AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why do you want to punish yourself?”
I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t admit that I’d done so much more, or that I wanted to do much,muchmore than that.
“It wasn’t professional,” I said lamely.
“I’d say the professionalism boat set sail years ago, wouldn’t you?”
“But what do I do?” I pressed.
Alex sighed into the receiver. “What did you say to her?”
“I didn’t really say much, I-,” I paused, recalling the awful iciness that slid into my gut when Mia suggested that the whole night didn’t need to mean anything. “Mia just said it didn’t have to mean anything if we didn’t want it to.”
“She’s just as hopeless as you then,” Alex grumbled. “God, if I’d known this would be more challenging than Cam, I’d have roped in Hayden.”
“Donotbreathe a word of this to Hayden,” I demanded.
Alex chuckled darkly. “Come on, Reid, I needsomekind of backup here.”
“If Hayden heard about this, I’d never hear the end of it,” I told her.
“Exactly,” Alex teased. “Which is what you deserve. Both of you, actually.”
“You’re a terrible friend.”
“And yet you come to me at every opportunity.” She sighed. “You’re welcome.”
“Can you please be serious,” I begged.
“Look, honey,” Alex hummed. “You obviously need to work through whatever feelings you have for Mia, whether they’re romantic, sexual or, as you insist, strictly professional. I can’t help you ifyoudon’t even know what’s going on.”
“I’m a little afraid of what might be going on, Alex.”
“Then that’s what you need to focus on right now,” Alex said. “That, and y’know, the work you went to Brazil for as well.”
“There’s some good news on that front, at least,” I said, blowing out a harsh breath. “We have at least three major companies lining up to partner with us.”
“Three of which you have no interest in,” Alex guessed.
“Obviously,” I said. “I’m not here to fluff egos. I’m here to find talent and put it on the right stage.”
Alex chuckled, but her words were cut off by the screech of shattered glass.
“What the fuck was that?” Alex asked, but I was already moving towards the door.
“It came from Mia’s room,” I said, and hung up. I tore open my door and walked across the narrow hall to hers, my fist slamming on the closed door. “Mia! Are you in there?”
A muffled grunt and anotherthumpechoed on the other side of the door before it swung open, revealing Mia.
“Hello, boss,” she slurred, throwing the door wide to let me in. “Come on in.”
I eyed her closely: her shorts and T-shirt ensemble were fresh, meaning she’d likely gotten back while I was on the phone with Alex.
Her cheeks were dark, her eyes slightly unfocused as she gazed up at me.
“Are you okay?” I asked, taking a single, hesitant step inside her hotel room. “I heard something break.”
Her brows bunched together cutely before her expression cleared. “Oh!” she squeaked, spinning around on unsteady feet. “I almost forgot.”
