walked i

ean beard, and

iately when he

nd. "I'm Wesley.

and shook

," he said, sit

ine," L

water. He

0 minutes w

and she explained wha

e understood.

d. "So you basically m

frustrating. Don't you wa

e it was. The reason she

idn't

saw t

util

ho made ot

s it hurt, being the o

I see you, Lyle.

d politely

cked he

she'd hear

mergency," she lied

ey looked surprised. "

Lyle said, an

r the reaso

guy, Wesley, but I don'

Can I at least w

r this time. "Don't wa

here with two glasses

e city air

er fa

ce guy" who

d against it. She looked up at

eal? Or did I

ted didn't exis

st in Tasha's

ted in

ask her to choose b

her crown and no

tic,

ires for authors, but stil

herself. The sou

e home a

s dark when s

omplished - she'd fini

she fe

off her heels and co

hone

d?! He said you lef

idn't

her lapto

easier

didn't le

ask stupid

as okay

ped un

for Ms.

t i

h tim

er phone bu

wn nu

s. Ridley Sydney. I read your plan. It's weak. We me

ed at the

ak

ed her work wea

w tigh

ydney wanted

d ge

'll be there. And

d and dropp

sed her

he'd face

toni

, just for a second, that the p

00

. Ridley Sydn

as all gla

. The chairs were m

d in fron

Sydney didn

idn't

n't off

and wore her power

blazer. N

t cut th

fired three managers

r," she said,

t. Her heels

yle's 6-month pla

ed with

aid. "Because I don't sleep

worked on it all ni

Ms. Ridley

harder than the

ever called

as imp

we

ve

jaw tig

, I built this based on y

last three launches."

sk until she was standin

t Lyle could sme

launch," Ms. Ridley

trend for 48 hours, the

her mouth an

ley was

plan and ripped

violent in t

5-year contract beca

e pieces at

old me, 'Lyle Noris doesn't fai

fli

"Where is the woman who made Logan W

use

craps. "This is what

chest

me, fighting

eam: I stayed up

lind date for this. She want

e said, vo

l me what

ghed. "That's

I want befo

lked back to her chair and sat, l

nt," Ms. Ridley quoted Mr.

fire you like I fir

t hung in

e y

n 10 m

he torn paper on the

ho

pr

pie

g in her

p one scrap and smoothe

up, her eyes wer

were

right,"

s is

Ms. Ridley from last year

y's eyebr

y, int

od up st

the scrap

u want unf

of dominance, not

burn t

start

at her. "You think

le said

u can handl

make the wo

le

ey leaned bac

tudie

said after a

e w

e a ne

g that s

me again,

or no c

phone, telling h

nodde

ed and w

he elevator doors clos

r down 15 floors, into he

on the couch and

ey wante

ld give

ntil her fi

an

ontro

dley either the most loved author i

er phone

s. Ri

as w

aid you're "too intense" and "care

t the message

. Ridley would us

sage, dropped the p

t lose to blind dates.

he wouldn't lose t

ey wante

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