AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hazel looks at it. And then she starts laughing.
Her laugh is hearty and genuine, loud and unguarded. Like Cooper, she laughs with her whole body. But that’s where the similarity ends.
She doesn’t laugh like a girl anymore, I realize. She laughs like a woman—the kind who throws her arms open to the world and dares it to disappoint her.
She catches my eye, and my pulse speeds up.
Trouble, I think.This woman is trouble.
And I’ve just signed on for two months of her.
Sarah comes back. “Sorry, sorry that took longer than I thought. Right, now that everyone’s fed and calm, let’s order dessert and work through your concerns. I’m sure we can come up with a solution that meets everyone’s needs—”
“Send the contract to my office,” I say, standing. “Hazel, we start tomorrow.”
She looks at me, dark eyes wide and unreadable. And then she nods.
I head out, paying the bill when I pass the maître d.
As I step out onto the bustling sidewalk, Hazel’s laugh echoes in my ears.
I tell myself I can work closely with Hazel.
I can ignore everything that makes her...well, Hazel.
Of course I can.
I’ve been doing it for eleven years.
4
HAZEL
“Ms. Dawson? I’m so sorry to do this, but Mr. Dewinter is going to have to cancel on you. Can we reschedule for a later date?”
I stare at my cell phone in disbelief. This is the second time Luke’s administrative assistant has canceled on me in two days.
I get that Luke doesn’t want to do this. But hesaidhe could give me five hours a week. Hesigned his name.Heruined a page in my notebook.
“No,” I say to the poor administrative assistant. I think he said his name is Joey. “No, that’s not acceptable. Please tell Luke he can’t keep rescheduling. He’s wasting my time and his.”
Joey clears his throat. “How about you tell him that? The day after tomorrow, perhaps?”
“Argh.” I make a strangled sound and hang up before I say something rude to poor Joey, who truly doesn’t deserve it. It’s not his fault he has an asshole for a boss.
I throw my phone down on the bed and pace around my tiny studio apartment. I hate working from my bedroom like this. I miss having an office I can go to. It’s harder for people to ignore you when you’ve got a shiny office, and words likeprint deadlineandmy editorandwe can interview your business rival instead if you’re not available. And when that doesn’t work, you can just show up for the interview and pretend you didn’t see the email they sent trying to cancel.
I stop pacing. That’s not a bad idea.
I’ll show up at Luke’s office and refuse to leave until he gives me my interview or explains to my face why he’s going back on our bargain.
I hastily trade my sweatpants for dark-wash jeans, a loose blue sweater, and my cowboy boots for luck. Then I toss everything I need for the interview into my backpack and start the long walk to Luke’s office in the financial district.
It would be faster to take the subway, but I need the fresh air and exercise to calm down.
Also, I need to make a phone call.
Cooper answers on the third ring. “Hello?”
