where they could speak freely to each other about all matters, like they had that memorable night in her hotel room. A balanced life. A happy life.
And then suddenly, everything had gone horribly wrong. She’d told him that he’d made her life miserable. And he’d said that awful statement about her and lousy dollar place holes.
How much more of an ass could he be?
Even so, he didn’t want to see her. The fact that he’d been so hurt by her parting words had unnerved him more than he’d ever admit. He was determined to stay away from her. Determined to regain his control. There were plenty of women who enjoyed being with him. Plenty of females who thought he was a pretty good catch. All it took was a wink and smile to seduce one of them on the spot. Whatever he wanted, he could have. He was one of the most sought after bachelors in Atlanta, and he’d be shitfaced to blow it all for some pushy file clerk.
His eyes shifted back to Chad. “I don’t want you to fix this.”
His friend snorted. “Bro, I don’t get you.”
Jeremy growled. He did not need advice from Chad this morning. He had a shitload of work to do. There were artists to book and people to supervise.
He glared at the other man. “I’m not paying you to get me. I’m paying you to get back to work.”
When his friend left, he cursed loudly, feeling like the prick he most certainly was.
****
The next morning, Mira searched the internet for jobs. There were positions for dog walkers, administrative assistants, note takers, substitute teachers, and lots more. When she saw an ad for a sales associate at The Dollar Place, she cringed. Hell nah! Been there, done that. She clicked on a search for personal assistant. Despite what she said to Jeremy in Daytona, she didn’t mind the work of a personal assistant. It was kind of fun micro-managing someone’s life. She pushed thoughts of her former boss from her mind as she applied for the position.
When her doorbell rang an hour later, a slender, dark-haired man stood in the entranceway. He had brilliant green eyes and a friendly smile. He introduced himself as Chad Howard, one of the managers at the Hot .. She immediately recognized his face and voice. He was the one who’d left the message.
“You!”
His eyebrows lifted. “Me?”
“Don’t try to play innocent, pal. You and that, that, man can go to hell!” She tried to shut the door in his face, but he held it open with a stubborn foot.
“Believe me, we’re already there. Please, Ms. Perrin, may I come in? I’d like to apologize.”
She opened her mouth to respond but didn’t know what to say to that. Dammit. He looked truly remorseful. And it wasn’t in her nature to rip into a man who was truly remorseful. She growled for him to come in and led him to the living room, dodging an onslaught of candy wrappers along the way.
“I had a party,” she explained, wanting him to know that she hadn’t drowned her face in the sweets in misery, which she had.
“Must’ve been some party.”
“Get on with it, Mr. Howard.”
“You know,” he said with a small grin, “I really put my foot in my mouth. It’s one of my worst qualities.” He took a step forward, his expression contrite. “Jeremy didn’t know about the message. It wasn’t his intent to treat you like…”
“A whore?”
“Ye-yeah,” he stammered. “I was only goofing around when I said that.”
“Hilarious,” she snapped. She concentrated on cleaning the surrounding mess. “Did he tell you to come?”
“No, he doesn’t know I’m here.”
Mira sighed heavily. Why hadn’t Jeremy come himself? Because he doesn’t care, girl. When are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours? “Look, I appreciate you trying to make this right, but what’s done is done. Now I must ask you to leave.”
“He cares about you, Ms. Perrin.”
“I’m just another one of his playthings.”
“No, you’re not. Jeremy isn’t like that. He has the reputation of
And then suddenly, everything had gone horribly wrong. She’d told him that he’d made her life miserable. And he’d said that awful statement about her and lousy dollar place holes.
How much more of an ass could he be?
Even so, he didn’t want to see her. The fact that he’d been so hurt by her parting words had unnerved him more than he’d ever admit. He was determined to stay away from her. Determined to regain his control. There were plenty of women who enjoyed being with him. Plenty of females who thought he was a pretty good catch. All it took was a wink and smile to seduce one of them on the spot. Whatever he wanted, he could have. He was one of the most sought after bachelors in Atlanta, and he’d be shitfaced to blow it all for some pushy file clerk.
His eyes shifted back to Chad. “I don’t want you to fix this.”
His friend snorted. “Bro, I don’t get you.”
Jeremy growled. He did not need advice from Chad this morning. He had a shitload of work to do. There were artists to book and people to supervise.
He glared at the other man. “I’m not paying you to get me. I’m paying you to get back to work.”
When his friend left, he cursed loudly, feeling like the prick he most certainly was.
****
The next morning, Mira searched the internet for jobs. There were positions for dog walkers, administrative assistants, note takers, substitute teachers, and lots more. When she saw an ad for a sales associate at The Dollar Place, she cringed. Hell nah! Been there, done that. She clicked on a search for personal assistant. Despite what she said to Jeremy in Daytona, she didn’t mind the work of a personal assistant. It was kind of fun micro-managing someone’s life. She pushed thoughts of her former boss from her mind as she applied for the position.
When her doorbell rang an hour later, a slender, dark-haired man stood in the entranceway. He had brilliant green eyes and a friendly smile. He introduced himself as Chad Howard, one of the managers at the Hot .. She immediately recognized his face and voice. He was the one who’d left the message.
“You!”
His eyebrows lifted. “Me?”
“Don’t try to play innocent, pal. You and that, that, man can go to hell!” She tried to shut the door in his face, but he held it open with a stubborn foot.
“Believe me, we’re already there. Please, Ms. Perrin, may I come in? I’d like to apologize.”
She opened her mouth to respond but didn’t know what to say to that. Dammit. He looked truly remorseful. And it wasn’t in her nature to rip into a man who was truly remorseful. She growled for him to come in and led him to the living room, dodging an onslaught of candy wrappers along the way.
“I had a party,” she explained, wanting him to know that she hadn’t drowned her face in the sweets in misery, which she had.
“Must’ve been some party.”
“Get on with it, Mr. Howard.”
“You know,” he said with a small grin, “I really put my foot in my mouth. It’s one of my worst qualities.” He took a step forward, his expression contrite. “Jeremy didn’t know about the message. It wasn’t his intent to treat you like…”
“A whore?”
“Ye-yeah,” he stammered. “I was only goofing around when I said that.”
“Hilarious,” she snapped. She concentrated on cleaning the surrounding mess. “Did he tell you to come?”
“No, he doesn’t know I’m here.”
Mira sighed heavily. Why hadn’t Jeremy come himself? Because he doesn’t care, girl. When are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours? “Look, I appreciate you trying to make this right, but what’s done is done. Now I must ask you to leave.”
“He cares about you, Ms. Perrin.”
“I’m just another one of his playthings.”
“No, you’re not. Jeremy isn’t like that. He has the reputation of
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