Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“I made the team and became captain the next year.”
“And when everyone suggested you apply to some ‘safety schools’ for your PhD, instead of just your top three choices, because all of them had a less-than-ten-percent acceptance rate?”
I smiled. “I got into all three.”
“Do I need to go on? Because I’m still bitter over me staying behind after I told you you’d never get backstage to meet Justin Timberlake when you were sixteen.” Greer shook her head. “You want to know what I think the real problem is?”
“I’m not sure. Do I?”
“The boss. You think he’s a bigger challenge than the job itself, and maybe he is. But so what? Look at him like a project you need to tackle, separate from the position. The Boss Project. It sort of has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
I nibbled on my bottom lip. “I don’t know. This guy made me nervous for some reason. I felt like he was trying to read my mind or something.”
Greer scoffed. “Trust me. You wouldn’t have been offered a job if he could see what was going on in there. I sort of imagine it like Cirque du Soleil, only the performers are a little drunk and also doing mind-bending, complex math problems while folding themselves into pretzels.”
I laughed. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll think about it more later.” I finished my coffee and got up to rinse my mug in the sink. “Right now, I need to get dressed and go meet with my lawyer about the lawsuit. But don’t worry, I’ll be at the store to cover you by five, like I promised.”
“Thanks. Our appointment isn’t until six, so you can even come closer to five thirty. But when did you hire someone to represent you? You didn’t mention that.”
“I didn’t yet. But I think I finally found the perfect man for the job.”
“Where did you get him?”
“It’s someone I’ve known for years.”
My sister’s nose scrunched up. She knew all of my friends. “Who?”
“Simon.”
Her eyes flared. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope.”
“I’m kind of surprised he agreed to take the case. He’s a nice guy and all, but he always treated Mia like she was some sort of queen.”
“Well, he doesn’t know he’s taking it yet.”
Greer laughed. “Oh, Lord. This should be interesting. I’ll grab an extra bottle of wine for when you get home tonight.”
“Thanks, sis.”
She shook her head. “I still can’t believe Christian is suing you. The guy has giant balls.”
“I know. Such a shame his penis wasn’t a matching set.”
• • •
“Evie? What are you doing here?” Simon asked.
I looked at the receptionist, who had just walked me back for my eleven-AM meeting. She looked confused.
“Evie is what they call me for short,” I explained.
Her nose wrinkled. “For Jill?”
Simon waved to the receptionist. “It’s fine. Evie, or Jill, come on in.”
He came around from behind his desk and kissed me on the cheek. “So you’re my eleven o’clock? What’s with the fake name?”
“I’m actually surprised you didn’t crack the code. You must be slipping, Simon.”
“Code? What do you mean?”
“The name I gave.”
Simon walked back around his desk and looked at the printed-out calendar on top. “I thought the last name was unusual. Tedbride.”
“Say it with the first name.”
He looked down again. “Jill Tedbride.”
“Now put them together.”
“Jilted bride. Cute. Guess I’m a little slow on the sixth-grade gags. I might’ve gotten Ben Dover or Mike Hawk. But what did you make an appointment for?”
“I have some legal trouble I was hoping you could help me with.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear it. What’s going—oh, wait…” He shook his head. “No. Definitely not. If you’re here about what I think you’re here about, I can’t help you.”
“Please, Simon. I know you were mad that I didn’t give you the heads up before my speech at the wedding, but I thought we were past that.”
Simon ran his hand through his hair. “I’m not mad at you for not telling me. It’s just… I’m trying to put what happened behind me.”
“So am I. That’s why I need you to help me with this ridiculous lawsuit.”
“I can refer you to someone.”
“Come on, Simon. Isn’t there a little part of you that wants to stick it to Christian?”
He took a deep breath. “There’s a big part of me that would like to pummel him. But I promised Mia I’d work on letting it go.”
My head reared back. “Mia? Why would you promise her anything?”
Simon looked back and forth between my eyes. “You don’t know we’re back together, do you? Mia and I are trying to work it out.”
My face twisted. “What? Why would you do that?”
He took off his glasses and tossed them on his desk before rubbing his eyes. “It’s complicated, Evie.”
My face grew hot. “No, it’s not. When your girlfriend is caught screwing her best friend’s fiancé, it’s pretty simple. You throw her shit out on the lawn and change the locks. How could you take her back?”