Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 169272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 846(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 846(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
“Yeah, she did kinda make it sound like your idea, actually,” Henn says, chuckling.
My heart rate has increased. “Be warned: Kat fancies herself an expert matchmaker. Last year, I watched in awe as she brazenly Parent Trapped two of our co-workers. She told each of them the other had confessed to having a massive crush, but it was all dastardly lies. Although in Kat’s defense, we wound up attending the wedding of those two co-workers a couple months ago, so I suppose one could argue the successful outcome of her meddling justified her nefarious tactics.”
Fucking hell. Please, someone muzzle me. Not only did I ramble for far too long from nerves, not only did I turn into a bit of an octogenarian during said rambling, I think I also just now implied I’m hoping Kat’s machinations in our case will lead to the same outcome as with those two co-workers—aka a freaking wedding. This time, for Henn and me. Santa Maria Shriver!
“Yeah, Kat’s a sneaky one, for sure,” Henn says. Strangely enough, he sounds calm. Amused. Sweet. Not the least bit like he’s looking for an immediate exit strategy.
But still, just in case I’m misreading his voice and he’s actually freaked out by the bizarre implication that I’m hoping this conversation will eventually lead to our nuptials, I quickly change the subject. “So, um, what are you doing in Vegas?”
“Um, you know . . . just . . . working.”
That response causes a whole bunch more questions to pop into my head. From what Kat has told me, Josh and Kat have been partying in Vegas with Josh’s twin brother, Jonas, and Kat’s best friend since college, Sarah, who’s dating Jonas. Hence Kat’s introduction to Josh in the first place. So, when did Henn enter the picture? Did he come to Vegas for work and happen to bump into his good friend, Josh, during Josh’s double date, or did the foursome invite Henn to meet them in Sin City in the first place and he's been doing work remotely while there? No, Hannah. All those questions are too detailed and specific to ask Henn now, during what’s supposed to be a flirtatious first chat. This is meant to be an ice breaker, not an interrogation. “Oh yeah?” I say. “What do you do for work?”
“I’m a computer specialist. A freelance programmer.”
Well, that reply only makes me want to ask even more questions. Based on my research, Josh Faraday runs some kind of investment conglomerate with his brother and uncle, so it stands to reason Henn would run in the same lofty circles as his good friend. Is Henn being modest with the description of his work and he’s actually a tech mogul who’s worth eighty kajillion dollars?
“Cool,” I say, once again deciding now is not the time to interrogate the guy. Surely, Kat will give me the skinny about Henn later on. I ask, “Where do you live?”
“Um, LA, New York, Toronto, Denver. I go wherever the job takes me. I can work from anywhere, so I travel a lot. But I mostly live in LA in a crappy-ass apartment.”
I crinkle my brow, feeling slightly perplexed. Henn, who’s friends with a literal billionaire, lives in a crappy-ass apartment? I guess I can scratch “tech mogul” off my bingo card . . . Unless, of course, he’s one of those eccentric billionaires who hit pay-dirt with some big idea out of college and then didn’t bother to change his lifestyle thereafter?
Oh! Maybe Henn works for Josh! Maybe Henn is in Las Vegas with Josh, his boss, which means Henn isn’t a mogul at all. In fact, maybe Henn purposefully mentioned his crappy-ass apartment, so I’d know, right off the bat, he’s a normal, working stiff like me, despite his close connection to insane wealth. Honestly, the thought calms me. If Henn is a normal dude, then I can more easily be my normal self around him and not worry I’m too ordinary or boring for him.
“Where do you live?” Henn asks.
I smile. If I’m not mistaken, that was the first time Henn has asked a question, which suggests he’s not dying to get off the phone. “Seattle. I was born and raised here.”
“Oh, yeah, duh. Kat said she works with you.”
Henn sounds a tad nervous now. Another good sign, I think.
“Have you been to Seattle?” I ask.
“Yeah, sure, I get up there sometimes. I love it there. Good salmon.”
“Yeah, we have fantastic salmon. I love salmon. I could eat it every day and never get sick of it.”
“Me, too.”
Well, damn. That was the easiest back-and-forth we’ve had yet. “Well, if you like salmon, the next time you’re in my neck of the woods, let me know and I’ll take you to a restaurant that has the best salmon in Seattle. Nay, maybe even the entire Pacific Northwest, if not the world. I’ll take you there and we’ll feast on salmon to our stomachs’ delight.”