Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 111980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
It’s his turn now. My stomach jumps.
But Sawyer looks unflappable, cool, and so professional as he meets her eyes. “I’ve been studying your production company and the work you do. Your shows have been incredibly successful. I understand you always come in on budget. The actors speak highly of you. You’ve earned their respect and the respect of this industry.”
How does he know that? Why didn’t I think to research that?
“They do,” she says, a note of pride in her voice.
“Efficiency matters in any business,” he continues. “Especially entertainment, where it’s easy to overspend. If you shoot at our daycare, you’ll have space that needs no additional build-out and staff who know what they’re doing. And I presume you’ll need access to plenty of dogs for extras.” He nods to me. “Chloe can handle the script breakdowns and train your supporting actors. I can provide signed talent waivers from daycare clients so their dogs can be used as extras, and paid for their time, but with no additional fee for my time, of course. You get well-behaved animals, and your production stays on track. On time. On budget.” He takes a beat, then delivers his closing line. “Without pulling focus from Jubilee.”
The producer nods slowly. “Interesting. Very interesting. Dog extras.” She turns to Linus. “Thank you for setting this up.” Then she whips her gaze back to us. “We’ll be in touch.”
That’s all she says, and I have no idea how to interpret that. None. I just hope she wasn’t as turned on by Sawyer’s speech as I was.
Efficiency? Talent waivers? Pulling focus?
Why was that hot? It wasn’t the other night at the bar when I pretended to snooze. But it was just now. Maybe seeing him in action made all that business-management stuff sexy. I don’t even know. But I know this—I might need to change my panties.
I gather Captain’s leash as Alexandra gives me a stony nod. “Thank you again,” I say.
One more nod, and I’ve been dismissed.
We stride through the lobby quietly. My brow knits as I try to take the temperature on that meeting. But I’m not getting a reading. Once we step outside, the doors swing open again behind us, and Linus races down the steps, wingtips flapping.
My heart skips. Clearly, he must’ve just been told we won the gig.
He stops, catching his breath. “Wow, that was quite a sprint. I mean, it was only ten feet, but sure.”
“Yes, it was,” Sawyer says.
“What’s going on?” I ask, desperately wanting to get to the good stuff. I hope he’s here with good stuff.
“I just wanted to say that was amazing. I’ve never been so proud of this town. I’d love to take the two of you out to dinner. Would you be available at seven?”
Oh. I deflate. He didn’t come out to tell us we’d blown Alexandra away. But I probably can’t say no to dinner with the mayor. Besides, Linus is good people.
“Sure, sure,” I say, then turn to Sawyer, unable to resist a dig. “Or do you have a hot date, Sawyer?”
He checks his watch. “It appears I’m free—unless dinner with the mayor counts as a hot date.”
Linus wags a finger. “Aww, you two.”
A little later, I’ve dropped off Captain, and Sawyer is driving me to dinner with the mayor, but I’m still replaying the meeting. Should I have asked Alexandra one more question? Shown one more trick? Talked up one more skill?
I want this more than I’d even realized. It’s like an ache in my soul, this longing.
* * *
“And then I said, ‘Mom, did they really call me that when I was five?’ But she brought out the head of the preschool, who said, ‘Well, if it isn’t the mayor of Darling Springs Nursery School.’”
I laugh. It’s sweetly funny, Linus’s tale of his younger days and how he was called “mayor” even before kindergarten. He’s been entertaining here at Happy Place, where the salty sea breeze drifts into the open windows, adorned with fairy lights.
Sawyer lifts his glass of iced tea. “You were born to do this, my man,” he says.
And I register those words—my man—then turn them over in my head. I think of how Sawyer speaks to Zuri with fondness, humor, and respect. To the way he pitched Alexandra with a Mad Men kind of style. To how he handles Linus, winning him over with a nickname that’ll surely please the eager-to-please guy. Sawyer has a way about him—reading people, knowing how to talk to them, finding common ground.
“Aww, you’re too kind,” Linus says, then reaches for an olive from the appetizer tray before he says to Sawyer, “So, tell me everything. How are you finding Darling Springs?”
“I’m finding it a little after Cozy Valley on a map,” Sawyer says in that signature dry style that’s as sexy to me as that beard. Speaking of, is his beard a little thicker than usual? Is he trimming it less? How would it feel?