Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Once I’m behind my desk, I snatch my cell from my purse to find the number labeled “Cat” that Reid input for me. “Hey, Cat,” I say. “Thank you so much for last night.”
“You sound good considering everything.”
“This huge deal Reid and I have been working on is about to close. It’s exciting and, well, Reid and I are good. I’m going to live with him without hesitation.”
“That’s wonderful. I wasn’t so sure last night that was going to work for you.”
“We talked for a long time. Cat, do you know he and Gabe might pull out of the firm?”
“Yes,” she says. “Gabe told me and honestly, if they make that decision, they’ll make it work. They’re incredible together and all around incredible at their jobs.”
“I noticed,” I say. “It seems to run in your family. And on that note, I’d love to take you to lunch soon and fan girl over your column.”
She laughs. “You’re too kind I’d love to have lunch, but Reese has a huge trial going on that I’m covering. Well, you know that. You read my column. It would need to be next weekend.”
“That works. I’ll call you later in the week.”
“Perfect, and Carrie, you’re good for him. My mom would approve.” She hangs up and Sallie appears in my doorway. “What do I need to do?” she asks.
I motion her forward and she claims the visitor’s chair in front of my desk. “I need to have you fight my insurance company to get me paid. I need to focus on Japan.”
“Of course. Do you need them to advance you for clothes and a place to stay?”
“Get them to pay for all you can, please,” I add.
“Do you need a hotel or a short-term rental?”
“No, but brace yourself,” I warn. “I’m staying with Reid.”
She blinks. “What? You hate each other.”
“No. No, we really don’t. We’re together.”
“Wow. That was fast. So very fast. Carrie, are you sure?”
“Very, and yes, it’s fast but I’ve never felt this way before. He’s not an asshole—well, okay he can be, but I’m working on that.”
She studies me a moment. “He makes you happy?”
“How do I seem today after my apartment burned down?”
“Happy,” she says, surprise in her voice.
“Yes. Happy. I’m alive and so is this company. And Reid—he matters to me.”
The sound of her phone ringing on her desk has her grabbing my phone to answer it. “Eric,” she says. “One moment.” She glances at me and I nod. “Let me patch you through to Ms. West.” She hands me the phone and rushes away.
“Eric,” I greet. “I’m excited we’re working with you.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do, and if this is what you do while your apartment’s being burned down, I’m quite certain I won’t be disappointed. I’m about to email you and Reid the agreement. I’m sure I’ll be hashing out the legalities with him, but I wanted to welcome you on board.”
“Thank you. We’ll do an amazing job for you.”
“I know you will. More soon, Carrie.” We disconnect, and I call Reid.
“Eric just emailed us contracts for the rest of the work. I’m about to pull them up and review them.”
“I’ll go through them at the office.”
“I’ll email you my notes.”
His phone beeps. “That’s Eric calling me,” he says. “I’ll let you know if he adds anything new to the conversation.”
We disconnect and the phone on my desk rings. I smile. I love this day. I love Reid. I grab my phone and dive into the craziness. This is where I belong. This is where I want to be.
Reid shows up back at the office mid-afternoon and he and Eric have hashed out our contract. An hour later, we ink a letter of intent to sign a contract with the owners of the Japan event center. We have one month to come to terms or the bids can reopen. We finally leave the office at seven and order from our favorite sandwich place on the way home.
Home.
With Reid.
It’s really surreal.
It’s on the walk through Battery Park that it hits me we haven’t talked about his father’s retirement. “Your father?”
“No response, which means Gabe and I will close out our current projects, take on no new clients, and leave officially in six months. An announcement will go to the staff after the board meeting next week.”
“How do you feel about it?” I ask as we enter the building.
“It’s surreal,” he says. “That place has been my life, but it feels right. Gabe said the same thing.”
Surreal, I think, as we enter the apartment. There’s a lot of that going around today.
Half an hour later we’re both in sweats, on the couch, with wine in our glasses and work spread out on the table, when our sandwiches arrive. Reid sets them out on the table and surprises me by asking, “Is there anything you want to change in the apartment?”