Page 12 of Last Chance Seduction
“What do you mean you don’t know where the invoice went?”
I lowered my voice, relaxing my tongue as I spoke.“The invoice isn’t here.You must have forgotten to send it.”
I leaned back, raising my voice slightly.“No, it was right on the email.”
“Why did you lose it?We’re going to be late because of you.”
I lowered my voice once more.“You don’t need to blame this on me.I know that you’re just trying to find a reason to be angry with me because of what happened, but you don’t have to make something up.”
The banter went back and forth, and I paused my narrating every once in a while, marking moments where I knew I would have to go back, or let my mouth rest.The current forced proximity, workplace rom com on my stand made me smile.Considering I hadn’t slept much in the past few days getting work done in the few hours that I had available at this moment, it was good to smile.
I reached for my water bottle and winced as the sound of a saw echoed through my tiny booth.
Of course.
Why wouldn’t there be a grating noise out of nowhere when I needed silence for my job.Sound that hadn’t been there when I’d bought my home.Racket that no one had asked for.Commotion that threatened my sanity as it was louder than anything that had occurred in the neighborhood so far.
I had never had this issue in the past, not even with high wind, or massive trucks moving in and out of the cul-de-sac thanks to a neighbor moving.Even in my old place, when I had had a weaker booth and thinner walls, it hadn’t been this loud.
And yet Lexington Montgomery was going to drive me insane.Of course, he had done that when we had been children as well.Always a little too enthusiastic even though he’d dragged me along with him, so I never felt alone.Not that a twin could ever feel alone.
My heart raced and I swallowed the bile that crept up my throat at the thought of Emily.
Lexington.
I needed to think of Lexington.Like how he’d try to run everybody’s lives even if you weren’t prepared for it.He liked to organize everyone to the nth degree and had worked alongside his cousins and Emily to ensure that all our lives and playgroups could go off without a hitch.
There was no time for spontaneity or anything off the beaten path.
I frowned at that, realizing that I was probably being a little too harsh when it came to reflecting back on our childhood.Because Lexington hadenjoyeda little randomness.It was Emily that had been a little more type A, even more than me.But I did have the creative streak.Like when I was younger, I had wanted to join the circus and then become an acrobat.After I had given up that dream, I had decided I wanted to be an actress—racing from Broadway to the Oscars.It hadn’t mattered which, I wanted to perform.
And then I’d realized that I did better with voices and projecting, than I ever did using the rest of my body to act.The voice acting was really where I had leaned into it.I could do impressions and other aspects of that role, but being a comedian had never appealed to me.So my current job was truly a perfect fit.
Except for the fact that I couldn’t focus with whatever the hell they were doing next door.
Of course, if I would have just asked Lexington that morning, maybe I would be a little more in the know.
My phone buzzed and I looked down at the unknown number.I wouldn’t have normally answered, but I was waiting on a call from a friend’s producer.
“Hello?”
Silence.
“Hello?Are you there?”
A click and the call discounted.How strange.Frowning, I picked up my phone and looked at the text that Lex had sent that morning.
Lex:
I really hope this is your current number and I’m not just texting a random stranger.But here’s the schedule for this week, and my goal is for us to stay on this path.But if something happens, I’ll let you know.I’m sorry that we’re at the point of the project where it’s a lot of noise outside of the house versus in it.But if all goes according to plan, we’ll be done soon, and you’ll be able to work without having to hear hammering all day.
Lex:
By the way, I picked up your latest book, and I’m totally listening to it while on the job site.Your voice has gotten better, which I didn’t think was possible considering how good you were when we were younger.And congratulations on that award.Not that I was stalking.Okay, I might be stalking.
I had refused to smile at that, knowing it wouldn’t do anybody any good if I let myself laugh over whatever ridiculous thing he was saying next.
After all, I was back in Colorado to find my feet again.Not to jump back into old connections and relationships that would just remind me of everything I lost.
