Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“—we’ve been making solid connections in the east and have at least one big Chinese bank interested in our project. If the Willits were to back us, we could close this deal within the week,” says the man at my elbow.
I nod as if I’m interested but really I just want to climb back onto my jet and return to Chicago. “Send the prospectus over.” Ninety-nine percent of the time, these guys are all talk. Sadly, their spiel works on some investors.
“Ah, sure, but I’ve got some emails here I can show you.”
“We’re at a party, Hackley. We should be talking about the party decorations and not a tech deal in Asia. Send the prospectus to my office. My analysts will look at it and see whether it’s something that we’re interested in.”
“But you need to look at it,” Hackley insists.
I arch an eyebrow. “I don’t need to do anything.”
I hand him my almost empty champagne flute and leave him fuming as I make my way to rescue Luca. I wedge my way past the moms and daughters who have flocked to him. “I’m sorry to interrupt but Ward and I have some serious business we need to discuss. I’ll need him for just ten minutes.”
“More like thirty. I haven’t seen you in years.” He grips my shoulder and flashes a fake smile to the women. “It could be an hour.”
“Maybe even two,” I add.
The two of us escape, barely, to a service hallway between the kitchen and the great room. Luca slumps against the wall. “I owe you one,” he says. “I heard you’ve been in Hong Kong.”
“There’s a lot of money to be made there. You should look into it.”
“We’re actually thinking of trying to add a couple of Akhal Teke to our stables and there’s a man in Singapore who has a lead for me.”
“Great. While you’re working on that, you can set a pony aside for me.”
“I already have that covered. Your sister called me earlier. It’s a pretty girl. White with mottled black spots on the rump and fore—”
“My sister called?” I interrupt.
“Yeah.”
“Well, this is bullshit. Melody said I had to come here and make nice with you.”
Luca bursts out laughing. “Thank God I’m not the only stallion at market.”
“Fuck you.” I grab my phone to give Melody a piece of my mind. “I can’t believe she set me up.”
Luca laughs even harder.
I’m murdering you when I get home. Hope your will’s in place.
You’re so overdramatic. I should’ve given you more wedgies when you were a kid.
You’ve never given me a wedgie.
Seems like a good time to start.
You and what army?
I shove my phone back into my suit pocket. “I had to dress up for this shit.” I flap the lapel of my coat. “You better be giving me the best pony in your stable. It better shit gold at night.”
“It’s worth a couple of bricks of gold,” Luca promises me. His moment of hilarity has passed. He sighs and squeezes the back of his neck. “I wish I could just find someone and be done with it. Have three kids and get my mom off my back.”
“It’s our sisters that are the problem. This is the new world. They should have pulled up their boots and taken a seat at the head of the corporate world, but instead they wanted to be mothers.”
Luca nods, warming to this idea. “Yeah. You’re right. It’s our sisters’ fault.”
“You should tell them.”
He draws back in horror, all six foot two inches of him. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m not telling my sister anything. You tell yours.”
Melody is five foot two inches and around one forty. I outweigh her by sixty pounds and could lift and throw her with one arm, but she’s still my older sister and I’m scared as fuck of her. “No way. She’d ban me from ever seeing Ronnie again and obviously since I’m here, I’d do anything for that brat.”
“Yeah, same. Gia has one on the way and if I don’t get to hold that kid, I might as well just fling myself off the top of the house.” He bends over and rubs his hands against his knees. “Still, I’m not ready to go out there and face the enemy. Gia’s probably in the kitchen. Let’s go hide there for a while.” He straightens. “In fact, I think I’m supposed to introduce you to someone.”
“Forget it.” I start walking back to the party.
“No. She’s decent. Single mom. Very pretty.”
“If she’s so great why aren’t you with her?” I parry.
“I tried, but she didn’t want to have anything to do with me,” he admits. “At the very least, you can say hi to Gia. She’ll be mad if you don’t stop by.”
I’m not afraid of Gia, but I go anyway because Luca’s pathetic and I don’t want to see him grovel anymore. We walk down the hallway, our dress shoes clicking against the marble tile. A couple of wait staff come by carrying large trays. They duck their heads in a manner that would please Gran. Me being back here with the staff wouldn’t make her happy. I should take a selfie just to piss her off. Before I can do it, though, we’re at the service entry door.