Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I froze. Had he just said he was sorry? I slowly turned back around to look at him. Garrett Hughes did not seem like the sort of man who apologized. Ever.
“I should have asked you. I didn’t. That was unfair.”
I managed to nod my head, but I was too shocked to speak. Garrett Hughes apologizing was the last thing I’d expected to happen tonight.
“Eliana has been dealt with, and she will be coming in here to gather her belongings and leave once you’re not in here. There is no need for you to be subjected to her any longer. Both Felix and Leo have informed me of not only this incident, but also her behavior toward you since you started here. I’d like for you to reconsider and stay.”
He had fired Eliana? For me? Did this mean he was going to replace her with me? As in make me his favorite server who served him things … things I wasn’t willing to do?
“I’m not sure I would be a good replacement for her,” I replied honestly.
He tilted his head to the side. “And what makes you say that?”
There was no way I was telling him what I’d learned. Scrambling for another answer, I managed to come up with one I hoped would work.
“I’m older, less attractive, and the way I talk is barely tolerable,” I replied. I threw the things he’d said about me to her back in his face. I wanted to see his reaction.
He gave me an incredulous smile. “You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question. Just a statement.
He didn’t seem to recognize the words as something that had come out of his own mouth.
I nodded. Had Leo and Felix been right? Had Eliana lied about that?
He took a step in my direction. “Please, stay.”
I sighed heavily. “Let me go home and think about it. This has been more drama than I anticipated. Silas did warn me before I started, and I assumed I could handle it. Turns out, I’d rather work on a garbage truck than deal with this. Tonight, I just want to go home.” I looked around helplessly. “But something has happened to my purse, and I can’t find it so that I can leave.”
“Did you lock it up?” he asked me.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “Yes. At least, I thought I did. I always do that first thing when I arrive. It’s not there, and I’ve looked all over the dressing room. I can’t find it, and—” I stopped and inhaled deeply because I was on the verge of stupid tears again. “I just want to go home.” And curl up with Gypsi on our small sofa, share a bowl of popcorn, and watch an episode of The Office.
“Come with me.” Garrett’s words weren’t a request, but I doubted the man ever did anything but order people around.
“Why?” I asked him. I didn’t like being told what to do.
He leveled those gray eyes on me. “Do you want to find your purse, Fawn?” he asked.
“Yes. I think I mentioned that several times.”
He held out his hand toward me. “Then, come with me.”
I looked down at his hand and then back to his face. “Fine,” I replied, walking to the door and ignoring his hand.
I was not touching that man. For several reasons, but the main one was, I feared my body’s response. His eyes alone made me feel weird things I’d never experienced before. I wasn’t about to let him touch my body.
I swung open the door to the dressing room and stepped out into the hallway, then waited for him to follow. Garrett had an amused smirk on his face as he came to stand in front of me.
“This way,” he said, then walked farther down the hallway to an area I’d not been before.
I tried not to stare at the way his butt looked in the slacks he was wearing. This man could make anything look good. Businessman attire, cowboy attire—I didn’t need to think about him without anything on at all. I was sure that was a spectacular sight. One I would not be seeing.
He stopped at an elevator and pulled out a card from his pocket and swiped it, causing the door to slide open. He waved his hand for me to enter. The inside was by far the fanciest elevator I had ever seen. Complete with a black marble floor and small, fancy chandelier.
I stood as far away from Garrett as possible and tried not to look at him.
“Leo has worked here for four years. Felix almost five years. They’re good employees. They’re paid exceptionally well,” Garrett said.
I glanced at him and saw he wasn’t looking my way as he spoke. He could have been having a boring conversation that he wasn’t interested in from the way he stood.