Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“Keep yourself out of trouble and it will stay that way,” I remind him.
“I learned my lesson.” He gives me a tight hug. “You working at the diner and the bar tonight?”
“Yeah, I’ll be home late.” I’m already dreading what a long day I have ahead of me.
I hate Saturdays. I have to work both jobs. But I do what needs to be done to make ends meet. Hopefully with Travis’ pay increase, I won’t need to do it much longer. But I need to make sure he stays out of trouble for a while before I can consider that.
“I’m making double. Quit one of them.”
“We’ll see.” I grab his coat. “Get going. You’re not going to be late after all this crap.”
“I’m going, I’m going.” I open the door for him. When he steps through, he catches it before I can close it. “Really think about it. With the extra money, you don’t need to do both.”
“Go, we’ll talk about it later,” I say, not wanting to lie. Honesty, I use Travis as an excuse as to why I can’t quit, but in reality I know it’s because if I’m not working, I’m not sure what else I would be doing. I mean, I can’t just sit around here all day. Can I?
3
Ivan
I check the time again. “It’s been a minute, sir.” I grind the back of my teeth, trying not to snap at my driver. The thought occurred to me: Why?
“I’ve been able to tell time since I was three, James.”
“Sorry, sir,” he mutters from the front seat. When have I ever wanted extra commentary? And why do I suddenly have a feeling of guilt for snapping at James? He’s my employee. I don’t need his smart-ass comments or him pointing out my obsession with checking my watch as the seconds tick by at a snail's pace.
“Do you have a girlfriend, James?” His eyes widen at my personal question. I can see them in the rearview mirror. He’s acting as though I went and asked if he’s ever seen a UFO. Not something as simple as Do you have a girlfriend? But I guess I can understand his surprise. All the years he’s worked for me, never have I asked him anything about his personal life. Like I said, I’m not one for small talk.
“Not at the moment, sir,” he eventually spits out. I clench my teeth to keep from speaking again. I know where the question came from. Three days ago, Rae noticed me get out of the back of the SUV and caught a glimpse of my driver.
Then she started to pepper me with simple questions about him. As if we were friends. When I didn’t have any real answers for her, she frowned. I didn’t like how that made me feel. It’s few and far between that I’ve seen those plump lips of hers turned downward. But that fucking frown was because of me. She was disappointed in me. It was there, written all over her face. Especially after I’d told her that he’d been my driver for three years now.
There I was, in a diner being almost scolded by a girl a third my size with only an expression. I’ve gone toe to toe with some of the most ruthless businessmen and lawyers throughout my career, yet they had never even elicited an ounce of what she’d gotten from me. No one in my life has.
Marco: ETA two minutes.
I relax back into my seat and wait for my little ray of sunshine to come strolling by and into the diner. I will then wait ten minutes before I enter and have lunch. I have my routine down pat. It’s the same thing I've done for over a week now.
Except for Saturday. Things are different on Saturdays. To be honest, the change in schedule has been rather annoying. I had to go into a bar that was more like a club to see her. It wasn’t a full-on club, but there was a pretty big dance floor. It made it easy to blend in so she hadn’t seen me. It had been years since I was inside of a place like that. I’m sure college was the last time, and that was only because my roommates used to drag me there once in a while.
My phone goes off again, breaking me from my thoughts. Eva’s name pops up on the screen. “Sir, there is a problem.”
“Then fix it,” I absently say, my eyes on the sidewalk. “I’m in the middle of something that needs my utmost attention.” I park far enough back so Raegan doesn't see me and then once I get a glimpse of her, I’ll have James pull up.
“It seems someone else is interested in buying The Loft.”
“Seriously? Are you sure the owner isn’t just trying to get more money? You know what? I don’t care if he is or not. Give it. It’s a fucking hole in the wall.” I know every cent of the extra money will be worth it. I won’t be at peace until I own the place.