Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Keenan laughs—and then doubles over and laughs some more like the deranged hyena he is. “Man, get a grip before I have to make you take a sick day. If you give me premature grey hair, I will kill you, Brock Winthrope.”
“Grandma always told me everything happens for a reason. Miss Renee dropped into my lap to help with our marketing, not my sex life.” Goddamn, my throat feels like cotton.
“See, you’re snarling again. For what it’s worth, my grammy always told me club soda gets red wine out of white, but it’s not always true. Way to change the subject,” he tosses back.
“That green-eyed little—”
“There. Right there,” he says, stabbing a finger at me. “Probably best you don’t call her that. Unless you two know each other so well you’re on insulting terms—”
“I don’t know her!” I’m damn near shouting now.
“Yeah, not buying it. You suck at lying.”
“Hardly the point. She’s here to solve our reputation problem, Keenan. I need her suggestions, even if she continues to make a game of pissing me off.”
“You know she never formally accepted the promotion, right? HR said the document remains unsigned.”
“What?” I clip. “I brought her friend Miss Landers along for the ride, didn’t I? What the hell is she waiting for?”
“Let’s go easy on the teakettle impressions, okay? You are steaming. Anyhow, I’m not sure, but not growling out conspiracy theories like they’re gospel might be helpful.”
“You’re no help.” I turn my back on him and stomp to my desk. “Your opinion is noted, Mr. Dutton, since I’ve heard it a hundred times. I was raised to follow my gut, and I’m certain this is not a baseless conspiracy. We have corporate subterfuge on our hands, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“Good luck,” he mutters.
“Careful,” I snap, giving him a flaying look.
“Sorry. I can’t blame you for being stressed,” he says. “Still, I think you’d be wise to do your own investigation. Why air anything that’s unproven to our A-listers? It’s bad for morale.”
As much as I want him to be wrong, he isn’t.
I slump in my chair. “Fine, let’s take care of what we can control. Follow up with Miss Porcupine and see if she’ll accept the promotion.”
He nods. “And if she has any doubts? If she turns it down, do you want me to repost the position?”
No, goddammit.
I shake my head tensely.
I want Piper Renee working on my content almost as badly as I want to smother her insolent mouth.
Purely business, I tell myself.
A few bouts of blue balls are a small price to pay around here for competence.
After five I call Keenan. “Has she accepted yet?”
“She hasn’t given me an answer.”
“Most of Marketing is still here. Let’s go.”
“Not necessarily. I told you I’ll take care of it.”
“Keenan, we’ve had twenty-four hours, and she hasn’t answered you. I need to be sure this isn’t another game,” I say.
“Hopefully, your charm goes over better than it did this morning,” he says with a stifled laugh.
“Just meet me at the damn elevator.”
When we arrive at her desk, I hesitate, drinking her in for a few heady seconds.
Miss Sunshine has her headphones on, this mess of blond curls and slender shoulders, laser focused on reviewing one of our YouTube ads. I stand behind her for the longest time before she notices I’m there.
“Miss Renee?” I finally say, standing over her shoulder.
She practically hits the ceiling, throwing her hands up. Her chair lurches backward so fast I’m afraid it’ll topple over.
I throw a hand against the back of the chair to stabilize it. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Look alive.”
“No? So there’s another reason to leer over me?” she says bitterly.
“I need you to accept the offer with HR. We’re still waiting for an answer.” I gesture to Keenan next to me, who’s wearing that mask that says he’s loving every miserable second of this.
She studies me suspiciously.
“Whatever. I accept. Just don’t make me regret this.”
“The only regret is if you don’t start immediately,” I say.
“You know, I stayed at this beautiful hotel on vacation once.” She glances at the screen where the Lanai resort slowly pans out, her voice loaded like she’s baiting me to ask.
“And?”
“And you could learn a lot from the manager there. He seemed to actually care about people and their regrets. I wonder if it was an act, though. Everything else he did was.”
“Not all of it,” I whisper.
Fuck.
Why do I even bother?
She thinks I’m walking around on hooves with little horns, so odds aren’t great she’ll believe me.
Still, she smiles. “I’m sure you wouldn’t know. You weren’t there.”
I cock my head.
Why is she toying with me again?
I just need her to solve the reputation problem, not lecture me on morals.
“Give me one minute,” I say, walking off and waving at Keenan to follow.
“That was easier than I thought. You should be happy,” he says.