hat surrounded the one was in. My headquarters consisted of the top

ratively. The lease was stupid expensive, but my dad, my business manager, and the

ar me?" Pen

?" I

a lunch with the head of accounting. And then you have a meeting with the cosmetic press team. I managed to slip in the owner of that

nodded. "Go

ee," she said. "You look tire

ust a lot to take in. Are there

"What? No? Was I sup

. "I've been running for two years.

was going to faint. "I've got your

," I told her.

ee she was still anxious. Then again, she w

elf a deca

ed to an ear as she rushed out of my office. Penelope was

ld count on her being very tho

nes without totally losing her mind. I felt a little guilt

ot of balls in the air, and it took a lot of work to keep everything running smoothly. Despite all the work staring me in the face, I did

swearing off men. I needed to be single. Brock was a lesson I needed to let sink in. He'd wooed me with his pretty eyes and even prettier words. I was blin

m that gave me butterflies in my belly. There'd been a rush of excitement and desire. It could have just been the moment and all the adrenaline rushing

a shake of my he

try or a spark, whatever the correct term was. It was ther

at idea digest for a minute before shrugging it off. That wasn't it. I wasn't prone to antics like that. The con

a bagel?" P

lready get

I came in the first

bagel too, didn't you?

t bagels the whole time w

good to me

e," she said. "Did you r

I reminded her. "I'm not as fast as you

once. "Of course.

ntage in some ways. Being young with the wrong last name and no fancy degree to flash made people question my talent. It was an antiquat

said I was a sponge. I wasn't the smartest person in the class, but I could learn. It did take a little

back into my office with a little brown bag. "I had them give you th

my head and opened the bag. "Yes," I whisp

aned and considered ignoring it, but it could be my dad. I grabbed a napkin and my phone. I didn't recognize the number. This w

in a voice that was

s this Rachel

reverted back to my days of b

met on Saturday. I was the guy

ed. I waited to see if h

on my hand. I'm sorry. I guess I

don't always jump into random cars with strange

e toying with m

I'm surprised you

o wait for a week, a

came off a little strong. "I'm

wo

am. I'm not cashin

're

ike to get a drink tonight." My first instinct was to say yes

ed in my car. The same woman I f

kind of a huge target right now. People want to take me down. They hate me, and they are intent on making my life hell

ate property. If you want to go out to a nice restaurant, I will make it happen." I s

mpossible to eat or drink when you're

id. "That's why I already

u d

ould I pic

" I told him. "Can I meet

you think it's safe to pull out your sandwich, they show up. Maggots. They are never far away. Not to mention every human on the planet has a cell phone and turns into a paparazzo. It's wh

"You make your li

ss being able to go shopping or grab my own coffee without people star

up, let's say seven? I'll make

iate that. Thank you f

" he said. "I'll

, and because I was very curious about this secret place he was taking me to, I googled it. It was an apartment building. Of course it was. Now

e," I to

out time I got to live on the edge. Ever since I won the lot

nsible. I wasn't going to let

t want to s

as she rushed into my off

I muttered. "It's not like