Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Since when do you two keep up with the royals?” I asked.
“Whenever you’re not around because you hate celebrities.” Kristin shrugged. “I mean, I still think it’s pretty phenomenal that you only read books for entertainment, but you should try to know some stuff.”
“No, I should quit my job and pen a letter about my pregnancy in the press,” I said. “Maybe that’s the best way to tell him.”
“Whoa, hell no.” Madison shook her head. “You can never tell them anything.”
“Why not?”
She exchanged a nervous glance with Kristin, and the fearful look in their eyes triggered uneasiness in my chest.
“Look, Chloe.” Kristin walked over and caressed my hand. “Do you remember when you got upset last year after five people left angry emojis while commenting on that Facebook post you made about Nutella?”
“All I said was that it’s overrated, and it costs too much. Those psychopaths attacked me for no reason.”
“Yeah, well … You cried over that for like three days, so imagine the toll it would take if five-thousand people commented on every single thing you did.”
“There’s no way five-thousand people know who this man is.”
“You’re right,” Kristin said. “It’s far more. Tyler Carrington is beyond celebrity status. Ex-royal or not, he’s always been the most popular one in the family—not to mention the most attractive—and I think the press is about to go into coverage overload.”
“I’m not trying to make him look bad or anything,” I said. “I just thought that maybe if I said something—”
“They’ll rip you apart and make you want to die.” Madison interrupted, looking worried. “Take it from the people who actually pay attention to celebrity culture, okay? You can’t go that route. Ever.”
“Fine. I won’t say a word.” I leaned back. “What’s my next best move, then?”
“Find a way to tell him in private and hope that the people who came over with him can work out a contingency plan.” Kristin slid onto the chair across from me.
“Do I tell him now or later?”
“Now.”
“Shouldn’t I research him or something first?” I wasn’t ready to see him again. “Just so I can get to know who I’m really dealing with? I mean, he did lie to me…”
“Did you do any research before you had sex with him? Did you care about him potentially lying then?”
“Seriously, Kristin?”
She laughed and tapped her phone’s screen. “I’ll give you a quick crash course, and then you need to get back to Rogue. No offense, but you can’t afford to skip a day of work.”
Lingering Consequences
Tyler
Seattle, Washington
“I want you to treat me like any other CEO,” I said to the C-level staff in my office later that afternoon. “Also, don’t talk to the press outside, ever. If they want to know what goes on in this building, they can apply for a job. Questions?”
A man in the front raised his hand. “Do we report directly to you or Miss March?”
“Either is fine during this transition.” I looked past him, spotting Chloe in the back.
Wearing a sexy grey dress that complemented her eyes, she was pretending to be fascinated with something on the floor. A familiar lacy black bra strap was peeking from under her sleeve.
She’s still wearing my watch…
I smiled. “Any other questions?”
“I noticed that you brought in a team of people to redesign and redecorate your entire office last night…” A woman in a blue suit spoke softly. “Does this mean some of the staff from the publishing company that you ran in secret will be joining us?”
“Not at this time,” I said. “If they do, I’ll place them in other departments. They won’t take your jobs.”
A collective sigh of relief filled the room.
“I’d like to discuss next month’s releases in the conference room at eight tomorrow morning,” I said. “Until then, thank you for the warm welcome. You’re free to leave.”
Chloe headed toward the door first.
“Minus you, Miss March.” I caught her as she twisted the doorknob. “We need to talk.”
The remaining executives shook my hand one by one as they exited the room. The last woman, a brunette named Susie, didn’t let go.
“I think you’ll really like it here in the States.” She smiled.
“I think so, too.”
“I think you’ll like me as well.”
I tried to pull my hand back, but she gripped it tighter. “My first one-on-one meeting with you is next weekend. I think it’s great that you want to get to know us on a personal level.”
“A business level.”
“That’s what we’ll call it for now.” She finally let go. Then she batted her eyes one too many times before leaving me alone with Chloe.
“Would you mind shutting the door, Miss March?” I asked.
“I would, actually.” Her cheeks flushed red. “I like to feel the cool breezes from the hallway.”
“I’ll turn up my air conditioning.”
“I also like when other people are listening to every word of my conversations.”