Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Then, do it,” Winnie said like it was that easy.
“I don’t even know if I’m going back to New York at this point.”
“We’ll open it here in LA.”
“We?” I asked, raising my brows.
“What? You think I’m going to let you have all the fun?” She gripped my wrist and pulled me closer.
“We have the non-compete still.”
Winnie waved her hand, unconcerned. “Those things are never held up in court. And anyway, if Margery can do it to you, she can do it to me. And I don’t want to be under her fire. So, if you’re starting your own company, count me in.”
I put my hand to my heart. I was touched. I couldn’t believe Winnie would go out on a leap of faith with me like that.
“All right,” I said, nodding my head. “Let’s do it.”
“What were you thinking of calling it? Maybe Class? Because we actually have it.”
I laughed at her slight. “I’m thinking E&B.”
Winnie grinned. “English & Bardwaj PR. I approve.”
A few minutes later, we ran into Gregory. He was tall and skinny and pale, built like a reed. He wore a ten-thousand-dollar suit and a smile like a fox. His dark hair was thinning and receding. His fingers twitched as if desperate for a keyboard. He was a bit of a genius. But in the way that he had been told too many times and truly believed it. He had this nasty habit of insulting everyone in his presence and always tried to make you think it just might be a compliment.
I had no idea why Winnie put up with him.
“Anna English,” Gregory said in surprise. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen a disgraced woman in public with her husband.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
He pointed his long, bony finger over my shoulder. I whirled around to find Josh standing at a window with a blonde actress that I recognized but couldn’t remember her name. My stomach flipped. Of course he was here. He’d had to show up at the one place I was. And, that place had to be where we’d first met.
I hadn’t seen him since I throat-punched him in my apartment in New York. I hadn’t wanted to see him in LA. I definitely didn’t want to see him flirting with someone else. Regardless of our current divorce situation.
“Thanks for that, Gregory,” I ground out.
“Of course, English. Whatever they’re feeding you in New York looks great on your hips.”
I bit back a reply about his receding hairline, and instead, I shot a pleading look at Winnie. Seriously, how could she stand him?
“I’m going to get some fresh air,” I said with an eye roll.
“I’ll come find you in a minute,” Winnie called.
I waved her off and then slipped through the side door that led out to the veranda and the pool beyond that. I breathed in the autumn LA air, which smelled faintly of smog, dashed dreams, and year-round summer. It didn’t smell at all like New York when I’d left. It’d had this faint smell like winter was about to descend and blanket the world in its never-ending cold. Here, I could wear a strapless dress in the middle of November. There, layers were my friend. LA I’d missed so badly all the time. And now, was I missing New York?
I turned around to head back inside and just deal with Gregory’s behavior. But standing in the entrance was Josh. He stared at me as if seeing a ghost.
“English?” he whispered hesitantly.
“Hi, Josh.”
“What are you doing in LA?”
“Well,” I said, leaning back against the railing, “my sister was shot in New York.”
His eyes bulged, and he stepped fully out onto the veranda. “Taylor? Holy shit! Is she okay?”
“Went through her thigh and one grazed her hip. Hit the femoral artery, and she had to have surgery to stop the blood. But… she’s lucky. She was discharged within a week, and we were able to bring her home. Her friend is still in the hospital. And apparently, the guy who did this… has killed most of his victims.”
“Jesus Christ,” Josh said. “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
I shook my head. “No, there’s really nothing anyone can do. It’s been… horrible.”
He tentatively stepped forward, as if afraid I would throat-punch him again. He rested a hand on my arm. “I’m really, truly so sorry to hear that. Taylor is a good kid. She doesn’t deserve that. And I just… I hate that you’re going through it alone.”
I nodded. I hated that I was going through it alone, too. It was so much to carry on my shoulders. And suddenly, tears hit me fresh. Josh and I had been together so long. I’d always been able to be myself with him. To tell him everything. Now, I couldn’t stop the tears.