Page 70 of The Reading

“Yep.”

“Are you guys alone?”

“Of course,” I huffed. “It’s Christmas Eve.”

“Then I say you go into his office and let him bend you over his desk,” she advised, and I could hear Ethan in the background asking who was getting bent over.”

“I’m serious, Hattie,” I hissed.

“And I’m not?” she snorted. “The man tracks your periods to make your life easier, Zara. Talk about a fucking unicorn standing right in front of your face.”

“Hey! I care about your periods, too,” Ethen exclaimed loud enough for me to overhear, and that made me laugh.

“Mount the man,” Hattie kept on. “Him caring about your periods is enough to marry him, Zara. You know that I’m right, too.”

“What if he fires me because he’s not interested?” I said, gnawing at my lower lip.

“No man tracks a woman’s period if he’s not interested in her, Zara.No man.”

“It’s true,” Ethan called out, and that was all the encouragement that I needed.

“Wish me luck,” I said, and they both did as I got off the phone.

Chapter 3

Zara~

Taking the bull by the horns, I stood up, smoothed my skirt down, then prepared myself to make the biggest mistake of my life. A mistake because I was sure that Hudson wasn’t interested. Nevertheless, my savings account was padded enough that firing me wouldn’t be the end of the world for me. Besides, Kit’s old house was always available to any of us should we end up homeless.

With my heart pounding in my chest, blood rushing through my ears, and my legs a little bit wobbly, I made my way towards Hudson’s opened office door. We occupied the entire top floor of Royalcorp with the other half of the floor housing a breakroom, restrooms, two conference rooms, and Hudson’s receptionist. I had the entire left half of the floor with Hudson’s office sitting to the left of my desk and workspace.

Walking in, I didn’t stop until I was standing directly in front of his desk. The man’s hazel eyes looked up at me. “Yeah?”

“Kiss me,” I demanded like a lunatic.

“What?”he choked out.

“Kiss me,” I repeated.

Hudson looked genuinely perplexed. “You want me to…tokissyou?”

I nodded. “It’s the only way to find out.”

“The only way to find outwhat?”

“If you’re my soulmate,” I answered, and it really did sound ridiculous when you spoke it out loud.

“Madam Brousseau,” he said, nodding solemnly.

“Look, you track my periods, Hudson.”

Apparently, the man had to stand up for this conversation. “And? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Just kiss me,” I demanded like a deranged pervert.

“Zara, I think that you-”

“Look, I know it sounds crazy, but…but if we kiss and don’t feel anything, then…no harm, no foul, right?”

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