Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Miss March,” I said, eyeing her dress. “Close the door.”
She remained still, so I walked over and shut it, inhaling her familiar strawberry and mint-scented perfume.
“Before I address our unfinished business—”
“I’ve already told you that I’ve never seen you a day before in my life, Mr. Carrington.”
“Okay.” I smiled, picking up a folder. “Everyone in this building seems to think that you’re the real CEO and not Hazel Swift. Can you tell me why that is?”
“I have no idea,” she said, pointing to her lanyard. “As you can see, before my promotion, I was nothing more than a senior level assistant.”
“You don’t find it strange that your coworkers are willing to tell their brand-new CEO that the current CEO doesn’t do any of her own work?”
“Anyone who follows her on TikTok can tell you that.” She cleared her throat, changing her tone. “I do find that a bit strange, Mr. Carrington. I’m truly honored by what my peers have said about me, though.”
“You and I will clearly need to spend a lot of time together, and you may need a different job title,” I said. “I’d like to set up a schedule for the next few weeks.”
“Sounds good.” She nodded. “I’m available between five o’clock p.m. and five fifteen p.m. I think we can get a lot done during that time. Does that time frame work for you?”
“No.”
“Well, that’s quite unfortunate,” she said. “I’m really busy these days, and that’s all the time I have to spare.”
The door to my side room opened, and I waited for it to shut before responding.
“Well, if that’s all you have to say to me—” She turned away, but I gripped her waist.
“I’m not finished talking to you.”
“What else is there to say, Mr. Carrington?”
“I’d prefer that you call me Tyler whenever we’re alone.”
“If you stick to calling me ‘Miss March,’ I’ll happily consider that. I mean, you’re the one who juggles multiple names and background lies, so I doubt it’ll be that difficult.”
“So, you are remembering things about me?” I smiled. “A lie by omission isn’t a lie.”
“I’ve never seen that hold up in a courtroom.”
“Have you had ‘better’ yet?”
“Better days than this current one?”
“Better sex than what you had with me.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for a CEO to discuss his employee’s sex life.” Her cheeks flushed red. “Although, if you must know, any man I’ve ever invited over had enough decency to leave without insulting my apartment.”
“Probably because he didn’t get a good look at it in the dark.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, but she quickly composed herself. “I really do have a lot of work on my plate today, and there’s a certain issue we will need to talk about very soon, but I don’t think now is the time or place.”
“If the ‘issue’ is whether we can work together given our first encounter, or whether you’re lying about wanting a seventh round with me—”
“I’m pregnant.” She blurted out.
“You’re what?”
“Pregnant.”
“Well, congratulations, Miss March…” I stepped back. “Maternity leave is a human resources matter, though. You should let me know the months you plan to take off when they’re set in stone.”
“The baby is yours.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You, Tyler William Carrington II, Non-Liar by Omission, Man Who Is Literally Standing in Front of Me, are the child’s father. You.”
Silence.
I stared at her for several seconds, waiting for her to tell me that this was playful nonsense. A first-day prank of some kind.
“I was trying to find you to let you know. But, as I’m sure you can assume, it was hard to do that when I didn’t have your real name.”
“You had my phone number.”
“I haven’t slept with anyone else since my birthday, so if you’re thinking about challenging this, I left my lab work and samples at Mercy Clinic for a paternity test.”
“I’m still stuck on the ‘baby is mine’ part.”
“Good.” She smiled. “That’s called acceptance.”
“Quite ironic, coming from the person who’s spent most of today in denial.”
“I’m a little over six weeks as of today and at some point we’ll need to talk more.” She ignored my comment. “I don’t plan to tell anyone else or ever share a word of it with the press, but I want you to know that what happened between us on that night will never happen again. Once was enough.”
“It happened far more than once.”
“Maybe the other times weren’t memorable.” She stepped back and grabbed the door handle. “What exactly was the ‘unfinished business’ you wanted to discuss with me?”
I gave her a blank stare.
“Okay, well—” She unclasped my watch from her wrist and set it on my bookcase. Then she opened the door. “I’m going home for the rest of the day. Have a great first day at Rogue Publishing, Mr. Carrington. Welcome to the States.”
Settling In
Tyler
Seattle, Washington
I stared at my door long after Chloe walked away, still trying to process whatever the hell that was.