Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
I wrinkle my nose at him because I don’t love the way that sounds, but it’s also fair.
Nick’s expression has lost its placid “I’ve got the high ground” look in favor of studying Heath critically. “I’ve never heard of you.”
“Marino?” The guy I don’t know has joined us. “Man, aren’t you the dude who developed Rain and Fury? I love that game. I always thought it should have been bigger. We met at South by Southwest a couple of years back.”
Heath seems to search his brain. “Chad, right?”
It’s always an -ad.
He nods enthusiastically and offers his hand, which Heath takes.
“I didn’t hear you were seeing anyone,” Nick murmurs as we all start making our way to the brownstone.
Piano music drifts out of one of the second story windows. I’m certain CeCe’s brought in some Broadway star to impress her guests.
“It’s not really anyone’s business,” I reply, ignoring the arm he offers to help me up the stairs.
I can make it up the stairs fine. Mostly.
“Still prickly as always,” Nick says with a sigh. “You know that was always your problem, Ivy. You could never take good advice. You had to be the man.”
“No, I had to be the boss. Because I was literally the boss,” I reply, and I can hear my voice coming out louder than I expected.
He rings the bell, and I can see the inner doors opening. “When you’re ready to be serious about getting back to work, give me a call. I’ll help you out for old time’s sake.”
“She has a job.” Heath is next to me again, and he frowns down at me, a confused cute-boy look. “Don’t you?”
He looks like his heart could be broken with a few careless words, like he’s hanging on to whatever I say next.
He’s good at this. I wonder how many of his friends he’s saved with this act.
“Of course. Why do you think we’re here? For the excellent food? For the entertainment? For the massive amounts of gossip we’re about to hear?” The doors open and there’s a very CeCe Foust man there, ready to usher us in. By that I mean he can’t be more than twenty-two and probably formerly worked as a stripper.
Nothing wrong with that. He’s strictly there for show. She has a butler who is five hundred years old and knows all of New York’s secrets. Harold runs the house while this guy opens the door and brings CeCe her coffee. It’s a good gig. I’ve heard CeCe offers complete medical and dental, so good for him.
“We’re here for the money,” I announce as I put my arm through his and let him lead me right past my ex. Nick stares like he’s trying to figure something out. It’s not a look I like because a thoughtful Nick can be a troublesome Nick.
I ignore him. Heath has gotten me past the bad part, and I’m ready to move on.
“Nice dress,” Heath whispers as we move into the inner sanctum. “You look great.”
Yeah, Heath is proving good for my ego, but I need to put that aside.
It’s time for the real performance to begin.
Chapter Six
“Sorry I was late.” Heath grabs a shrimp tart off the very attractive cater waiter as he passes by. “I take it even though we aren’t here for the excellent food, I can still eat it, right? Because I got caught up in this interview and forgot to eat. That’s also why I was late.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about. “You were right on time.”
He nods. “Which means I was late. Also, I’m sorry about the kissing you thing. I couldn’t think of what else to do. He was being an asshole, and the other two were worse.”
Ah, so he’d heard something I hadn’t. I can guess it was something about me being the queen bitch of the world who tried to take Nick down with me. He’d been walking up from the opposite direction, coming in from behind the bros. I oddly don’t like him apologizing for the kiss. “I was happy for the save. He was acting like I might cry at the thought of him with another woman. And you should absolutely eat everything here. It will all be spectacular. I’ve heard she’s got the last winner of Top Chef chained to her kitchen island. You didn’t seem surprised I had an ex here.”
“I might have done a deep dive on you after you left.” He refuses the wine he’s offered. “Something I should have done before I gave you forty percent of my company.”
“Forty percent of nothing is nothing.” I do not let the gorgeous man with the red wine get away from me. I glance around the room and recognize most of the people here, the ones in the tech world. The rest of the party will be filled with actors and writers and singers and people who generally amuse CeCe.