Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“I do.”
“But you guys aren’t from here, right? You’re only here on business? It’s been a while. You must miss him.”
“I do.” I catch the hitch in James' voice.
“How long are you all staying?” Rae turns her head toward me. Something flashes in her eyes. Is she worried about me leaving?
“I might be setting up an office here actually. I would need Nathan’s help. I’ll have Mitch go and pick him up tomorrow.” Nathan does handle my personal matters when it comes to my home and most things that don’t center around work. Sometimes it can bleed together. Having him here will not only benefit me but will make James' life better.
She’s changing me by the second. In the past, I would have never done something like this. I would have been focused on business alone, and what I needed to do to be successful. I wouldn’t have taken anyone's personal needs into consideration. But Rae has me doing things that are out of character.
“Who’s Mitch?”
“My pilot.”
“Your pilot,” she says in a shocked tone. “As in you have a plane?” Her eyes widen a little bit more. I nod. “Why do you eat crappy diner food every day if you have a plane?”
“The plane doesn't have a kitchen. Not a full one at least.” James barks out a laugh but covers it with a cough.
“Did you just make a joke, Ivan?” Rae's eyes twinkle with happiness.
“It slipped out.”
“That’s what she said,” Rae quickly responds, making James laugh again. This time he doesn’t try to hide it. “He doesn’t get it!” She points her thumb toward me, and they both start to laugh harder.
I’d fire James, but how could I? Not when whatever this train of jokes they have going on fills the inside of the SUV with my new favorite sound.
Rae’s bright laughter soothes every part of me. I feel myself relax into my seat, the tension I didn’t know was there shaking loose.
She’s definitely changing me. I’m not sure if I should be terrified or elated.
8
Rae
“You don’t know what DoorDash is?” We’re now standing inside of my small apartment. Ivan had suggested we get something to eat.
“James can dash anywhere we like,” he points out.
“Leave him be. He’s probably on the phone with his boyfriend.”
“Nathan.” He fills in the blank for me.
“You mean as in the Nathan you’re sending your pilot to get?” It hits me out of nowhere that it’s James’ boyfriend. I hadn’t put two and two together. I swear Ivan can probably see the hearts dancing around my face at the realization. “That’s so sweet you did that.”
“It’s no big deal. I could use Nathan’s help. He is one of my assistants.”
“How many do you have?”
“A few,” he says casually. It’s a reminder of how different our lives are.
Out of the small things I could pull out of Ivan when he came into the diner, I know his family has one of those legacy things. Whatever that means. I guess wealth is pouring down from generation to generation with each one growing it. I’d also picked up that he might have grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth. But those things weren't so pretty behind closed doors.
Whenever he talked about his father, I could feel a shift in him. Paired with his comment about not getting knocked on his ass any more, I’ve put a few things together for myself. It makes a bit of sense. He can be so cold and standoffish at times. Who wouldn't be if the one person that was supposed to love you beat you? At least my parents dropped us off, knowing they couldn’t handle Travis and me.
“I’m going to order us something.” I start to click away on my app, scrolling through what’s open. “Don’t even try it,” I say when he starts to pull out his wallet. “You tip me a hundred dollars every day. I think I can pay for our pasta.” That’s what I decided on. “You tipped Cara a hundred too. Is that like a base tip range for the wealthy?” I can’t help the jealousy that slips out.
“All I cared about was that she left me alone,” Ivan says as he glances around my small living room. We have a sofa and TV mounted on the wall. We eat our meals at the coffee table or the breakfast bar that divides the kitchen from the living room.
“But you don’t want me to leave you alone?” I place my phone down on the breakfast bar after placing the order and step closer to Ivan. With him in here, the place feels smaller than it already is.
“No.” Again, his answer is simple and to the point. I’d ask him why again, but I think he’s still trying to figure that out in his own mind. That makes two of us.