Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
“Uh… Thanks for that.” I realize now that I basically handed our team issues to our competition on a silver fucking platter. A media refresher course sounds awful, but I need Hemi’s help, so I’ll take it to appease her. “I, uh…I can come back later, when you’re not busy.”
Shilpa gathers her things and crosses the room, patting me on the shoulder as she passes. “We were literally talking about how long it would take you to get your head out of your ass. I now owe Hemi a pair of Louboutins.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Don’t be. I’m glad she’s right in this instance.”
She leaves, and I turn back to Hemi. “You’re placing bets on me?”
“Yup.” She leans back in her chair, apparently unapologetic. “How are you?”
“Getting my shit together.”
“Does this mean you’re in fix-things-with-Hammer mode?”
“That’s my plan, yeah.”
She puts her hands to her chest. Then makes a heart with them. “I am fully on team Hamollis.”
“That’s a horrible merging of our names, but I’m very glad to hear I have your support.”
“Hollimer? Horora?”
“I don’t think either of those are much better. But I am looking for some assistance.”
She props her chin on her heart-shaped hands. “In what department?”
“First question, have I ruined Aurora’s chances of getting the job with that stunt I pulled?”
Hemi flips her pen between her fingers. “If you’d pulled it before the gala, it would have been more problematic. People are always going to speculate. Especially under circumstances like these. But I have the receipts to prove that she pulled that event off on her own, with very little help from me. So aside from watercooler gossip, which she already dealt with during her internship, she’ll be fine.”
I nod. “Do I need to speak to upper management about my relationship with her?”
“Aside from what you broadcasted to the world, it doesn’t hurt to go through the proper channels, and we can pull in Shilps to make it all official once the posting goes up.”
“Whatever I can do to make it smoother.”
“Does this mean you two are back together?” She arches a brow.
“I’m working on that. Which brings me to the next favor. I’d like to take Aurora on a date. I know her favorite restaurants, but I’d like to take her somewhere special.”
Hemi grins. “You want to wine and dine her?”
“Exactly. I’d like to treat her the way she deserves, right down to the dress and the shoes.” And going public with her is another way I can show Aurora how important she is to me. I don’t want to hide her or my feelings. Not anymore and not ever again.
“You have come to exactly the right person.” Hemi shuts down her computer, pushes her chair back, and grabs her purse. “Let’s pick the perfect date outfit for Hammer.”
“Right now?”
“Do you have somewhere else to be?”
“I guess not.” I have things being delivered to the penthouse, but I’ve already messaged Rix, should they arrive while I’m not there.
“She had her eye on three dresses for the gala,” Hemi reports as she heads for the door. “She walked away from her favorite because of the price tag. Since you’re in deep-grovel territory, dropping a couple grand on a dress won’t be a problem.”
“I’d buy her a fucking unicorn, if it would make her happy.”
Hemi grins. “Excellent. Let’s do this.”
On the way, I message Aurora. I feel like I’m asking her to prom. There’s real irony in the fact that I took pictures of her with her dad and her date when she attended her high school prom. I also spent most of the night assuring Roman that she could take care of herself. I gave her pepper spray after Roman took her for self-defense lessons beforehand to ensure that.
Hollis
Would you go on a date with me?
It only takes a minute for her to respond.
Princess
Like the one we had in your penthouse?
Hollis
I was thinking out. Unless you’re opposed to being seen with me.
Princess
I’m not opposed.
Hollis
Are you available tomorrow night?
I should have enough time to pull this off. We also don’t have a game tomorrow night, so it works with my schedule.
She takes longer to respond this time.
Princess
Tomorrow night is good.
Hollis
Excellent. I promise you won’t regret it.
Princess
We’ll see.
Hemi takes me to Aurora’s favorite store and shows me the dress she passed up. It’s gorgeous, but I spot another one I think she would love more.
“She didn’t even try that one on, though,” Hemi argues.
I check the price tag. It’s more than the one she walked away from. “Did she pause to look at it?”
“For like, two seconds, maybe?” Hemi hedges.
If she looked at the price tag, I guarantee that’s the reason she never bothered to try it on. It’s everything Aurora loves in a dress, from the color, to the cut, to the fit. She’ll look amazing in it. “It’s the one.”
Three hours and several thousand dollars later, I have everything I need for a date with Aurora, and Hemi has a new handbag as a thank you. She insisted I didn’t need to buy it for her; I insisted I did.