Always With You (The Connor Family 6)

“Cameron, it’s best if you don’t know. Don’t ask.”

“How did you convince LA Lifestyle to let you send the article instead of interviewing him themselves?”

“You don’t want to know that either. Just rest assured, I haven’t burned any bridges.”

He laughed. “Fair enough. I’m leaving to visit my sister in Houston for the rest of the week. Think you can hold the fort here?”

“Definitely. Have fun.”

I cracked my knuckles after Cameron left, glancing at my agenda and gluing a blue dot next to Set up Reid & LA Lifestyle.

The reward system was a bit childish, perhaps, but it gave me a rush of satisfaction whenever I looked at the collection of dots at the end of the day. It was especially helpful when I dealt with cases that stretched on for months and progress was slow. It helped me be aware of the daily or weekly progress, even if it was small in the grand picture. I also emailed my contact at LA Lifestyle, dropping Reid’s name.

Toward lunch, I took my first real break, pressing my palms to my eyelids. Avocado and beans salad. That was going to be my lunch.

I soaked in the glorious sun as I walked out. Living in LA was hands down the best thing. I’d always loved it but even more so after visiting numerous other places as a consultant. The sun, combined with the almost permanent vacation feeling, gave the city a vibe I hadn’t found anywhere else. I was headed to a tiny salad bar at the end of my street when my phone buzzed. I grinned when I saw that Reid was calling.

“Hey! So glad you called. Thanks for agreeing to the interview. I already spoke to LA Lifestyle before you messaged. They’ll publish it.”

“You were so sure I’d say yes?”

“I like to be prepared. Just in case.”

“What would you have done if I said no?”

“Convinced you.”

“And how would you have done that?”

“Well, can’t give my secrets away, can I?”

“It’ll be my pleasure to lure out of you every single secret, Hailey.”

I cleared my throat, suddenly happy I wasn’t in the office. My cheeks were on fire.

“First, I have to get your secrets out, remember?”

“Too well.”

“When do you want to do this? We’ll need a few hours.”

“Saturday?”

“I don’t work on weekends.”

“But you did come here on a Saturday.”

I laughed, ignoring the rumbling in my stomach. “I make exceptions sometimes.”

“Am I worthy of another exception?”

“Maybe.” I sat on a bench, crossing my legs at the ankles. “I see some negotiation potential here.”

“Making demands now?”

“Just one. Don’t be extra difficult.”

“That depends solely on you.” His voice was low and so sinfully sexy that heat zinged through me.