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)
I remained utterly speechless as he stared me down.
We sat in silence until the server brought our food.
Tyler switched his plate with mine. “My mother got sick whenever she ate excess pepper while pregnant with my siblings. They have an aversion to it to this day.”
“Noted.” I signaled for the server. “I’ll get my meal to-go and drive back home. I think everyone will be thrilled to see that you’ve changed your mind about coming.”
“I didn’t come here for the event.”
“Sure you did.” I stood to my feet. “With me leaving and Hazel being the only one here to represent the company, surely you can’t leave now. Who knows the damage she could do?”
“Chloe…”
“It’s a two week affair,” I said, taking off my pass and setting it on the table. “There’s an empty penthouse suite that I’m sure the hotel would love to set up for you.”
“Sit down so we can finish talking.”
I remained standing. “I’d rather enjoy the rest of my privacy while I can. Oh, and by the way, your fiancé back in London, Victoria—”
“She was never my fiancé,” he said. “If you have a seat, I can tell you about it.”
“She gave a two-hour interview today, in tears, about how you fucked her nights before you left for the states.” I stepped back, hating that I’d watched it, that it’d made me feel even more foolish for being attracted to him and letting him finger me in the office. “The media over there is claiming that she might be pregnant, too.”
“Chloe.” He glared at me. “Have a fucking seat.”
“You may want to call and ask her to get a paternity test, too,” I said. “You might have more than two babies on the way.”
“If your ass isn’t in that seat within the next five seconds—”
“You’ll do what?” I took a step back. “Give me more rules I need to follow? Tell me I can’t do something else because I’m inextricably bound to you for the next several months?”
He continued to glare at me as the server packaged my food, and I left before he could follow, vowing to avoid him as much as possible, to only speak when I absolutely had to.
Arrangements & Such
Chloe
Seattle, Washington
8 weeks pregnant
Subject: A Favor.
Dear Miss Swift,
Can you please forward the message below to Mr. Carrington? It’s my schedule for the next two (or maybe three) weeks.
Thank you.
Hope you’re enjoying the book fair.
Chloe
Subject: Re: Re: A Favor.
LOL. Why would I use up my email space for that?
I just showed your message to him at dinner.
He didn’t look too happy about it, by the way. Since when do you need to travel to meet up with all of our authors in their hometowns?
Hazel Swift,
Co-CEO, Rogue Publishing
Why do I even bother?
Subject: Re: Re: Re: A Favor.
It’s something Mr. Carrington suggested. He wanted me to work on being more “private” with our clients while learning how to keep an “invisible profile.”
It’s one hundred percent his idea. :-)
Chloe
Subject: Three Weeks Out of the Office? I Dare You.
Chloe,
If you think you’ll still have a job under me after taking off for three weeks to visit with authors for no reason, you’re sadly mistaken.
I’ll see you at work on Monday, the day I return from this book fair.
Don’t try me, Chloe.
(Pick up your phone. I’m calling you.)
Tyler,
Co-CEO, Rogue Publishing
I’ll take my chances…
Three Weeks Later
Change of Plans
Tyler
One more week after that
Seattle, Washington
She really fucking tried me…
Chloe didn’t take off three weeks. She took four.
“Ermmm. Are either of you planning to speak during this appointment?” Dr. Tevis looked between Chloe and me on Saturday afternoon.
We were sitting in a huge condo I’d purchased specifically for her medical visits, large enough for Dr. Tevis to bring along three staff members and all the necessary equipment.
Still, Chloe looked less than thrilled about this situation, and I knew she was wearing that short blue and red dress on purpose. To distract me from being pissed, and unfortunately, it was almost working.
Almost.
“It’s a bit hard to make sure we’re on the same page if you’re not talking to me,” Dr. Tevis said. “Can I get some input on how things have been going these past few weeks?”
“I wouldn’t know, Dr. Tevis,” I said. “This is my first time seeing Miss March in nearly a month. I’m surprised she even showed up for this.”
“I’m surprised he’s here too,” Chloe quipped. “Surely someone of his standing has plenty of better things to do than check on someone who he thinks is his personal property.”
Dr. Tevis blinked. “Do either of you have something to say about the pregnancy?”
We stared at her blankly.
“Okay, then.” She pulled a chair in front of us. “Again, let’s be mindful that with twins, we have to be cautious until they’re both viable, but we’re twelve weeks into the pregnancy and they are healthy so far. That’s beautiful news, right?”