“This isn’t funny.”
“I’m sorry but it is. Do you want to come in?”
“No, I want to go back in time and slap you when you recommended Jason.”
“If I recall, and I think I do, you were the one who said you wanted to go to him.”
“Well, stop recalling and help me.”
“Help you do what? Sit on the toilet?”
She narrows her eyes. “I obviously need a strong drink.”
“I just asked if you wanted to come in.”
“Stop being funny and pour me something.”
Mila walks ahead when I let us into the house. She goes straight into the living room and slowly lowers herself onto the sofa.
“You really do hurt.”
“Reid, I swear.”
“I’m getting the rum.”
“That’s what dads drink.”
“You have much to learn,” I tell her before I go to the kitchen. It was good enough the night she was drunk here, but I don’t think she remembers much of what happened before she sobered up.
When I arrive back in the living room, Mila is lounging on the sofa, frowning with her eyes closed.
I place two rum and cokes down on the coffee table.
“I think I’ll just stay here for the next four days,” she says.
“The best thing to do is keep moving.”
“Bullshit.”
Chuckling, I sit beside her. “Open your eyes and drink this.”
She tilts her head, and amber eyes flick to me. I clear my throat as heat floods my body.
“I don’t like the gym,” she says with a pout.
“No, it’s evil. Drink.”
“It’s rum, though.”
“I’ll get you something else if you don’t like it.”
She pushes herself up so she’s sitting straight, wincing as she does. “Okay.”
I watch her raise the glass to her lips. She doesn’t take her eyes off mine.
“Well?”
“It’s okay, I suppose.”
That means she likes it but doesn’t want to admit that I’m right.
I sip my own drink. “Yeah, it’s all right. How was uni this afternoon?”
“Awful. I walked like a granny. If you make a joke about how I’m technically a ‘mature’ student, I will kick you.”
“Can you even move your legs?”
“Ugh. I’ll kick you in a few days. I should be able to move before next week. I can’t turn up at Wilson Press walking like an OAP when I need to impress them.”
“You’ll be fine. I take it we’re not going out on an adventure tonight?”
“I’m not moving from this sofa.” She takes another sip of rum. “Can I just live here until I don’t hurt anymore?”
Yes. “You’re so dramatic. It really is best to keep moving.”
“I can’t see how that’s right.”
I shake my head. “Drink up and I’ll pour you another one.”
“Alcohol helps.”
“You’re a nightmare when you’re in pain. I’m making kebabs tonight. Have you eaten?”
“You’re asking if I want dinner?”
“Seems like a dick move to only make it for myself.”
She smirks. “You’re making kebabs?”
“Not the ones you have after a night out. Mango chicken, salad, and pita bread. It’s one of Jason’s recipes.”
“Jason can fuck off.”
“Dinner, Mila?”
She smiles. “Yes, please. Can I help?”
“You can make the salad.”
“That’s the job you give to a kid.”
“I don’t share my kitchen. You’re lucky you’re getting to do that much.”
“Bossy,” she mutters, downing the last of her drink. “All right. Let’s get another one of those and start dinner. I’m going to slice the best salad you’ve ever had.”
I stand and wait. She puts the empty glass on the coffee table and places her palms on the sofa, ready to push herself up.
“Mila.”
“Have you never hurt this much?”
“Sure, at the start.”
“Then stop enjoying this.”
Laughing, I hold my hands out. She hesitates for a second before placing her hands in mine. I pull her up easily. She doesn’t weigh much. Her breath blows across my face as we stand almost chest to chest. One step closer and I would get to feel her body against mine.
“Reid,” she whispers. “You might have to carry me.”
Laughing, I step back and slowly pull her along to my kitchen.
Nineteen
Mila
First days suck.
My first day at high school, college, and uni all left me hyperventilating and wishing I enjoyed recreational drugs. I already know I’m going to talk too much and probably scare off my new co-workers. Reid said that Mel is cool, but hell, I’m not.
At least I can walk now. My second session with Jason was tough, but I didn’t suffer quite as badly, plus I had the weekend to recover.
I’m dressed in black skinny jeans, a cream and dark grey striped casual shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. My hair is tied up in a neat ponytail. Although they’re apparently casual there, I don’t think I’ll make a good impression if I turn up wearing my worn denim shorts and a band tee.
I’ll see what everyone else is wearing before I dress down.
Mum and Dad made a fuss over breakfast, as though I’d actually landed a job. Who knows, it might lead to something, like me selling a series for seven figures and buying a house by the beach. That would be ace.
I park my sunshine yellow Beetle into a space, and my shoulders instantly relax when I see Reid’s car. He’s here. At least I know someone, and he will hopefully be the buffer stopping me from talking shit for eight hours.
He’s only here on Mondays and Fridays, though. That’s probably a good thing. I need to do this alone. I’m glad to have a familiar face on day one but after that, I have to put on my big girl pants… and not just during my time of the month.
I grab my bag and bottle of water that flew into the footwell when I had to break sharply to miss a dickhead in a shiny BMW.
You’ve got this. Go in there, don’t be a twat, and rock it.
The office is a single story building, with old wooden window frames and a chipped, red door. It looks quaint and inviting.
When I get inside, I look around in wonder. The first thing I notice is the smell of paperbacks. Then, I notice the bookshelves. It’s like a library, and I love it. I walk deeper into the room, noting the weird layout. The offices are around the edges, with what looks like a communal space in the middle. No one was on the reception desk when I walked in, but Reid did say she doesn’t start until eight. It’s currently only fifteen minutes to.
Yeah, I’m early for my first day.
Mel throws her arms up and walks out of her glass-fronted office. “Mila, welcome.”
“Hi, how are you? I’m so excited and so ready for this. Thanks for taking a chance on me. I love this office, all the books and the smell of —”
“Mila.” Reid steps out of his office and cuts me of.
Sweet Jesus, what took him so long? I was about to tell her that books smell like paper, for fuck’s sake. As if she doesn’t know what she’s been binding for the last eight years.
My eyes widen as I look at him for help. I don’t want to screw this up. I’m getting real experience in the publishing industry. I can’t have Mel thinking that I’m a bumbling twat. She’s going to report back to my lecturer.
Reid presses his lips together, stifling a laugh. Glad my pain is amusing him.
He looks damn good in dark jeans and a T-shirt that’s just tight enough to show his cut physique. His hair is perfect, and his eyes are smiling. I want to run my hands over his chest.
“Well, let me show you around, Mila,” Mel says, her eyes flitting from me to Reid. “Actually, Reid, you could give Mila the tour and then show her to my offi
ce after.”
“Whatever you say,” he replies, raising his brow at her.
Are they having a fight over which one has to show the new girl around? Maybe they should have flipped a coin or drawn straws.
Mel leaves us, laughing under her breath.
“What was that about?” I ask.
“Nothing. Let me show you where the bathrooms are, and then I’ll make you a coffee. There aren’t too many rooms, so you won’t get lost.”
“Ooh, is it instant coffee?” We start to walk in the opposite direction, passing the entrance door. “Do you gag every time you drink it? Tell me it’s like a supermarket own brand, too. Can I watch you take a sip?”
“Let me know when you’re finished. Toilets are there,” he says pointing to the two doors next to us. We continue down a little corridor. “Storerooms to our left.”
“Talk to me about coffee, Reid.”
“Do you say that in bed?”
“If you want.”
Word. Vomit.
Fuck’s sake, that made it sound like I was offering him sex.
Mayday. Mila going down. Not that down, either.
Reid stops walking.
“Okay, I totally know how that sounded, and I promise I’m not propositioning you in the workplace… on my first day. Shall I go home?”
My face is burning hot. Am I on fire?
“Amazing,” he mutters. “You’re not going anywhere. Shall we get you that coffee now or will that just make things worse?”
“I’m not speaking until I’m spoken to from now on.”
“Sure, you’re not. In here.” He opens a door, and I walk into the kitchen. There’s a big coffee machine sitting on the dark wooden worktop.
“Oh.”
“I can make you shitty instant if you’d prefer.”
“I wouldn’t.”
His smirk is too gorgeous to irritate me. “No? You don’t want to get the full effect of working in an office?”
“Give me the good stuff.”
“Sit down, Mila.”
I do as I’m told, but only because I really want him to make me a nice latte.
“Do you know what I’ll be doing?”
“Proofreading and blurb writing, I think. Next week, you’re mine, and we’re going through a fresh manuscript.”
I’m his. I bite my lip as my hormones race.
Stop it.
“What about the week after?”
“You’ll be doing a little cover design and some release campaigns.”
Excitement bubbles in my stomach. “That all sounds so cool.”
“You know, Mel sometimes outsources proofreaders.”
“Does she?”
“She has one who freelances. Debbie is damn good at what she does, too.”
“But…?”
He smiles over his shoulder. “But she’s accepted a job with Penguin Random House.”
“You have an opening here?”
He turns back and continues to make the coffee. “Yep. You’re good at proofing, Mila.”
“I could be the next Debbie.”
“You could never be anyone other than you.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“I think so,” he replies, placing my coffee in front of me. As he bends down, I catch the scent of his subtle aftershave. I want to press my face against his skin and inhale. He smells so bloody good, and I have got to get a hold of myself.
“Thanks.” For more than the coffee. “I guess I should get to Mel’s office. I don’t want to piss her off within the first five minutes.”
“She’s going to love you. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”
I actually saw which office she came out of, plus they’re all glass-fronted, but I don’t say anything because I want to walk with him.
Mel stands when she sees us walking back into the room—me, clutching my coffee like it’s about to run off. She waves me in, and I turn to Reid.
“You’ll be fine,” he says before I can freak out.
“Okay.”
“Lunch.”
“What?” I mumble.
“Midday.”
“You’re being weird.”
“See you then.” With a smile, he turns and heads back into his office, which is almost opposite Mel’s. Kind of like where our houses are.
“Reid show you around?”
“I’ll no longer get lost. God, there are so many books. How do you resist sitting and reading all day?”
She laughs. “Sometimes I don’t. Take a seat. You can ask me anything you like as we go, but shall we dive straight into this proofread?”
“Hell yes!”
“I don’t print them like Reid.”
“No one does.”
“He’s unique.”
I sit down next to her and blow my coffee. “He sure is.”
“Very good at what he does and ridiculously handsome.” I side eye her, and she laughs. “Oh, come on. You’ve noticed.”
“I mean, I have eyes and everything. Plus, he likes books.”
“Preach. My ex-husband never read. I don’t know how the marriage lasted so many years. My next husband will love books. I’ve stated that on my dating profile.”
My smile widens. I already love this woman. “Online?”
“Tinder.”
“Ouch.”
That gets a laugh. “You have no idea.”
She tilts the screen towards me.
I take a breath and turn to the manuscript in front of me. This is being published, and I’m helping with that process.
Twenty
Reid
I don’t think she’s looked up from that monitor once. We have about five minutes until lunch, and I’m probably going to have to drag her out of that office.
Mel has mostly been overseeing everything that Mila is doing but she has, on occasion, left her office and given me a thumbs up. I guess that means Mila is making some good suggestions and picking up any final mistakes.
After replying to an email, I lock my computer and head over to Mel’s office.
Mel smirks. “What brings you here?”
Really? “I’m stealing Mila for lunch.”
Mila looks up and raises her eyebrows. “I didn’t realise the time.”
Mel laughs. “She’s not come up for breath.”
“It’s really good.”
“It’s romance,” I say.
Mel rolls her eyes. “Oh, Reid, you should get in touch with your romantic side.”
“Let’s go, Mila.”
She looks across at Mel as if she’s going to tape her to the chair if she dare have a lunch break. “Go on, this will be here when you return.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
Mel nods, and if Mila was to look at her now, she would see how pleased Mel is that we’re going out.
Mila grabs her bag and follows me. “Where are we going? I was going to run across the road to that café.”
“On your first day? Not happening.”
“Ooh, are we off to The Ritz?”
“You might want to lower those expectations a smidge.”
Her shoulders slump. “Fine. Where to?”
I unlock my car and open the door for her. “Get in.”
“Is this kidnap?”
“Mila.”
Laughing, she gets in the bloody car.
“I’m not kidnapping you,” I tell her as I get in and start the engine.
“What a relief. Where are we going?”
“There’s a nice pub five minutes away. The food is incredible.”
“You didn’t need to take me anywhere.”
“It beats a sandwich at the café. Believe me.”
“How does Mel feel about employees turning up drunk after lunch?”
“She’s not crazy on it.”
“Shame. We could have had the best lunch hour ever.”
I can think of ways of achieving that without drinking.
“This is going to be a stupid ques
tion because I’ve seen you grinning at the monitor all morning, but how is your day going?”
She turns to me. “This is the best job in the freakin’ world, Reid! Everyone is so nice, too. Even that twat Andrew popped in to say hi. I love it there.”
“That’s what I thought. Mel seems impressed with you so far.”
“I don’t know how. I was such an idiot this morning. I got nervous and all these words came out.”
“I love it when you do that.”
“Well, thanks. At least you were a gentleman and came to my rescue.”
“Wouldn’t want you getting fired on the first day now, would we?”
She gasps and slaps my arm.
I tighten my hands around the steering wheel. “Christ, Mila!”
“I didn’t even think about getting fired. Imagine if I did and had to go and tell my lecturer about it. I don’t think anyone at uni has ever been asked to leave work experience before. Why did you say that?”
“Clearly, I didn’t expect that reaction. You’re not going to get fired. Just keep doing a good job and be yourself.”
“Being myself has only ever gotten me dumped.”
“You’re better off alone than having to pretend.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I got myself together eventually, right?”
“You’re doing better than you let on. Give yourself a break.”
“I am… most of the time. It’s like nothing and everything has changed.”
I pull into the pub carpark. “Ah, makes sense.”
“Shut up, Reid, you know what I mean.”
I cut the engine and we get out.
“I’m starving. I could barely eat a thing this morning, I was so nervous,” she says as she follows me inside and we find a table.
“It’s hard to imagine you nervous.”
“Hey, it happens.” She picks up a menu but then looks around the room. “It’s cute here.”
The interior walls are littered with stone, and there’s a large fireplace. We’re sitting near a window that overlooks the stream at the end of the beer garden.
“They do a good steak.”
“How did you find it?”
“I came here for dinner with my parents when I graduated uni. It’s also where Jason fell on his arse in the stream.”
She laughs. “Gutted I missed that one. I’ve never been here before.”
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