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“I hope today gets better.And I repeat, do not buy me that planner or anything else you might find on that website.”
“My day has already improved.And I’m not making any promises.”
Five minutes later, I’m deep in Slade’s world of problems and wondering why I enjoy crisis management work so much when I often have to help guys who have impulse control issues and seem to have no idea how to help themselves.
Slade might be my biggest challenge to date.He’s in love with a woman who has made it clear she wants nothing to do with his wild behavior.They got engaged last year after a whirlwind one-month fling.She knew nothing about him or his career before meeting him and soon decided they might not actually be a great fit.They broke up just before Christmas but he managed to woo her back in January.Now, however, she’s ended the engagement again and from what I can ascertain, she means it this time.Slade is refusing to accept that and I can see I’ve got my work cut out for me.Not only am I tasked with improving his reputation, but it also seems he’s relying on me to help him win the love of his life back.
“How much do you want this?”I ask, cutting him off after listening to him carry on about his problems for a good five minutes.
“You know how much I want this, Olivia.”He sounds pissed off at my question.
“I know you’ve said a lot and made many declarations about what you’ll do to clean up your act.What I haven’t seen are any actions, Slade, and let me tell you that when a woman has reached the point Christa has reached, she’s looking for actions not words.So, tell me again how much you want this and then tell me what actions you’re willing to take to make it happen because I’m telling you now that we won’t still be working together in a week if you don’t start cleaning up your act.Nothing I do can really help you if you’re still carrying on with your bullshit.”
He turns silent for a moment.“Damn, this is why you’re my girl.”
“I’m waiting to hear what you’ve got to say and”—I check the time—“I’ve only got five minutes before my next client will be here, so I suggest you hurry up and lay it all out for me.”
As he rattles off his list, I receive a text from Sasha.
Sasha
SOS, I need you tonight!And I don’t care that you have your Monday meditation class.This is a wedding crisis!
Olivia
What kind of crisis?
Sasha
The kind that involves you and Blair coming to my place and telling me that my wedding dress is the actual right dress.I’m not sure anymore.
Olivia
I’ll be there.And honey, your dress is absolutely the actual right dress.It’s the most beautiful wedding dress I’ve ever seen.
Sasha
I’m going to need to see you in person to hear that so I can see it on your face too.
Olivia
I’ll see you tonight.
“Olivia,” Slade says abruptly, “Are you listening to me?It feels like I’m talking to myself here.”
I look at the notes I’ve been making while he’s been talking.“I’m listening.So far, you’ve said you’re going to cut out the clubs, the booze, and the late nights.You’re getting back on track with your food, sleep, and training.You’re going to start seeing that therapist I helped you find last year.And you’re going to show up for your teammates like you used to.Have I missed anything?”
“No, you got it all.”He sounds surprised.If I didn’t like Slade so much, that would irritate me.I’ve put in the work perfecting my skills over the years and am more than competent.
We finish up our conversation and I get ready for my meeting with his teammate.Mostly though, my mind is pretty much focused on only one thing: that public display of affection between Callan and Penelope.
I’ve never had to share Callan.He may date and sleep with a lot of women, but his heart has never been involved with any of them.Not even when he dated Lisa Reynolds for an extended time right after I turned twenty-two.I might protest at the idea of him spoiling me whenever he tries to, and I might protest whenever he wants to take over and manage situations in my life, but now that I’m presented with the idea of him searching for his forever bae, I suddenly feel all kinds of feelings over him not doing those things for me anymore because he’s doing them for another woman.
3
OLIVIA
“I don’t know why you’re having a breakdown over this dress,” Blair says to Sasha just after seven p.m.Monday night, her tone a little sharp and a lot exasperated.“It’s fucking stunning and I’ve never seen you look more radiant.”
