Page 92 of We Met Like This
“Yes.”
I smiled. “And she said,Stop thinking so much and just be with the girl already?”
He let out an amused breath. “Yes, actually, but there’s something I need to—”
My phone’s alarm went off, cutting his sentence short. I turned it off and we stared at each other for a moment. I could see some sort of resignation in his expression and he opened his mouth to speak again.
“I gave you time,” I blurted. “Will you just wait?”
“What?”
“Whatever you are going to say, will you just wait? Givemetime. I grow on people too.” His trust issues were creating some kind of wall, I was sure of it. We just needed to spend a little more time together and he’d see that. I wasn’t willing to give up yet. Not when my pulse was racing and my head was spinning and my heart was bursting just being in his presence, feeling what I felt.
“Time…”
I nodded.
“Okay,” he said softly. “We’ll take some time.” He leaned over and pressed the softest kiss onto my cheek. “Thanks for the coffee, Margot.” He climbed out of the car.
I reached for my door handle to go after him. To say what, I wasn’t sure, but at least to give him a goodbye hug. But my phone rang, stopping me. The wordsmaybe Kari Crossshone on my screen. She hadnevercalled me on my cell. I didn’t even have her as a contact. Whatever powers that operated my phone were guessing that it was her. We’d only talked via email or on the office phone.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hi, Margot.”
“I’m sorry I don’t have notes for you yet,” I said.
“No, that’s not what this is about. And I’m sorry to call you on your cell.”
“It’s okay.” How had she even gotten my cell? Had Rob given it to her?
“You’re right,” Kari said.
“About what?” I asked.
“My setting is terrible, nonexistent, and I don’t think it’s gotten any better in my latest iteration.”
“Completely fixable,” I said.
“With a trip to my inspired location,” she said.
“Exactly. Nothing a weekend in Paso Robles wouldn’t solve.”
“I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I was hoping you would go for me.”
“I’m sorry, what?Gofor you?”
“If you could go and take detailed notes and pictures, maybe even video for me, that would be so helpful. The location is only four hours from you.”
“Kari.” I fiddled with my car keys hanging from the ignition.
“I’ll pay you. I know you’re starting your career right now and left your old one… unexpectedly. I’m sure you could use the money. I’ll pay for your hotel, your food, and your time.”
I should’ve said no, especially considering the contract Rob had sent over, but I wasn’t propositioning her. She was asking for research, not representation, anyway, so the words “How much?” came out of my mouth. I had my savings, but that wasn’t going to last forever. I needed to supplement it soon if I hoped to survive in this industry. Even if I got a client tomorrow and sold their book the next day, I knew how long contracts took. I was at least a month, probably three, away fromanymoney. And realistically, that timetable was very delusional.
“Five hundred,” she said.
Was I about to go from being Rob’s personal assistant to Kari’s? I wanted to say no, but how could I? I was desperate, with zero prospects on the horizon. “Okay.” There was no other answer.
