Page 183 of Crazy for this Girl

“I got it because you like it,” she sasses, turning her back on me and sitting at one side of the table. “Take a seat, Mr. Harper.”

I ogle her attempts to be professional, wearing a black dress that she would in the office with matching heels that I know are killing her feet and her hair perfectly styled in waves.

Taking my position across from her behind the table, Laynee hands me over a manila folder. “I made you a copy to read along with me.”

I don’t open it because this is fucking stupid.

“I prefer to listen,” I counter, crossing my arms along my navy-blue Armani suit. “Please go ahead.”

She nods and folds her hands over the small square table that would barely fit four people and food. “Well, I wanted to start by thanking you for agreeing to this meeting and giving me the opportunity to go over a few things.”

Like I had a choice.

She stops speaking, waiting for me to acknowledge her statement like the manual of decorum says to do when you’re doing such things, so I say, “You’re more than welcome, Miss Reese.”

I would never do this for anyone else, believe me.

“As you know, I graduated from business school, but of course, with a ton of debt. Jonah always wanted to go to law school, which he almost didn’t continue on with because our parents couldn’t afford to help, and he wasn’t making a lot of money. That’s when I started working at various odd and end jobs, then the Watering Hole, before landing this job with Elliott. With the money I’ve earned thus far, I’ve almost cleaned both of our slates.”

I stare at her, hating that she did it all by herself. Like I said before it’s Laynee to do that for Jonah, and that’s fine, but picturing her struggling by herself doesn’t sit well with me.

All because I stayed away.

All because I couldn’t get out of my head.

All because my fucking father started this.

“This will be hard,” she continues, and I see her blow a deep exhale through her lips because she’s done this before. “Because I work full time with you, but I want to go back to college.”

“That might be a little hard to manage, Miss Reese.”

She shakes her head against my realistic remark. “I can handle it. This is something I want.”

“Depends what you want. I’m still fuzzy on what that is.”

“I want to go into hospitality and hotel management.” I clench my teeth together because I swear after hours of thinking about it, I chalked it up as her fucking with me. “I want to learn the ins and outs.”

“To do what exactly, Miss Reese?”

“To manage my own place.”

I cock my head to the side in silent challenge for her to do exactly what she said she was going to do. “You’re telling me that you were serious about going into the hotel business to become my competitor?”

“No.” And I feel my held inhale seep from my lungs because she’s already given me one hell of a run to my sanity. “I want to start my own bed-and-breakfast.”

“Really?”

“Really. This is where the two-year contract comes in.”

And here goes my sanity.

“I’ll work with you for the rest of the two years.”

“You will?”

I’m not buying it. I’ve only watched her run from me since first laying eyes on me, and I’m paranoid.

I’m edgy because she’s everything that holds me together, and if I lose that, I’m losing everything. I can’t function without her around now that I have her again. My sleeping has gotten a little better, and the fact that I know I’m going to see her for the next day sets me slightly at ease.

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