Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Right. Then I’m not going to cancel dates. End of story.” I shoved my hands in the front pockets of my jeans.
Ben studied me for a few moments, then turned to Shannon. “You have everything you need?”
“Yep. My stuff’s in the guest room, and the doorman knows not to let anyone up without an escort.” She glanced my way, then quickly found some lint on her sweater to brush away.
“I’m sorry, what?” My eyes narrowed. Why the hell would she have her stuff in my guest room? Stuck here.
“Shannon will be with you for the remainder of the fall dates,” Ben stated. “I have too much going on to handle you personally, and well, she’s the only one on my team who can handle your bullshit without wanting to sleep with you.”
“Absolutely not.” My eyebrows hit the roof. What was more insulting? That she wasn’t attracted to me? Or that she thought she was actually capable of handling me?
“This isn’t up for debate, Nixon.” Ben turned to face me directly. “If you want to cancel the dates now, I’ll support that decision. We’re here to make sure you stay clean. But if you want me to keep those dates on the books, then Shannon is staying by your side to make sure you don’t go off the rails. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.” The asshole wasn’t kidding.
I turned a glare on Quinn and Jonas. “Oh, I get it now. You two don’t have to babysit me because you’re having her do it.” I pointed at Shannon, or whatever her name was.
“She is a lawyer, not a babysitter,” Shannon snapped.
“Even better.”
“Nix.” Jonas stood. “I’m in Boston and Quinn’s in Montana. It’s killing us that we’re not here for you, and if you want us to, we’ll stay.”
Quinn stood and slid her sticks into her back pocket. “We’ll stay as long as you need us,” she promised. “But please don’t ask us to abandon you, because we won’t.”
I ripped my hands over my hair and fought the urge to break something. There was no way I was pulling Jonas and Quinn away from their families, and if I threw Shannon—whatever her name was—out, those two would stay.
I glanced at Shannon.
Four years and I really didn’t know her first name?
“Fine,” I barked and strode to the Jeff Frost photo hanging on the wall. The hinges were soundless as I swung it open like a door, revealing the small safe behind it. I punched in the code, opened the door, and took out the small bottle of pills I’d stashed there three months ago. The bottle felt heavy in my hand, even though I knew it weighed next to nothing.
Everyone watched as I took it to Shannon and pressed it into her hand. “There you go. That’s the last contraband in the house, and I just freely gave it to you. Now what is your damn name?” My tone quieted as I struggled to keep a cap on my anger.
Her eyes flared, and my stomach pitched as we locked gazes. Those eyes weren’t just green, they were emerald green and brighter than any jewel I’d ever seen. I blinked and stepped back as her fingers closed around the bottle.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “Zoe. My name is Zoe Shannon.”
Zoe.
“Well, Zoe, I’m assuming you know where the spare towels are, seeing as you’ve searched my entire apartment.” I turned to my friends. “Now, the rest of you can get the fuck out. I love you, but I don’t really like you at the moment.” I grabbed a box of whatever takeout was on the coffee table and left them all sitting in my living room as I climbed the stairs.
Ironic. They were all so concerned for my sobriety, yet they’d just saddled me with the one woman who could drive me to drink.
My lips lifted slightly. At least they’d given me something to do between shows. It was going to be a shit ton of fun to see just what it would take to get under her skin.
2
ZOE
“How’s the egotistical asshole?” Naomi asked through the phone. My best friend was more than aware of my general feelings about my current roommate.
“Still an egotistical asshole. How’s my brother?”
“Taking your nephew to daycare,” she answered. “He’s gained two pounds this month, by the way—Levi, not Jeremiah.”
“Glad to hear it’s my nephew and not my brother growing.” I sipped my coffee and looked out over the Seattle skyline from my seat at the patio table, then turned slightly to appreciate the magnificence of Puget Sound.
“Shit,” she muttered. “Speaking of your brother, that’s him on the other line. I’ll call you back after my shift?”
“Don’t stress. We’ll catch up when you’re not working. Love you.”
“Love you!”
I hung up and sighed. I missed my family.
Naomi would freak if she saw Seattle from this vantage point. Nixon Winters might have been a giant, flaming jerk, but he had great taste when it came to real estate. The view was breathtaking. Then again, when you made millions a year, you could afford a great view. It was nothing compared to the Rockies, though.