Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
“It smells delicious, but you didn’t have to go to any trouble.”
“No big deal. Oh! Speaking of trouble, Ashlynn arrived at the office to discover a contractor was there installing new windows,” Kaylee tells me.
I raise my eyebrows. “Did you call anyone first thing this morning to fix it?” Because how else would someone be working already?
She shakes her head, then places our plates on the table. She puts the frying pan into the sink and turns on the water.
“Leave it,” I tell her. “I’ll clean up.”
She shuts off the faucet. “I won’t argue with that.” We take our seats at the table. She already has maple syrup and powdered sugar on the table, along with orange juice and water. “You know where the coffee is,” she says, picking up her fork.
“Aren’t you concerned someone is fixing our windows?” I ask.
“Nope. Because the man said Lucas Carras arranged for the work to be done.” She pours syrup onto her plate, cuts off a piece of bread, stabs it with a fork, and pops the piece into her mouth.
I’m stunned speechless. “Please tell me you called in and gave the man your business credit card?” Because I don’t want Lucas paying for us. Especially something so expensive.
“Again, nope. That’s between you two.” She points to my plate with her fork. “Eat up before it gets cold.”
I shake my head and wonder what I’m going to do about the man I can’t get out of my head, the man who’s inserted himself into my life, all the while knowing we can’t ever really be together.
Unless… I do what my best friend suggested and sleep with him for the short time we have. Stumped and too tired to keep thinking, I pick up the syrup and drown my French toast before digging in.
CHAPTER TEN
Lucas
Despite the frightening night she’d had, Rainey didn’t call. I doubt she’d had an easy time or a good sleep, but at least she’d had her best friend to keep her company. I still wish it had been me taking care of her.
Instead, I lay awake, my thoughts spiraling from the brick in Rainey’s window to my past ventures with Trick and the guys. We’d been assholes, no doubt, but I’d never threatened anyone. But Trick had and he’d even gone a step further, hurting an old man. If not for the notes that seemed to explicitly target Rainey, I’d wonder if it were Trick threatening her to get to me. But the wording, you don’t deserve nice things, or be prepared to lose everything, that’s personal.
I woke up after a few shitty hours of sleep to a surprising text from Rainey, asking if I was free to stop by her office. Even if I had plans, I’d make the time to make sure she’s okay. But I have nothing on my schedule, so here I am.
I walk into the office, and the same receptionist is seated at her desk.
At the sound of the bells over the door, she glances up. “Hello, Mr. Carras.”
“Hello…”
“Ashlynn,” she says.
I nod. “Ashlynn. I’m here to see—”
“Lucas, hi.” Rainey steps up from behind her. “Come on back.”
I follow her, too aware of the tight leggings, revealing her curvy ass. Even the top is a little tight. Since she went home with Kaylee, I assume she borrowed her clothing. I appreciate the sight and so does my dick. I adjust myself before she turns around.
We step into the room, and I see the back of Kaylee’s head at her desk.
“We have a visitor,” Rainey says to her partner.
Kaylee turns. “Hi, Lucas.”
I nod at her. “Hi.”
“Your arrival is my cue to leave.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Why?” I ask.
“Because Rainey has some things to discuss with you, and I’d like to make myself scarce.”
Beside me, Rainey snickers.
Despite Kaylee gesturing to the closed folding doors leading to the back room which are muffling the sound of the men working on the windows, I’ve already caught on to the problem. Rainey’s upset with me and no doubt thinks I overstepped. I knew I’d have to face her irritation at some point. Might as well do it now.
Kaylee reaches for her purse in her desk drawer and rises to her feet. “Good luck,” she says to me with a smirk on her face. “Bye, Rainey.”
“Bye!” Rainey waves her fingers, an amused grin on her face.
Once her partner leaves, Rainey turns to me, her smile gone, but I’m determined to get ahead of the situation. “Before you say anything, I just wanted to make sure the job was done right, so I hired a crew I knew I could trust.” Courtesy of the work on the club, I have a lot of connections for various construction-related jobs.
Rainey lets out a long breath. “Look, I appreciate you calling someone in to replace the windows. That’s not the issue. The money is. Are they going to bill Golden Palm Events for the work?”