Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I ask that question to keep from blurting out the one I really want to ask. I haven’t seen Eloise in ten days but that hasn’t stopped my mind from focusing on her.
“Eloise mentioned him when she stopped by for dinner last weekend.”
I want to ask where the fuck my invitation was, but I stop myself. I’ve kept my encounter in the club with Eloise to myself for two goddamn years. Now, that I know she was the beauty I brought to orgasm, I need to keep that secret forever, especially since she has no idea I’m the masked man who took her into that room.
“Daxton was the guy who collapsed in Atlas 22,” I explain because I have no idea what Eloise told him. “He’s doing well now.”
“Good.” He nods.
The door is open for me to ask how Eloise is, but I slam it shut because it’s none of my damn business.
“I wanted to meet up to ask a favor.” He shakes his head. “If you don’t have time for this, tell me, Gaines. We’ll go in another direction.”
Curiosity piqued, I smile. “Lay it on me.”
“I thought my daughter might look to me or Astrid for help with this, but you’re her first choice, so…”
“So?” I interrupt. “If it’s for Stevie, I’m in.”
“She needs to do a report on someone she admires.” His voice wavers slightly. “She said you save lives, so you’re it. She needs an hour, two tops, to interview you.”
Touched, that Stevie views me in that light, I nod. “I’ll make the time. Tell her to text me.”
He laughs. “I’ll give her phone back to her so she can do that.”
Finishing the final swallow of my coffee, I chuckle. “Uh, oh. What did little Miss Morgan do?”
“She accidentally called 911 from math class.” He closes his eyes briefly. “She felt horrible, but she was on her phone in class, so it stays with one of us while she’s at school now.”
I smile. “Live and learn, right?”
“Right.” He nods. “She’ll be in touch in the next day or so. If you’ve got time this weekend, we can do another family dinner before the interview. I’ll get Keats, Maren, Sinclair, and Jameson to come, too.”
Eloise’s name sits on the tip of my tongue. I want to suggest he extend an invitation to her, but I don’t.
“I’ll see if Eloise is free too,” he adds, as if he can read my mind, before he veers off in a direction I’d never venture to. “I’ll get her to drag her boyfriend with her.”
“Sure. Why not?” I bite out with a forced smile.
Oblivious to the bitterness in my tone, he drops his gaze to his phone when it starts to ring. “I need to take this.”
That’s my cue to head back to work so with a quick goodbye, I do just that.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Eloise
Penny spins in a tight circle in the middle of my living room. “I love your place, Els.”
I’ve come to love it too.
The two bedroom apartment I currently call home was bought by Astrid’s late mom years ago. It was a package deal with the record store two floors below where we are currently standing.
After her mom died, Astrid inherited it all. Draco was already in Manhattan trying to land a job. When Astrid offered him a full-time position at Vinyl Crush, he took it immediately.
My plans to move to New York were already in motion at the time. I’ve always considered this city the fashion epicenter of the world, so I knew I needed to be here to find inspiration and hone my craft.
I slept on the couch in Draco’s one bedroom walkup in Murray Hill, until he went home to help our dad with his carpentry business.
His departure sent me into the home of two friends from school. They had an extra bedroom and needed someone to help cover rent, so I jumped at the chance.
I jumped again when Astrid moved in with Berk and handed me the keys to this apartment.
She insisted I not pay her a dime in rent. I swore I would.
I won that fight.
It’s important to me that I take care of myself. I think she gets that now.
“Thanks,” I say, adding more, “I rent it from my cousin.”
“Is that the same cousin that is married to Dr. Morgan’s cousin?”
Not that it matters, but I nod, and ask a question that I hope leads her away from the subject of the gorgeous doctor, “What can I get you to drink?”
“Vodka?” She laughs but follows it up with a much tamer answer. “A glass of cold water would be heaven, Els.”
I walk to the kitchen, sliding one of the glasses from the cupboard. I fill it with tap water, stopping to drop two ice cubes from my freezer in it.
When I hand it off to Pen, she downs more than half in a single gulp. “Thank you.”