“Do you think any of us know how to do what you do?”
“Why don’t you plan a wedding, get left at the altar like a lovesick fucking puppy, then you can take over for me?” He glared at us both.
I pushed his finger back around his coffee. “Look, it’s not ideal. We all know this. Do you think Everest wants to be doing sports? The jerseys probably give him hives, but we’ve all had to make sacrifices.”
He scoffed. “Yes, hanging out in clubs and concerts is seriously the most taxing job any of us have—well, other than Jameson, who’s about to leave and it’s not even three yet.”
Jameson rocked back like August had taken a swing.
I stepped between them and glared at August. “Even you know that was low.”
August’s eyes widened, and he dropped his head.
“Shit,” he huffed under his breath. “James, I didn’t mean that. I’m pissed off. I’ll have double the workload now that Nathan’s left the company.” His jaw clenched, and he looked out the office doors.
Jameson nodded, his look nothing close to understanding. “Like clockwork. Maybe when the anniversary of your would-be wedding day comes up, you should head off to a deserted island so no one else has to be around you. Times like these I don’t have to wonder why the hell you’re the grumpy asshole all alone.” He checked his watch. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you all tomorrow. Or maybe I won’t show at all since I’m apparently completely ornamental around here.” Marching off, he didn’t look back. I was torn between running after Jameson and laying into August, but Jameson had to get to Teresa. There wasn’t any time to kiss and make up. I’d shoot him a message later.
“What the hell, man?” I gritted my teeth, rounded on him and shoved his shoulder.
August stumbled back and caught himself. “I’m sorry.” His jaw clenched, and without all the bluster, the pain was there, too close to the surface and raw. He stepped back and shook his head before slinking away into his office.
I followed him, closing the door behind me. “All the staff got an excellent after-lunch show.” Trying to keep it light, I sat in the chair next to his desk. I hated when the group fought. Leo and Everest were the powder kegs of the group. We didn’t need August turning into a third fuse. Keeping friends—real friends—was hard enough, but too much friction and our new business venture wouldn’t make it past year two.
“Why are you in my office?”
“Is your goal to run everyone off today?”
“Yes.” He sipped from his coffee and looked down at the portfolio on his desk.
“Wedding date coming up soon?”
Tension rippled through every muscle. He took a stilted drink from his cup. “It’s tomorrow.”
I sucked in a breath through my clenched teeth. “Sucks, man. Do you want to talk about it?”
His head lifted glacially slowly. “Does it look like I want to talk about it?”
“Trying to be a good friend.”
His jaw popped. “No, I don’t want to talk about it. Right now I need to go through the stack of résumés from the last round of interviews and find a new assistant who can start by tomorrow.”
“Do you want me to help sort through them? Maybe come up with a short list?” This I could do. Reading people was my forte. I delved deep into what they truly wanted, got it for them, and kept them on the line for a favor I might need in the future.
August thought he wanted a competent assistant. What he needed was someone who wouldn’t be scared off by all the glowering and grumbling, someone who’d push him and keep him in line at the same time. Not an easy combo.
He slouched back into his seat. “Sure, why the hell not? No guys, please. A slap across the face is par for the course, but I’d prefer not to have to dodge punches in my office. Plus, it helps with bride duty.”
Three hundred applications and four hours later, August had his short list. There were three candidates who’d probably last a little over a month and one wild card I had a special feeling about. I’d learned over the years to go with that feeling.
“Don’t burn through these four all at once. I’m putting a moratorium on vetting until next year.”
August smirked and braced his hands behind his head. “What’ll this cost me?”
“You know favors for friends are gratis.”
“Lucky I’m in the inner circle then.” He laughed.
Lucky indeed. I left his office and headed to my apartment. I could catch a few hours of sleep before I left for the meeting with one of the acts to persuade them to sign on for New Year’s Eve.
7
Sabrina
I slipped the brace back on and paced my room. At least I could think with Hunter gone. My head shot up.
Cat’s suggestion of some hunky muscle…maybe it wasn’t so insane after all.
I bolted from the apartment, skidding my hundred-yard-dash run to the elevator when Millie’s door opened.
“Sabrina, so nice to see you.” She smiled and closed her door. “Headed out?”
“Not exactly. I needed to check down at the front desk about a favor.” A favor I had no idea how to ask for. Maybe bribes of pasta and cookies would work? I had that level of cooking down to a tee.
“Accepting a delivery? You know they’ll bring them up for you. They can even accept jewelry. They have a safe.”
Oh, Millie. What a life she must have led.
Most of my jewelry was from Claire’s, and here she was getting hers locked away in a safe. Probably delivered with an armored truck.
She linked her arm in mine, and we walked toward the elevator. Her delicate, polished outside didn’t exactly go with my t-shirt-and-yoga-pants look. I was surprised she hadn’t had the building managers send out a notice about dress code, but Millie didn’t seem to mind.
“It’s not a delivery. I needed to ask a question. Do you know if Ian’s on duty now?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Ian, is it? I’d have thought it would be Hunter.” She pressed the down button.
“No!” My denial jolted us both, and now my cheeks were flamethrower-hot. “It’s not either of them. Ian’s been super helpful, so I wanted to ask him a question, and Hunter…well, Hunter’s certainly been a person.”
The doors to the elevator opened, and Millie stepped inside. “My, it sounds as if you two are off to an interesting start.”
A start? I was tempted to check the front doorknob with the back of my hand whenever I returned to the apartment to make sure Hunter hadn’t decided to Home Alone the place to keep me out. “We’re still working on the whole living-together thing. Lobby?”
She nodded and I pressed the button, needing to steer the conversation from where her interested eyes and tone seemed to be trying to lead me. Hunter and I wouldn’t be starting anything other than a semi-hostile roommate-ship until the end of December. “What are you looking forward to most before the end of the year, Millie? Any big plans?”
“Why, I don’t think anyone’s asked me that in a long time.”
“Really?”