Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
My name was fated to be mud the second I walked in.
Keenan sits in the same high-back chair in the ballroom, staring at me. “What does a man who already knows he’s lost have to be so nervous about?”
“Have you seen her yet?” I snap. “What about Miss Landers?”
“No, but they should be here anytime.”
“What if she changed her mind?”
He studies me for a second. “That might spare you. If she’s not impressed when you’re at your best, I can’t imagine she’ll be thrilled today.”
“Thanks for your honesty, asswipe,” I growl.
“You pay me to tell you the truth.” He grins. “But I will give you major props for keeping it together. All this gossip... Ouch. I would’ve skipped out and hit the bar an hour ago.”
“I’m getting another coffee. You want one?”
“I’m off caffeine for now. And are you sure you need more?” He meets my eyes. “I’ve never seen you like this, bossman.”
I nod. “It’s too damn early in the day to start drinking.”
I make my way to the coffee bar for a water and smack into Cole Lancaster. He’s all sandy-dark hair and smiles, a change in the scowling man I met on other occasions. Apparently, he’s here pushing his revived coffee brand on other hotels after his rave success with mine.
“Can’t believe you’re still mentioning Winthrope Lanai in your peaberry brew ads. It’s marvelous stuff, of course, but we won’t do you much good now,” I say pointedly.
He has a barista push a cup of his campfire brew over to me. Looks like I’m having one more coffee after all.
“You pulled my ass out of a tight spot, Winthrope, and the product is excellent. Don’t care if you got the whole city sick, I won’t hide our friendship.”
Damn.
“You should. I don’t want to be a drag on your business. If you want to take the Winthrope name off your stuff, I won’t be offended,” I say.
“I would, and so would Eliza and Destiny,” he says. A fondness sparks in his eyes when he mentions his wife and daughter. “You want to talk sick? We’re all sick as hell seeing what went down. Besides, I’ve already scored three more deals for Wired Cup this morning. I know something stinks. How the hell did it happen?”
“We’re still working it out,” I say bitterly, motioning like I need to go. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, though, Lancaster.”
“I still owe you. If you need help with this—”
I shake my head vigorously.
“Sell your coffee and say hi to your people for me,” I say.
When I walk back, I notice Keenan looking up at me.
“You okay?”
“Sometimes sympathy is worse than snide remarks,” I mutter.
Keenan nods. “We agree on something.”
“It’s going to be a long damn day,” I mutter.
And I’m absolutely right.
I sit there as long as I can stand it, slurping my coffee and watching accusatory looks fly around every time strange eyes land on me.
“I’m going for a quick walk,” I tell Keenan, lurching up when my cup is almost empty.
I exit the ballroom just as more people are flooding in with drinks in their hands. They’re starting to crowd the room for the big speeches, less than an hour away now.
Where the hell is she?
I stop by the exit door and watch people file through. No gorgeous blond hair or strawberry lips made to ignite my soul.
I look for Jennifer Landers instead. If she’s here, she’ll know when Piper is coming. More importantly, she might know what it’ll take to make Piper speak to me again over more than this fucking catastrophe at the fashion conference.
I’m still wondering as the last of the line mashes its way through the door.
No Jennifer Landers, though.
Sighing, I head into the hall, walking the long corridor until I come to the fire exit. End of the line, so I turn around and start walking the other way.
I’m almost back to the ballroom when a tall shadow steps out in front of me with ruffled coppery hair.
“Now that’s a sight for sore eyes!” Apollo Finch says with a sneer. “It would be so much harder gloating with you absent.”
When my eyes focus on him, I have to dig my feet into the carpet to hold myself back from crushing his throat.
“You sick son of a bitch. If we weren’t at this conference, I’d drag you out back and kick your ass black and blue. The only thing saving your shit-stack of a face right now is the fact that I can’t stand doing more damage to my grandparents than you’ve already done.”
My nostrils flare.
Every breath feels like inhaling a flaming sword.
I need to get the fuck away from this flying ass-monkey now.
“Sure, Winnie. Blame me for something that happened on your watch. Sad.” He makes an exaggerated yawn. “Meanwhile, my shares haven’t plunged into the basement. Our ratings haven’t gone down. People are clamoring for a chance to stay—”