guide me. I wasn’t sure when the hot fake employee I’d known for thirty minutes had become that someone, but like Joey said, beggars couldn’t be choosers. “In fact, I insist that you accompany me. In case I require my assistant.”
Fake-Sterling Chase needed all the fucking assistance he could get.
“In that case, of course I will. I’ll have the car pick me up first, then.”