Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
"Actually, he races Indy cars," I said.
Everyone in the meeting turned to look at me. As I was newer on the staff of the city magazine, I didn't typically speak up until it was time for pitches, and even then I was probably not as vocal as I should be.
Dean looked down at his paperwork, running a finger along his notes. "Oh, yeah, Indy racing. Second year coming up. Quite a hotshot, I think. I've been in touch with his manager and they're looking for some good PR."
"I'd like this one," I said. I didn't even think; I just spoke on impulse. Meanwhile, part of my brain was working double time. Axel was going to live here? Last I'd seen, he was settled on the other coast.
Again, all eyes were on me, and Dean's were clearly skeptical. "Kayla?"
I knew he was thinking that I probably wasn't a good fit for this. My typical articles were about neither sports nor celebrities.
"I'm a big racing fan, and I'm familiar with his career," I said. "Even prior to his Indy racing."
Someone to the right of me chuckled, and I realized I sounded like a fangirl. Axel had a reputation for having a lot of female fans, most of whom probably didn't even know the difference between a road course and an oval.
Dean stared at me for a beat, then looked around the table as if he were hoping for any other takers. Seeing none, he returned to me. "You really think you're ready for this, Kayla?"
"Definitely, Dean." I knew I sounded eager, and I didn't care.
He hesitated another second, then nodded once. "Okay, Kayla on Beckers. We'll want stuff on his career, his personal life, and why he's relocating here. Details about his house, if it's newsworthy." He looked back at his notes. "Also, I told his manager we'd call today. Beckers is in town for a few days this week."
"Got it," I said. I felt the thrill of victory, which lasted for approximately five seconds before the reality of the situation set in. Would Axel even agree to meet with me?
CHAPTER 2
SEXY, SMART AND ALL GROWN UP
KAYLA
That afternoon, I called his manager and set up a lunch interview with Axel for the following day. Before heading home, I stuck my head in a coworker's cubicle.
"Marlee, I need to borrow your name."
"Sure. Just be sure to have it dry-cleaned before you give it back." She continued to tap away on her keyboard as she answered me.
"Will do. Oh, and can I also borrow a couple of your business cards?"
"What's up, Kayla?" Marlee stopped typing and looked over her shoulder at me.
"You know my Axel Beckers assignment?"
"The one you begged Dean for?"
"I didn't beg for it," I protested.
"You kind of did," Marlee said. "Anyway, yes?"
"Well, I can't let Axel know who I am or I'm pretty sure he won't meet with me."
Now she swiveled her chair to face me directly. "And why is that?"
I avoided her stare and fiddled with the name plate on her cubicle. "It's a long story."
"Hmmm…" Marlee appraised me with a long stare. "And it sounds like a good story," she said. "I’m basically at a stopping point. Let's go get drinks."
She quickly logged off and we headed downstairs and around the corner to our favorite happy hour bar. We found a table in a quieter section and my coworker wasted no time resuming our conversation.
"So what is this long story you have that involves Axel Beckers?"
A waiter came over and we ordered our usual.
"I'd like to keep this between us," I said, lowering my voice.
"Of course." I could see the anticipation building on Marlee's face.
"I used to be sort of related to Axel. He was my stepbrother."
"Wow. Really?"
"My mom was married to his dad for, oh, about a year when I was a teenager."
"Did you live with him? Wait—" Marlee interrupted me before I could begin to answer. "Why do you think he won't meet with you? What happened?"
"Our parents' marriage was terrible. Axel's dad cheated on my mom. My mom went kind of crazy about it. It was a really ugly divorce. I'm sure he doesn't want to see me ever again, and my god, my mom would go crazy again if she knew I was meeting with Alexander Beckers' son."
"But you're meeting with him face-to-face tomorrow, right? How is he not going to recognize you?"
"Oh, I look a LOT different now than I did when he knew me. Let's just say I was a late bloomer."
Marlee laughed, and the server approached with our drinks.
"So if there's bad blood, why do you even want to do the interview?" she asked.
Here I paused, and I couldn't come up with a good answer. "Curiosity, I guess," I finally said. "I didn't really think it through in the meeting."
"But you think you can pull it off? Not being recognized, I mean?" Marlee asked.