Read Online A Love Like This by Kahlen Aymes - Free Book Online Page A

New York safely. Due to all of the
equipment in the ER, the staff wasn’t allowed to have cell phones
on during their shifts so I had to content myself with hearing from
him during his breaks.
    He wasn’t going to be happy. Now our plans
on Sunday were screwed. We’d planned to do early Christmas shopping
and he wanted me to make the cranberry and white chocolate cookies
he loved. Then there would have been the hours lying in each
other’s arms in front of the fireplace. Ryan had been so happy when
I called him yesterday and told him I’d be coming home a few days
early. I wanted to surprise him, but I couldn’t keep it to myself.
Now it was pretty much ruined.
    My heart dropped into my stomach in a
sickening sort of way. Don’t be mad at me, baby, I silently
begged him in my mind. But, of course, I knew he’d be livid.
    Mike stormed into my office without
knocking, loudly banging through the door and I jumped in my chair.
“What the hell, Julia? Andrea called and said I had to get in here
immediately, but wouldn’t say why. What’s going on?” he said
impatiently. “It’s a good thing I was already in Manhattan having
lunch with a friend.”
    “Hmmm… yes.” He was dressed casually, but
always trendy. He certainly looked the part of a swank, fashion
photographer, his hair in a modern cut that he managed with gel.
“Well, the shoot last Wednesday? Did you look at the program I
left?”
    His face creased. “What? I did.” He shook
his head. “The models were from Ford, I let the make-up people do
their thing per your instructions. I didn’t do shit but take
pictures. What was wrong with it?”
    “Only the wrong wardrobe, wrong
designer.”
    He was incredulous and his surprise showed
on his face. “Holy fuck! No way!”
    “Yeah. No big deal, right? This is a hot
mess.”
    Mike fell down into one of the leather
chairs opposite my desk. “Crap, Julia. I’m… sorry.”
    I shrugged. “Let’s just get it fixed and
then we can try to find out how it happened.”
    My phone rang and I could see from the
caller ID it was Andrea. “Hey, what’d you find out?” I said the
minute I picked up the phone.
    “Bad news. Kent said the cover is printed
and already been shipped to bindery to wait for the pages. You know
the drill. We’re stuck with the features and the page count
now.”
    “Crap.” I leaned forward on my elbows and
inhaled until I thought my lungs might burst. “Okay, get on the
phone and see if we can get the same models back for the weekend.
Whatever day, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got Mike with me so I can
deliver the happy news to him, but line up the make-up, set and
lighting people for the day you can get the models confirmed.”
    Andrea groaned. “They’re gonna complain
because it’s so close to Thanksgiving. I can hear it all now.”
    “It can’t be helped. I’m not happy about it
either. It will be expensive, but at least we don’t have to tell
the designer. Just get on the phone to Paris and tell the house
that we’re having some delays getting the garments back to them,
but we will send them on Monday. Apologize profusely for that, but
don’t tell them what happened.”
    “Okay, will do,” she answered.
    “Thanks. You rock, girl.” I hung up the
phone and looked back at the man sitting across from me. He was
running a thumb across his lower lip, his eyes raking over me. I
looked very different than he was used to seeing me.
    “Cancel your plans, lover-boy. Your new
honey will have to cool her jets this weekend.”
    “I gathered. How was Spain?”
    “Gorgeous. It’s beautiful there. I really
want to take Ryan back if I ever get a vacation from this
place.”
    “What about the work?” He raised his
eyebrows in question.
    “Are you still mad at me because you didn’t
get to go? I needed you here.”
    “And look how well that turned out,” Mike
stated the obvious with a smirk and incredulous expression.
    Smart ass.
    “Yes,” I answered, sarcasm lacing my