I sent Reid a message, telling him the LA Lifestyle article was in the bag and that I’d map out the rest of the steps as soon as possible.
I’d just started writing down the goals I had set for myself for April when he responded.
Reid: Sounds like we should get together and discuss the next steps.
I chuckled.
Hailey: Why didn’t I see this coming? There’s no need to meet for this. I’ll email you my ideas and you can give me feedback. I’ll go from there.
Reid: I’d rather hear your ideas in person.
Bossy, was he? Well, I could be just as bossy.
Hailey: Takes up too much time, and you’re not my only client.
Reid: I can change that.
I didn’t get it.
Hailey: What do you mean?
Reid: I can tell your boss that I want you to work exclusively for me.
I stared at the screen of my phone, trying to ignore the goose bumps forming on my arms, the way my breath hitched. How could a simple message affect me so much? How could he already wield so much power over me?
I typed and deleted about five texts before finally pressing Send.
Hailey: I’d like to see you try.
He didn’t reply, and I took that as him admitting defeat.
I breezed through the rest of my tasks until lunch, when I was meeting Val. I loved having lunch with a fellow Connor. Friday dinners were awesome, of course, but there were so many people gathered together that I barely had time to interact with each long enough to lure out if they had any trouble, let alone brainstorm ways to solve the
m. I couldn’t wait to grill Val, check how she was really doing.
“You keep feeding me,” Val complained when I ordered some more dim sum. We were in one of my favorite Chinese joints.
“You need lots of vitamins. Need to take care of you and my niece or nephew.” I looked at her hopefully. “Do you already know what it will be?”
Val rubbed her belly, chuckling. Her rich brown hair had an unusual glow. In fact, my sister seemed to have an overall glow I hadn’t seen before.
“No, silly. I told you I haven’t had another ultrasound, and the baby wasn’t in a position that allowed us to see the sex last time.”
I narrowed my eyes. “But you wouldn’t keep it from me, right?”
Val averted her gaze. I knew it. I knew it.
“Val, don’t be cruel. I’ve learned to keep secrets. You know I did.”
So my track record wasn’t the best, but I’d gotten so much better lately.
“Can I come with you at the next ultrasound?” I shook my head as soon as I said the words. “No, you’re going with Carter. Can’t intrude.”
“You can come if you want to. He doesn’t mind.”
Hmm... decisions, decisions. On the one hand, I’d love to hear the nugget’s heartbeat. But it was their moment.
“April and Peyton are coming too, so it’s a party anyway,” Val said.