Page 122 of Don't Quit the Day Job

I am printing this email out to remind you of those words.

I can't wait to go to Canada with you. I may or may not have planned a couple of weekend trips for us.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Re: The 26 ways I love you!

Where?? TELL ME!

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Re: The 26 ways I love you!

It's a secret, Lila. I have to be able to surprise you every now and then.

I laugh as my phone immediately starts ringing. Lila does not like to be kept out of the dark for any reason. I press answer and lean back in my leather chair.

"Yes, my darling?"

"Where are we going?" she demands, and I burst out laughing as she squeals. "Are you taking me to go look at bears?"

"Why would you think that?" I can't help but smile at how excited she sounds. Lila had told me recently that she always wanted to see a bear in the wild and I'd told her I'd always wanted to see a lion. So after one passion-fueled evening, we'd decided that our first trips together would be a safari in Kenya and Uganda and a camping trip to Banff...because Lila had never been and wanted to see if she'd enjoy roughing it.

"Max, tell me now. Where are we going?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you." A warm feeling spreads through me as she growls into the phone. There's something about how emotive she is that always makes me happy. "And don't bother asking Marie either. She doesn't know."

"Whatever." She laughs. "How's the search for the new assistant going, by the way?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you? Mrs. Ramsay, a retired legal secretary that worked with Kingston when he was a summer associate, applied for a job. Turns out she doesn't like being retired as much as she thought. She wanted to work with Kingston, but he has Skye, so she will work for me instead."

"Oh..." Lila lowered her voice. "So how's it going with Kingston and Skye, by the way?" she asks casually, but I know how invested she is in my answer. I'd overheard Kingston and Skye shouting at each other the evening before, but I wasn't sure about what. When I'd asked Kingston how it was going with Skye, he'd changed the subject, but I could tell that she had gotten under his skin.

"Great," I say slowly. "I think they're a perfect match."

"That's a lie, Max Spector, we both know that they are not a perfect match. If I had a dollar for every time Skye had complained about Kingston to me, I'd be a millionaire." She giggles.

"She complained about him?"

"Honey, didn't I tell you about the hot annoying boss club that me, Skye, and Juniper created?" Her voice is bubbly. "You guys suck."

"So you're telling me I should tell my partners that their assistants are talking smack about them?"

"You better not. Or I will never let your cock see my mouth or sweet spot again."

"Oh not, not the sweet spot." I stand up and head to the door. "Are you at home?"

"Maybe, why?"

"Because I'm coming to see you."

"Max, it's the middle of the day. You need to work and I need to rehearse."

"I'm hungry."

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