Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
I chuckle as I turn the corner, heading to the subway stop I need to get to. “Magnus probably doesn’t even remember me. Men like that forget a woman as soon as she’s out of sight.”
Anticipation races through me as I approach my desk.
That’s not because I’m looking forward to sitting down to reply to the emails waiting for me. I’m giddy about the huge bouquet of wildflowers sitting in a tall pink vase on the corner of my desk.
They weren’t there when I left for lunch with my boss.
As I set my phone and the lemonade I bought on my way back to the office on my desk, I notice a small pink envelope nestled within the brightly colored blossoms. With shaking hands, I reach for it.
“Oh, what is this?” Cleo’s voice comes at me from behind. “Do tell, Evie. What’s his name and what’s he like?”
With the envelope clutched in my hand, I turn to face her. “What? Who?”
“Exactly.” She nods. “What’s he like, and more importantly, who is he?”
Since I have no idea who the flowers are from, I shrug. “I’m not sure.”
“Are you seeing more than one guy?” Her entire face beams with a broad smile. “Look at you being young and single in the big city.”
I laugh that off. “I’m far from that.”
“Open it and see who they’re from,” she encourages as she points at the envelope. “Or maybe before you do, you can tell me who you hope they’re from.”
I don’t have to give that more than a second of thought because I hope they’re from my boss.
It’s such a far-fetched notion that I let out a squeak of a laugh.
“What’s going on with you?” Cleo questions as she squeezes my forearm. “There is a guy in the picture, isn’t there?”
“I think they’re from my mom,” I say, even though she’s never sent me flowers.
My mom loves receiving flowers, but when it comes to sending them, she’d much rather direct the money toward a gift card for a restaurant or cash to put on my Metrocard.
“You won’t know until you crack the seal on that envelope.”
Convinced that the flowers are not from a man, I slip the tip of my fingernail under the seal and break it. As soon as I slide out the card, I read the printed text.
To the best maid of honor ever.
I hope these brighten your day.
Love,
Lottie
Cleo leans closer to steal a look at the card, so I make it easy on her and turn it toward her.
“You’re a maid of honor? Is the bride an old friend?”
“A new friend,” I say. “With the potential to be an old one in twenty years.”
A light laugh escapes her. “All lasting friendships have to start somewhere.”
She’s right, so I nod. “I need to get to work.”
“I need a moment with the ogre.” She glances past me to Mr. Hunt’s empty office. “Where is he?”
Hopefully, he’s no longer within speaking distance of Magnus Brewster. If all went according to plan, the two men shared a brief, yet cordial, exchange on the sidewalk outside of Pickled Dish before Mr. Hunt raced off to his meeting.
“He should be back before the end of the day,” I tell Cleo. “Do you want me to ask Mr. Hunt to call you?”
“He’s here now and won’t be taking any calls.” Mr. Hunt’s voice reaches me before he comes into view behind Cleo. “My office now, Miss Starling.”
Uh oh.
Cleo glances at me as my boss brushes past us on his way to his office. Before walking away, she leans closer to whisper, “He’s back to calling you Miss Starling. That can’t be good.”
I don’t bother to thank her for pointing out the obvious. Instead, I place the card from the flowers on my desk, smooth both palms over the skirt of my dress, and follow Reid into his office, shutting the door behind me.
CHAPTER FORTY
Reid
Evangeline slept with Brewster.
She fucked that fucking asshole.
When she took off like a rocket outside Pickled Dish, I thought it was because she was eager to get back to work.
I was dead wrong.
She raced out of sight because she saw Magnus making his way toward us, and she knew he’d bring up their tryst or whatever the hell it was.
Magnus recognized her immediately. The first words out of his mouth when he was within shouting distance of me were, “I fucked that sweet little thing.”
I almost drove my fist into his jaw, but I somehow found the restraint to shove my hands into the front pockets of my pants as I questioned him with what I hoped sounded like a casual, “You slept with my assistant?”
Judging by the look on his face, that question came out more like an accusation because both of his hands darted into the air, and he took a full step back as he answered me with a grin. “That beautiful brunette with the blue eyes you were just talking to is your assistant? Her red lipstick is killer, am I right?”