Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Arik feared the good-hearted laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes. The day was already too stressful and they hadn’t even gotten started.
“I believe so. My team’s been here testing all morning. We’re good to go.” Tristan lifted a hand and pointed to a group of men huddled together talking. He recognized Landry, the senior executive who first approached him on this deal. This might be what he liked the most about Wilder, Inc. Their two top senior executives were onsite for the walk-through. At this point, it was a formality. The soft opening had garnered favorable reviews on the new technology and the place opened in a few short days, but they were here with Arik to witness it all come to life. That dedication said a lot.
“Are you guys coming with us?” Arik asked Gage.
“No. My curator’s in the gallery, setting up. We’ve got some homes to…”
“Wait. Stop talking. There are far more important things to discuss,” Arik said, lifting a hand. “When’s my piece coming?”
Gage looked offended. “You can’t ask someone when their gift’s due to arrive.” All of a sudden, the kid who ate dirt as a child was the Emily Post of manners.
Tristan barked out a laugh again, most probably from the odd family dynamic playing out in front of him. Arik knew Gage had done some news segments for Wilder, and they were in talks about making him the lead news anchor for Wilder’s new special correspondent podcasts. Wilder had personally commissioned that deal when he’d met Gage at Arik’s Escape Dubai property, and yes, it turned out to be a surprise to his company. It had given Wilder a firsthand view of the Layne family involvement with one another. The entire extended family was raised virtually together, the whole lot of them. All Arik’s siblings, along with Gage and his crew, were deeply connected. The Layne family ties ran deep.
“Sure I can. I’m saving that space to exhibit the art.” He extended a hand behind Gage to indicate the front desk’s barren wall.
“What if it’s an ashtray?” Gage asked, turning toward the large blank space.
“I suggest you make a change in the design then.” Arik smirked, pretending he hadn’t bothered Gage to death over this piece. He knew the exact dimension of what was coming his way.
“Haven’t you heard the old saying…beggars can’t be choosers?” Gage asked, turning back to Arik. “It’ll be here tomorrow.”
“And once it’s hung, you’ll get me the proper lighting?” Arik turned to Trent for the confirmation.
“As much as I’ve heard about this piece, it sounds amazing. I checked the schedule before you arrived. Should be done by tomorrow afternoon,” he confirmed with a nod.
“Great. Now go find your dream home with a HOA enforced code on exactly what length to cut each blade of grass,” Arik mocked Gage. Game back on.
“Really, A? You’re giving me shit after that?” Gage shot right back, hooking a thumb toward BT.
“You ready, Wilder?” Arik ignored his cousin’s comment, looking over at Tristan, he extended a hand.
“I am,” Tristan answered, the smile still on his face.
“Let’s do this thing. I’m excited to get this announced to the world. We’ve done wonders here.”
Chapter 3
Kellus reached for his duffle bag in the passenger seat of his van, then dug out his hoodie. It was hot as hell outside, but he’d just left the gym—still very much feeling the burn from his workout—and was a hot sweaty mess.
He hadn’t anticipated how his sadistic trainer would beat his body up today when he’d scheduled a trip to the grocery store afterward.
Kellus reached for the rearview mirror, checked his appearance, then quickly untied the leather strap holding his bangs in place. He gathered the wayward strands and the longer pieces on top that had escaped during his workout and neatly tied them back off his face.
After grabbing his wallet and cell, he opened the door and stepped out, thankful his shaky legs held him up. He shrugged the hoodie on, zipped it up, and decided to check his phone for any missed calls. He clutched the device, ran a finger over the screen to see nothing new. No missed calls and no missed texts. His email had four new messages though, all about the orders that had already been placed and were ready for delivery.
He remembered a time he wouldn’t have gone an hour without someone hitting up his phone. Now, outside of work and random calls in the middle of the night to pick up John, no one ever checked in.
Not letting himself dwell, he dropped the phone in his pocket, slammed the van door shut, and hit the key fob to lock it as he walked toward the entrance of Whole Foods.
“Whoo, look at you, hot sexy thing.”
Kellus glanced over his shoulder to see Velma, the woman who usually helped him at the deli counter, walking toward him from her parked car.