Page 114 of Owen North

Adeline: Also, I have to cancel yoga tonight, sorry. Jameson has sprung a dinner party on me at the last minute.

Charlize: My body will thank you, I’m sure.

Adeline: LOL. Let’s plan for another class soon!

Adeline and Jenna lured me into yoga at breakfast on Monday. I attended my first class with them last night. I’m not telling anyone yet that I think I liked it. I need to attend another class to make sure before broadcasting that kind of information.

“Charlize,” Jill says as I read Adeline’s last message. “How are you going with those reports?”

I glance up at her as she comes out of her office, looking at me expectantly. “I’ll have them finished in about ten minutes.”

I’ve worked hard to get these done for Jill today because I suspect she’s having a bad day. She looked like she wanted to throw things in her office again this morning while muttering something about the article inThe New York Times. I heard something like “Of course, they only mention me once.”

She looks relieved when I tell her I’m almost finished with her reports. “Thank you. That’s great.” She pauses, smiling at me. “I’ve enjoyed working with you over the last few weeks, and I know Owen was impressed with your work in London. I wasn’t sure if you were looking for more permanent work or not, but I checked to see if we have anything available or coming up. We don’t, unfortunately, but a friend of mine knows someone looking for an executive assistant. Would you like me to pass your details on?”

“I am looking for full-time work. That would be great, thanks Jill.”

All I can wonder as she leaves me to go back into her office is whether she’d be so quick to recommend me if she knew I fucked her ex-husband in his office this morning.

A cat.

My next life.

It’s happening.

I finish up for the day and send Owen a text as I’m leaving.

Charlize: I never did get back to you about tonight. Dinner at 7?

Owen: I made the assumption I’d see you at 7.

Charlize: One should never assume.

Owen: One should never keep a man waiting all day.

I grin as my stomach somersaults all over itself.

Charlize: I’ll see you at 7.

I’m home, showered, and dressed for dinner when I receive an email from the friend Jill passed my details onto. I read it three times before sitting on my bed and releasing a long breath.

The job sounds amazing.

The pay is fucking amazing.

And it starts in just over three weeks.

But I’ll have to move to California for the job.

I stare at the four outfits hanging in my room. The outfits I’m considering for the concert Owen’s taking me to.

He has no idea what this concert means to me.

I love live music but every boyfriend I’ve ever had has refused to go to a concert with me. I went to concerts with them, to their choice of bands, but whenever it came to my choice of music, they all said no.

Owen didn’t even blink when I asked him to go with me to see Harry Styles. He checked his calendar as soon as we got home from that hike when I asked him and then told me he’d get the tickets.

I have the tickets.

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