Page 80 of Free Agent

Not my birthday, not Monty’s antics.

“Okay and what better opportunity than a week together on his family’s massive ranch, away from the perils of day to day life and constant eyes of social media?”

I frowned. “Why do you sound like an about page?”

“Because I’m on their about page,” she laughed. “They have a whole resort on the property. The rooms are the cutest little bungalows, oh-em-gee. Let me send this to Kev.”

When I peeked out again, her fingers were flying over her phone screen. “A resort?”

“Yeah, it’s actually really beautiful too, based on the pictures. Horseback riding, fishing, swimming, kayaking, hiking, cattle herding. Uhh…all that might be a little too outdoorsy for me, but this scenic drive option might be a vibe. And they host a rodeo. And something called mudding?”

“You’re a mess,” I laughed.

“Fuck you, I’m perfect,” she quipped. “Seriously though… after the month you’ve had, including the weirdness with Yams?—”

“Are we seriously calling her that?”

“I could call her slore instead, but I’m trying to clean up my language.” Sierra shrugged. “Anyway, as I was saying, you need this.”

She was certainly right about that.

I’d been too busy trying to fix the problem to get the full picture of the blowback from the app outage while it was happening, now though?

I certainly got it.

Our app store rankings and reviews had tanked, helped in no small part by “Yams” hopping her ass on social media to be messy. It was going to take time and incentives to recover the goodwill we’d lost with customers. The decision for a free month of service had already been made and I couldn’t pretend it didn’t affect the bottom line.

Nearly a million subscribers, and more than half of them paid subscribers.

It was gonna hurt.

And really?

It might not even work.

We’d already lost a good chunk of subscribers who might or might not ever return. And the ones who were staying because of the free month might change their mind when that billing reminder hit notifications.

There were so many uncertainties.

Luckily… my in-person presence at the office wouldn’t change much, one way or another.

I could, would, take advantage of the opportunity for a mental and physical break.

The opportunity for lots of sex was just an extra perk.

I needed this.

I was taking this.

…as soon as I got this suitcase packed, so I would actually be ready when Tatum arrived to pick me up for the airport.

“How am I supposed to know what to wear for a week at a ranch?” I audibly pondered from back inside the closet, loud enough for Sierra to hear from the bedroom.

“It’s a vacation, Ri. If you’re doing it right, you shouldn’t be wearing much,” she called.

“Okay that’s a cute sentiment, but we’re talking about meeting his family here,” I reminded her. “Sisters, brothers, mom and dad, aunts, uncles, whoever else is there.”

“I mean, yes, that’s true, but you’re not meeting the parents meeting the parents,” Sierra retorted. “It’s like… an incidental.”

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