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“Fine, but only because you full named me, and I know how hard you worked on this project.”
Sarah landed this huge PR job with a new club that is opening, and she’s been working her ass off to give it the attention it needs; and tonight, is the big opening. On top of her bonus, she was given two VIP tickets to tonight’s unveiling. Apparently, this club is super exclusive and only for the rich and famous.
I do need to get out. It’s been six months since Jacob and I broke up, so I know she is right about that. Since I started dating in high school, I only seem to attract the lying, cheating, asshole type of men. It’s sad how many “relationships” I have been in that ended because the guy cheated on me.
My first boyfriend, Michael, was a real charmer, and we were together for two years, until that fateful day when I caught him and a server that he worked with in a storage room. Then there was James. I should have seen the red flags from the beginning. He was secretive, would flirt with other girls when we were together, and ogled them when he thought I wasn’t looking. He was so gross and so obvious, but I was clueless until it was brought to my attention. Next, there was Kevin; he was in the Marines, and we got along so well at first. Then one day, I surprised him at his apartment, and he was in bed with a so-called “friend” of mine. He even had the audacityto run after me and tell me he still loved me.
All these men told me they loved me, and I foolishly believed them. I don’t know if I really loved any of them. Sure, my first boyfriend could probably be described as puppy love, and I was young. Turns out, they are all just like dear ol’ dad. Should have stuck with that warning from the beginning and saved myself the time and energy. How hard is it to just tell me you aren’t interested anymore or want to see other people? That’s so much better than finding out the hard way, which inevitably causes more heartache and embarrassment for both parties involved.
I could probably write the ultimate breakup song, like Taylor Swift, with all the heartaches I’ve had to endure. Maybe I should just go into songwriting? I mean, I definitely have enough material to last a while. I suppose the lyrics wouldn’t be as powerful unless they were coming from my lips, and that is certainly not happening. My extent of singing consists of in the shower or when I’m drunk and at a karaoke bar. Both sound like someone is being murdered or a bag of cats being thrown about.
Anyways, after Jacob, I decided that enough was enough and I was not going to date anymore for the foreseeable future. The truth is, I don’t trust men. I’ve seen the same thing happen time and time again, and now I am putting my foot down. I don’t have faith in men, plain and simple. At least not the ones that I encounter. I seem to be a magnet for the asshole, douchebag types, and I don’t have time for that. I don’t really believe in that kind of love anymore. Life isn’t a fairytale, and I will not get swept up in another affair that will break my heart. I have carefully constructed walls around my heart, and they won’t crumble. I know I sound like a cynical ice queen, maybe Elsa had the right idea. I’ve not had the privilege of coming across a man who wasn’t an egotistical asshat, except for my brother. He didn’t take after my father, and I love him all themore because of it.
It’s Friday night, and I just want to come home and lay on the couch with some wine and binge watch a new show on Netflix, and maybe even work on my book that I have been trying to write for over a year. Jacob hated that I wanted to spend my free time drafting my book. He said that it would never amount to anything, and I should look for a “real” career. That sounds familiar, right? I almost did just that until I caught him that night withher. It was a blessing in disguise, really. Now, more than ever, I am determined to finish this book and get it published. I will do whatever it takes. I’ve decided not to let anything get in my way. I just need to get over this writer’s block that seems to have plagued my mind.
“Just so you know, I am totally over that jerk! Just because I haven’t been out in a while does not mean that I am still stuck on him!” I continue. Looking back, I don’t think I ever loved Jacob. Maybe I loved the idea of having someone, but in my soul, I know that we weren’t a good match. He was overly possessive and had a very bad temper.
“Anyways, I am not looking for a man right now. I don’t need any distractions from finishing my book. We are just going to get some drinks and dance the night away,” I add. My voice is a little louder now, but I am not intending to be rude. I just want her to know that she can stop hassling me about Jacob or any other man for that matter. Jacob is history, just like my dating life. End of discussion.
Sarah begins jumping up and down, clapping her hands, and squealing at my declaration to join her tonight. Plus, I know she loves to give me makeovers whenever I’ll let her.
“We are going to have so much fun! Single ladies on the town tonight! Whoop! I’ve got to pick out some clothes and shoes! Oh, I can’t wait until you get back. I am so excited.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” she exclaims, while she squeezes me tight, does a little dance, then runs to her closet and begins pulling out dresses that I am sure will be part of my “makeover.” I can’t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.
“I’m not wearing those dreaded heels that almost killed me the night we went to that Broadway show! I’m lucky I can even walk at all now!”
She peaks her head out of her room, giving me a stern look. “Nothing was wrong with those shoes, Liz. It was you that couldn’t handle them. But don’t worry, I will have something fabulous ready for you when you get back here. I can already envision it!” She disappears back into her room with the sound of hangers being thrown all around. She isn’t the most organized person on the planet, and I can already sense the disaster that is going to be her room. Tonight is going to be interesting, that’s for sure.
I check my watch and realize I am running late if I want to stop at my favorite little coffee shop on the way to work. I finish putting on a few strokes of mascara and some lipstick. I don’t have time to put in more effort on the makeup front. My hair is cascading down my back in soft black waves. I run my fingers through it to get out any lingering tangles. I glance at the mirror and take in my appearance. That will have to do. I run to my closet and slip into an emerald green, wrap-around dress and my favorite black knee-high boots. I add a black belt to the dress and grab a jacket from the closet by the front door of our apartment. I take a quick glance at the floor length mirror in the hall, then grab my bag and hurry to the door, picking up my keys and phone as I shout, “I’m leaving! My coffee is calling me! I will see you tonight!” The door slams shut behind me, but not before I hear her laughing at me. She knows how real my coffee obsession is.
Chapter 2
Miles
I wake up before my alarm goes off this morning. A tiny sliver of light streams through my window where my curtains weren’t completely closed last night. I rest my arm over my eyes trying to go back to sleep. I can feel the exhaustion deep inside my bones. I need a vacation, but I know I won’t be getting one of those in the near future. I stayed up late going over all the details of an upcoming novel release. The board thinks this will be an immediate bestseller, but I am not entirely convinced. I know the book will do well, but I want something that knocks my socks off. I want to read something fresh and new. I want our readers to be completely smitten with the books that we publish. Lately, the only manuscripts that fall on my desk are mediocre at best. I’m looking for that spark that my father had a knack for finding. A needle in a haystack if you will. I know I will find it eventually. Imustfind it. I want to prove to the company and to myself that I can do this job just as well as my father. I’m just hoping this obscure gem appears sooner rather than later. When I find that diamond, I will do everything in my power to grab ahold of it and make it the largest bestseller of our time. The board at least knows that I am determined and a hard worker. I won’t take no for an answer when I find that special author.
I sigh and toss the covers off me, knowing that more sleep will not come. I get up from the comfort of my king-sized bed and make my way to my attached ensuite. I turn onthe light, and the brightness of the white walls along with the reflection of the white marble flooring make my eyes squint for a moment until they adjust to the change. I splash some cold water on my face and brush my teeth. I lean against the countertop as I take a look in the mirror and see the weariness in my once bright blue eyes. I’ve been working myself to death, but I can’t bring myself to slow down.
?With a groan, I stand back up, run my hands through my dark hair, and walk back out to my room. I take in the sight of the manuscripts sprawled across my bed along with my laptop. I fell asleep working, like I do most nights. I scrub my hand over my face and walk into my closet to put on some workout shorts and walk to the downstairs gym in my penthouse. I need to sweat out this frustration and anxiety that I feel building inside of me. Having my own gym has made a huge impact on my stress level, meaning it has decreased immensely. Well, at least while I am pushing my body, I don’t think of the mounds of work and responsibility that await me. Going to the public gym was a nightmare because everywhere I go, I am almost instantly recognized. Then, I constantly get interrupted by women and sometimes even men, and I could never get a good workout in. I got tired of being gawked at and constantly disturbed when I was trying to exercise; so, when I bought my new place, I knew it had to come with a private gym. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that I didn’t use to love all the attention because it made the women come to me easy and willing, but it got old quickly.
?I get to my private elevator and punch the button for the second floor where my gym is located. As the elevator opens, I take in the room. This is one of my special places to come when I need a distraction. There is a wall full of floor-to-ceiling windows that are tinted. It allows me to see out but not the other way around. I didn’t just want a gym with four walls. The thought of that made me claustrophobic. No, I needed a space that would double as a gym and a secret haven to observe theenvironment outside without fear of onlookers. My stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical sit facing the windows, and my weights are off to the side of the room along with a full bathroom.
?I put in my ear pods and hop on the treadmill, losing myself in the rhythmic steps as the anxiety begins to melt away. After thirty minutes, I move to my weights. This is the least favorite part of my workout, but I got used to it when I was playing basketball in high school and college. Even after I graduated, I continued working out because it was always a good stress reliever for me and allows me to clear my mind before a busy day of work. After two hours of sweating my ass off, I grab a towel and head back upstairs to my shower. I rarely use the one in the gym, but it’s there if I need it or when my brother comes to workout with me.
?By 7:00 am, I am showered, dressed, and in my kitchen making my morning protein shake before I leave for work. I’m pretty much a creature of habit. I need a schedule and want to live by it. That’s how to truly utilize all the hours of the day. It helps my day go smoothly, so this is my usual morning routine. If I stay on task, then I will grow to be the best, and that’s what I want to be.
?When my father passed away unexpectedly, he bequeathed to me his publishing company. He built the company from the ground up with his bare hands and always wanted it to stay within the family. Since I was a young boy, he’d groomed me to take over the business. I would go to work with him and see how he interacted with authors, investors, and employees. He was always kind but led with a firm hand. I always looked up to him and never questioned whether I wanted the company or not. This company is part of my blood, so I stepped into the position immediately, without hesitation.
?My father passed away from a massive heart attack a year ago, and I am still trying to make my way in thecompany and fill his large shoes. It’s intimidating to have that kind of pressure thrust onto you. I have had to fight hard, work hard, and drive a hard ship around the office to prove that I am worthy to be the CEO of Knight Publishing Company, the largest publishing company in the United States. As soon as I was appointed, the press had a field day with me and everything surrounding my personal life. They dug up old stories of my playboy years and the board of directors questioned my ability to run this enterprise. Yes, I admit that I have always liked to have fun, and I never cared much about what it looked like to others. Being a trust-fund baby and the son of Benjamin Miles Knight Sr., I have always been in the limelight. My brother and mine’s every move is written about and spewed across tabloids for everyone to read. However, after stepping into this position, I have tried to be on my best behavior per our PR’s orders. I want our investors to believe they can trust this company, and by extension, me.
?But, if I am being honest, my party days were already nearing the end. It just didn’t have the same effect on me that it used to. I don’t want the trouble of picking up total strangers, and then taking them to a nice hotel. Yes, always a hotel. I never brought a woman to my penthouse. This is my private sanctuary, and I didn’t want to sully it with a rotation of women. That part of my life is in the past. As I near my thirties, I am ready to find the one woman I am meant to settle down with, I just don’t think I have the time or energy to find her. I want someone that will be there when I get home every day. Someone happy to see me. Someone to share life experiences with and to start a family. That’s what I genuinely want, but I fear that’s in the very distant future, if ever. I want what my parents had. They were high school sweethearts and got married young, but they remained in love until my father passed away. My brother and I grew up in a happy home that was filled with love and respect, and we learned about that special love from our parents. We were fortunate to have themin our lives. Of course, my parents had their share of fights and problems, but they worked through them and came out stronger on the other side.
My father sat me down, a few years before he died, to have a chat about soulmates. He said, “Son, I knew the moment I saw your mother that she was meant to be mine. I can’t explain how I knew, other than this intense feeling in my chest, unlike anything I had ever felt. When I saw her in the school hallway that day, I knew, without a doubt, she was the one. When her sparkling green eyes met mine, I fell in love. I walked straight to her, introducing myself, and well, the rest is history, son. She later told me that she felt the same way.” He hesitated for a moment and took a sip of his bourbon.We were sitting in his study at my childhood home. I came for dinner, and then we retired to his study to have a nightcap. I’ve heard how my parents met many times before but not in this depth. I’m not sure why he is picking now to tell me this, though. He looks intently at the amber liquid as he spins it around in his glass. He looks back up at me with more emotion in his eyes. “I want you to find that, Miles. You need to stop with the frivolous women and find your forever; trust me, you will know when you do. She is out there somewhere.” I take a deep breath and bring my glass to my lips, feeling the burn as the liquid runs down the back of my throat. I do want to settle down some day, but I think my parents just got lucky in love. He always told us to believe in love at first sight and soulmates. Both of my parents were adamant that love would find you when you least expected it. “I hope that I am as lucky as you one day.” I reply back to him. He put his hand over mine and patted it. His eyes intent on mine he stated, “You will, my boy, but in the meantime, how about not go through all the women in New York, huh? Don’t look at me like that. I know you and your brother’s reputation.” I nod as I take another sip of bourbon and lean my head back against the chair to think about everything he just told me.
I do wish that I could find that special someone, but it seems like more of a pipe dream now, more than ever. I’m justso concentrated on work right now, and if that woman is out there, then I know she will stumble into my path. However, finding this woman will be easier said than done. The only women that I attract are always solely interested in my status and wealth. I can tell instantly when a woman approaches me that she is after my name, not me. I admit that it seems impossible to find that special someone when I am looked at like an elite social status and ATM.
I shake the thoughts from my mind as my phone buzzes in my pocket alerting me that my driver is here. I chug my shake, grab my wallet and keys, and head down the elevator, then through the lobby. I like to drive, but traffic in this city it is a nightmare. My gun metal gray, 5.2 Liter, V12 Aston Martin DB11 is my baby. She was the gift from my parents when I graduated from Princeton University. I wish that I had more time to take her out for a spin. I would drive her every day if it wouldn’t take me an hour to get somewhere.
My chauffeur is waiting right outside the doors.
