AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And four: This really is happening very fast.
26
Owen
“You’ve been stretching your neck like you want to stretch it right off your head,” Charlize says after I finish brushing my teeth. “I feel like you need yoga in your life.”
I chuckle and pull her into my arms. “Look how far you’ve fallen. A week ago, you told me Adeline and Jenna lured you into yoga. Now,you’retrying to luremein.”
She grins and presses her lips to mine. After she kisses me, she says, “I know, I know, but seriously, Owen, it really helps your back. You can’t deny you’ve been grumbling about your back for the last few days, and now your neck is out. Come to tonight’s yoga class with me.”
“What time is it?”
“Six p.m. or seven thirty. I’m easy for either time.”
Since Charlize finished working for North Management last week, she’s back searching for a job. She picked up a temp job on Monday, but had yesterday off, and doesn’t have anything for today or the rest of the week so far.
“Okay, maybe the seven thirty class. It’ll just depend how today goes. I’ve got a meeting at five thirty which may run late.”
“I’ll book us in, and we can just cancel your spot if you can’t make it.”
A text comes through for her and she reads it.
“Holy shit,” she breathes, eyes wide. “Adeline got Jack Kingsley for the gala. I was beginning to think I’d have to force you to get up there and do it, but Jack has said yes.”
“I thought Jett Vaughn was doing it?”
“He was, but something happened yesterday that meant he had to cancel.”
I frown. “You didn’t mention it last night.”
“You were distracted by work.” She smiles. “But all is good now, and Mom can stop losing her mind over all this.”
She’s right. I was distracted by work last night. Julian and I have been working long hours going over our current strategies. I’ve also been having lunches with various industry people in my efforts to win the Bluestone Award, which means I often have work to catch up on at night.
“She’s been losing her mind?”
“A little. To be honest, though, she seems to have calmed down and put this in my hands. She sent me the nicest text yesterday thanking me for all the work I’ve put into the gala.”
I note the pride on Charlize’s face. Her mother’s approval means a lot to her, which isn’t something that surprises me after the things she’s shared with me over the last month.
“She’ll be happy with Jack Kingsley,” I say. He’s one of the world’s biggest movie stars.
She cocks her head. “Have you met him? I got the impression that Adeline knows him?”
“Jack’s married to Ashton’s COO, so I’ve met him once through her. I think Adeline knows him through her work, but I’ve never gotten the impression they’re close friends.”
“Well, I don’t know much about him, but I suddenly adore him.”
I tighten my arms around her. “If you watched action films rather than those romances you keep trying to force on me, you’d know Jack.” Charlize has introduced me to her love of watching movies late at night in bed. I’ve taken to working in bed next to her, occasionally glancing up and catching some of whatever romantic comedy she’s got playing.
“One of these days, you are going to give one of my romantic comedies your undivided attention, and you will see why they should be on your list of movies to watch.”
I brush my lips over hers before letting her go and checking the time on my phone. “Fuck, I have to go.” It’s almost seven. I wanted to be at work two hours ago.
Charlize grasps my shirt and blesses me with a smile. “I loved our morning, Owen,” she says softly, and any regret I had over going to work later than I wanted is erased.
“Me too.” I slide my fingers into her hair and pull her mouth to mine for one last kiss. I take my time with this one, and when I finally let her go, she’s as breathless as I am. “I’ll be at that yoga class tonight. And then we’ll have a late dinner together.”
