Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Keep the flowers. I’ll need a fat raise if you want me back.
—Ireland
I laughed out loud. Millie looked at me like I was nuts.
“Can you please call Ms. Saint James? Tell her I don’t negotiate via messenger. Set up a lunch meeting for today at La Piazza at one o’clock.”
***
I looked at my watch. If it were anyone else, I’d have walked out the door by now. Yet fifteen minutes after my scheduled lunch, I was still sitting at the table alone, drinking a glass of water, when Ireland Saint James walked in. She looked around the restaurant, and the hostess pointed to where I was seated.
As she made her way toward me, she smiled. It caught me off guard when my heart started to pump faster. Unlike yesterday and in the clips I’d watched, today her hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail. It showcased her high cheekbones and full lips, focusing attention on just her face. Some women needed window dressing in the form of hair and makeup, but Ireland was even more beautiful without that shit. She had on a royal blue silk shirt and a pair of black slacks. The outfit was pretty conservative, yet she still managed to snag the eye of every man and woman as she made her way through the dining room.
I stood and tried not to let her see how much her appearance affected me. “You’re late.”
“I’m sorry. I was early, but when I walked out to my car, my tire was flat. I had to grab an Uber.”
I extended my hand. “Please sit.”
Ireland took her seat, and the waiter came right over. “May I get you something to drink?”
I looked to Ireland. She smirked and unfolded her napkin. “I don’t usually drink during the day, but since I’m unemployed, not driving, and he’s paying, I’ll have a glass of merlot, please.”
I tried to contain my smile. “I’ll just have a sparkling water.” I glanced at Ireland. “Since I am gainfully employed.”
The waiter disappeared, and Ireland folded her hands in front of her on the table. Ordinarily, people deferred to me to lead the conversation, but this woman wasn’t ordinary.
“So,” she said. “I spoke to my attorney, and he says I have a case against your company for harassment, breach of contract, and emotional distress.”
I sat back into my chair. “Your attorney? And who might that be?”
“His name is Scott Marcum.”
I knew the name from her background investigation a few years back. He’d been her boyfriend at the time. I wondered if they were still together.
“I see. Well, I came to offer you your job back, with an apology and perhaps a small raise. But if you’d rather go through our attorneys, that’s fine, too.” I started to get up from my chair—calling her bluff.
She fell for it. “Actually, I’d rather not deal with attorneys. I was just letting you know what mine said.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Letting me know so you can use it as leverage against me?”
She folded her arms across her chest, mimicking my stance. “Are you going to sit down so we can have a conversation or stomp out like a child?”
The woman had giant balls; I had to give her that. If she only knew how her attitude made me want to take a peek between her legs and check for some. We stared at each other for a full sixty seconds, and then I caved and sat down.
“Alright, Ms. Saint James. Let’s put our cards on the table. What is it that you want?”
“I heard you fired Bickman. Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like the methods he used to monitor his employees.”
“Good. Me either. Plus, he’s a dick.”
My lip twitched. “Yes, there’s that, too.”
“Did you follow me to the coffee shop?”
“No. And for the record, I don’t follow women or my employees around. I happened to walk in to grab a cup of coffee. My phone had rung in the car, and the connection was bad and dropped the call. I needed to compose a text to the caller so she wouldn’t worry.”
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were when you realized who I was?”
“I already answered that question for you the other day. It was a coincidence that I sat down at your table. And then when I realized…I was intrigued about what you might say.”
The waiter brought her wine and my water, and Ireland alternated between watching him and looking at me.
“We’ll need a few minutes,” I said. “We haven’t looked at the menus yet.”
Ireland’s eyes were on me again when the waiter disappeared. She seemed to be mulling something over.
“Any other questions?”
She nodded. “Who was on the phone?”
“Pardon?”
“You said you were on the phone while you were driving, and the call got dropped, and you didn’t want the person to worry.”