Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
So I don’t. Not yet. I will still hope for possibility that this is temporary and not life altering.
If I look ahead, thank goodness things are getting closer to wrapping up with my ex-boss. On Wednesday I will go to the city and go through trial preparation against Parker, and the thought doesn’t help my stomach issues, that is for certain.
I have no problem telling what I saw, what I taped, or what I heard and reported to the police. I just dread the cross-examination. It is brutal and ugly and I hate the whole process. But I know the district attorney will go over the usual suggestions: give short answers, only answer what they ask, don’t go off on tangents, and tell the truth. Right. While Parker glares daggers at me across the room.
I place a hand over my stomach and breathe in deep. It is time to get dressed. When asked, Austin insisted I should be casual for Dan’s party, but I am meeting Summer Michelle, a woman I’ve admired from afar since her days on Star Power. Her voice, her talent, and how she rose above a viral video that could have derailed her career but somehow only made it stronger, all are things to respect. Plus, she is famous. It is a cool thing, and I want to look good.
Not to mention I am meeting Austin’s friends and coworkers, and I hope to make a decent impression. So I choose a pair of jeans in deference to dressing casual, and my favorite cold-shoulder shirt and a pair of black boots. I pull my hair into a deliberately messy bun and add makeup to cover my pale cheeks. And then I head to meet up with Austin in the kitchen.
* * *
Austin
I pull up to Dan’s, a white house with black shutters, and from the cars along the street, we aren’t the first ones there. Mia was quiet on the way, and I am worried she still doesn’t feel well. But she doesn’t seem to want to talk, and I give her space until we pull up to the curb and I park.
“You ready to go in?” I ask.
“Yep.” She flashes me an obviously forced smile.
“Hey.” I place a hand over hers. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She nods. “I am. And I’m excited to meet Summer… and of course your friends. So let’s go!”
I shoot her a concerned look, not really buying the I’m fine claim, but what can I do?
I lead her to the house, and before we can open the door, it flings open.
“Austin!” Dan says. “I saw you coming up the walk and I wanted to greet you and your pretty guest.”
I glance at Mia, who blushes at the compliment. “Dan, this is Mia Atwood. Mia, meet Dan Wilson, my boss.”
“A pleasure,” Mia says with a smile. “Thank you for having me over.”
“The pleasure is mine. Come in, you two. Everyone is in the kitchen. You know how it is,” he says to me. “We all gravitate there.” He laughs and gestures inside the house.
I lead Mia toward the kitchen and family room, where my friends and coworkers have congregated.
I introduce Mia to Ava Talbott, Jared Wilson, Dan’s son, and Ben Hollander. The other members of the team, Shane Landon and Tate Shaw, are away doing freelance work, which makes it a small party.
“Where’s Summer?” I ask, knowing how much Mia wants to meet the pop star and Ben’s fiancée.
“I’m here!” Summer strides out from the back of the house, a wide smile on her face.
With her jet-black hair and stunning, wide brown eyes, she is beautiful. These days I prefer petite blondes with green eyes, but I can appreciate Ben’s good fortune.
“It’s good to see you!” I pull her into a friendly hug.
“You, too.”
Ben wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“Summer, this is my—Mia Atwood.” I’m not sure what I was about to say, and I quickly change the subject. “Mia’s a huge fan.”
Summer flushes. “I still can’t get used to people saying that,” she murmurs.
“It’s well deserved,” Mia says. “I’m so glad to meet you. I love your music.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey, man, let’s let the women talk. I want to catch up,” Ben says. “I hear Dan has some fun new gadgets in his office. Let’s go check things out in there.”
I shoot Mia a questioning glance, and she nods, a big smile on her face. Obviously she is feeling better because she definitely doesn’t mind being left with Summer.
I give her shoulder a squeeze, a gesture that I need more than her, if only to reassure myself she is fine. Her mood lately has been off, at least since she’s been sick.
Ben and I each grab a bottle of beer before I follow Ben out of the kitchen and down the hall, past the bathroom to Dan’s office. He broke down a wall, making two rooms into one large room so that when he works from home, he can still monitor things going on with work.