Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 135847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
In the end, he laid his shit on her.
And he knew why.
It was a test.
It was a test of how she’d handle one miniscule part of the ginormous mindfuck that was his head, his life, his history.
Yeah, it was a test.
So when he got home, after he made himself a G&T, he threw himself on the couch where she sat when she interviewed him, and he called her.
“Hey, how’d dinner go?” she answered his call.
“I caved to having a bodyguard follow me around everywhere. I can confirm Chloe isn’t your biggest fan, but I think I made some headway with that, with the help of Rix. And Tom pissed me off by telling me I was turning into my father.”
Her voice was high and freaked when she asked, “You don’t have a bodyguard?”
Hale made no response.
She carried on, sounding no less freaked. “Hale, promise me you’ll carry through with that. I can’t believe you don’t have a bodyguard.”
“You’ve been with me several times, Elsa, and I’ve never had one.”
“I thought they followed at a discreet distance.”
“No.”
“Ohmigod,” she breathed, now not freaked, sounding openly rattled.
“I’m talking to my team tomorrow,” he assured.
“Thank God.”
Hale again was quiet.
“Now, why on earth would Tom say you’re turning into your father?”
“He doesn’t like how busy I am.”
It was her turn to be silent.
“You agree,” he guessed.
“I never met your father, I can’t agree or disagree. But I do know you’re busy.”
“You’re busy too,” he pointed out.
“Yes, but I love my job. I love my life.” A loaded pause and then, “Do you?”
The baton passed to Hale, and he again said nothing.
“Do you, Hale?” she pressed gently.
“I have money managers, several of them. And I can confirm what your brother said. I’ve given away billions, and I’m worth more now than what my father gave to me.”
“Okay,” she replied slowly.
“I want my legacy to be different than his.”
Her silence now held meaning, he could sense it, he just didn’t know what it was.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“You don’t talk much about him,” she said, handling him with obvious care. “So I can’t know. But I wonder if you want your legacy to be different, or if you work so hard so you can make his different.”
Christ.
Christ.
Hale threw back some of his drink.
“Do I hear ice clinking?” she inquired.
“Yes,” he grunted.
“Was that out of line? What I said.”
“No. Though, how sharp you are has always been a turn on. Now I’m seeing the pitfalls.”
“Honey,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry, I threw a lot of heavy at you.”
“Sounds like you had a heavy night and needed to unload some of it. I don’t mind holding on to it.”
Test passed.
Flying colors.
“Let’s move out of the heavy anyway,” he suggested.
“If you like.”
“How was drinks with the girls?”
“A blast. You have a nickname. Thurston Remington the Fifth.”
A startled laugh came out of him. “What?”
“Carole made it up. It pertains to one of the photos of us sold to the Post or wherever. It seems very formal.”
“I haven’t seen that one.”
“Hang on.”
His phone dinged, and he looked at the photo on the text she sent.
Then he busted out laughing.
“Christ, I totally look like a Thurston.”
He heard her laughter too. “I know, right?”
“You look like the snow bunny I picked up in Geilo.”
She laughed harder then said, “I’m Sunny Sinclair.”
He chuckled. “Perfect. So you had a good time.”
“I haven’t been out with them for a while. I’ve been so focused on Elsa’s Exchange, I let some important relationships slide. I’ve decided to restructure some things so I’ll have more time for them, and Dad, and, well…you, if this works with us.”
If this works with us.
Shit.
Communication.
The key was communication.
“Tom got up in my shit about being too busy, Elsa. And I need to think about that. But even if I make some changes too, those aren’t going to happen overnight.”
“Hale, you don’t even consider New York home. But it’s mine. I get it. I’m making changes, but I’m not expecting, nor am I ready for anything intense right now.”
He felt tension he didn’t now he was holding leave him when he muttered, “Good.”
“We’re getting to know each other,” she said. “And it’s great. Let’s just be in that. Yes?”
“Absolutely, baby. Yes.”
“You still want to come over tomorrow? You’re an early bird, and it might be late.”
“You want to change plans and come here after your dinner with your dad? Bring a bag. Stay at mine. It’s closer to your office.”
“That’s making some assumptions, Mr. Wheeler.” Fortunately, this was said as a droll tease, not like she was ticked.
“This apartment has four bedrooms.”
“Right.”
“Though, I’ll be angling for you to stay in mine.”
“Consider me warned.”
“That said, sweetheart, no pressure.”
“Okay. I’ll pack a bag. But don’t think it’s about how charming you are. I want to see your view at night.”
“Upstaged by a view.”
He heard her soft laugh, then she blindsided him. “Tom just loves you, you know. You can tell how much. Even in pictures. It’s a father’s prerogative to be worried. I suspect that’s what my dinner tomorrow night is going to be about. Things are happening fast for me. Dad probably wants to take my pulse.”