Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
She held no notecards but glanced at a computer screen embedded in the table. The angle of the teleprompter was set so that Hale and I couldn’t read whatever was on the screen.
“Ready when you are,” Hale said, taking my hand.
Her gaze caught the gesture and she smiled. “Great. Rayne, I don’t believe we met. I’m Frankie London.”
Of course, she had a badass name to match her persona. This chick was aging me by the minute.
I shook her hand when it was offered and the moment she let go I dropped my hands onto my lap. Why were my hands always so awkward whenever cameras were around? Hale’s looked completely natural folded together on the table.
Several red lights glowed from the equipment that the crew pointed our way. I reached for my mug, only to find it empty. Great. I was overheating and parched.
“Let’s start with how you two met.”
Hale glanced at me, but I had nothing to say. “Rayne was hired to help my father last summer after he suffered a fall.”
“Are you a nurse?”
I shook my head. “I was hired as Remington’s personal assistant.”
“Remington, not Mr. Davenport? Are you two close?”
“He’s still my boss.”
“And, Hale, how do you feel about your fiancée working for your father?”
Did this woman know that this was a touchy subject? “Rayne and my father have a very special relationship.”
“So, would you say he approves of the marriage?”
I frowned. Was this a Remington interview or a Hale and Rayne interview? As far as I was concerned, the world wasn’t aware of Hale’s rivalry with his dad, and I was one hundred percent sure he preferred it that way.
My protectiveness came out. “Remington is like a father to me.”
Frankie grinned. “And soon he’ll be your father-in-law. How does your biological dad feel about your relationship?”
I froze. There were very few things that triggered me, but my father was one topic I avoided like a minefield.
“Next subject,” Hale said with the authority of a military leader.
“We’ll move on.” Frankie glanced at her teleprompter. “So was it love at first sight?”
Hale fielded the next few questions. I heard reminiscent mentions of The Lady Parr, Remington’s yacht, hurricanes, ducklings, and many other bits and pieces from those earlier days of our relationship, but I wasn’t fully listening until I heard him mention paprika.
No! My eyes widened as I watched in horror, his words coming out in slow motion as he detailed that humiliating night on The Lady Parr. My ears were in denial. He wouldn’t tell that story!
But he was.
“She was adorable,” he said, smiling at me with such innocence. “Half of her face was swollen to twice its usual size and her S’s sounded like T-H’s. I think I fell in love with her that night.”
I was going to murder him.
Frankie smiled. “And Rayne?”
“Huh?”
“When did you fall for Hale? Was it that same night?”
I thought back. The only thing I could recall was how shocked I was the first time Hale made me come. But I couldn’t say that. That wasn’t even the moment. But it seemed all I could think of now that I knew it was the wrong answer. Where the fuck were all the right answers? It was like my memories just vanished. Poof! Gone. Voila! Nada.
“Um…”
Now, not only was Frankie staring at me expectantly, Hale seemed curious as well. Then he appeared concerned. And then hurt. How could I literally think of nothing?
“Flip-flops!” I finally blurted.
“Flip-flops?”
I nodded. “I was coordinating a birthday party on the yacht for Hale’s sister and he brought me flip-flops.”
“Rayne doesn’t like wearing heels,” Hale explained. “I also seduced her with ice cream.”
Frankie laughed. “So would you say you’re the aggressor in the relationship?”
“Definitely.”
“As a Davenport, I assume you’re used to getting what you want.”
“For the most part, but not because I’m a Davenport. I get what I want because once I make the decision that I want something, I become relentlessly focused on the outcome.”
Frankie grinned. “And you wanted Rayne.”
“Very much.”
She turned to me with a grin. “How does it feel to know that you were the central focus of a man as powerful and desirable as Hale Davenport.”
It feels wrong, I thought. Accidental. Make believe. Like the other shoe could fall at any second and my entire world would crumble and burst into flames.
Thank God I kept my mouth shut long enough to think of a better answer than the first ones that came to mind. “It feels flattering.”
She looked at Hale. “Do you find it challenging to manage so many business endeavors and a new relationship?”
“Rayne’s the center of my world.”
Did he have a cheat sheet or something? How did he always know the right thing to say?
“And how does that work with the other lady in your life?”
My head snapped back to Frankie. What other lady? She couldn’t possibly know about Jasmine, could she? Or was she referring to someone else? Because I’d cut a bitch.