Tempt Me (The Macintyre Brothers 1)

STEPH: Of course and don't sweat the timing. I have enough room on my Visa. Are you ready to call your father?

ELLA: Not yet. I'm going to hold out for as long as I can. Stick with me, okay? I'll transfer you money as soon as I get my card working again.

STEPH: No problem. I know you have the money. I wish I was there with you. Maybe in the new year.

ELLA: I hope! XOXOX

In about fifteen minutes, I got a text back from Steph:

STEPH: Got you a deal on a hostel near Columbia University. You have a bunk bed for two nights, just in case. Let me know how it goes and if you need anything else. I even told them you had no ID because you were robbed so all you have to do is show them your cell with these messages.

ELLA: I will. Thanks, Bestie. You're a princess.

STEPH: You know it!

Then I took a taxi to the hostel, getting a key from the front desk clerk after she examined my cell and the email in question. Then, I plopped myself down on the bottom bunk in a room not much bigger than the Airbnb and went to sleep, feeling like things were finally improving.

I could make it without calling my father.

The next morning, I showered in the shared room and dressed, unhappy about wearing the same outfit to work that I had worn the previous day, but at least I had a good excuse. I took the subway to the office, wondering if I'd run into Josh during the day or if he'd text me. I hoped so, because he was so gorgeous and sweet, but I was not going to wait for an email. That was the new me – not the obedient daughter to a tyrant and loyal fiancée to a cheating cad. I was a young woman in Manhattan with an internship in a publishing house and hopes of making my mark one day as an author. No man was going to occupy the prime real estate in my mind or heart for a while. A long while.

I spent the morning going over through several dozen manuscripts, searching for ones that matched Sharon's criteria for the imprints the company published. The manuscript had to have a great opening and near perfect writing. Previous publications would be an asset. I sorted through the manuscripts, putting those who failed on both counts in one pile and the ones who satisfied both in another. The third pile was for those I wasn't sure about and would read over again. Why not take the best if you could have them? Then I sorted each pile by how much I wanted to read on and ended up with a stack of manuscripts ranked from the best to the worst.

My father sent me an email mid-morning, wondering why I wasn't answering my cell and I realized I'd have to tell him the truth.

I called, using Josh's burner cell, and he answered on the second ring.

"Ellie, dear, I was worried about you. Why haven't you answered my calls?"

"My cell was stolen, that's why, Daddy," I said, chewing a nail, waiting for him to berate me. "I'm using a spare cellphone a friend lent me."

"You've already been mugged and you've only been in Manhattan what – three days?"

"It's nothing," I said. "I'm going to get a new one in a couple of days. I'm fine."

"Your mother and I miss you, dear. She sends her love. Please keep in touch. It's hard for us to see our little girl move so far away."

"I know, but your little girl has to grow up and leave the nest."

"I'm proud of you, even if I wish you'd got a job in Concord."

"I had to leave," I said, sighing. We'd had this discussion before.

"I know, sweetheart, but we miss you. Keep in touch and if you need anything, just give me a call."

"I will. I love you," I said, feeling a squeeze in my heart to hear that he and my mother missed me.

"We both love you back."

I hung up, pleased that my father hadn't scolded me too much for losing my cell. What would he think if he knew that I had everything stolen? He'd freak.

I couldn’t let him find out and was even more determined than ever to stand on my own two feet.

After our regular morning staff meeting was over, I went back to Sharon's office and we discussed the manuscripts. I gave her my notes, then went back to my office, ready to look over the backlog of submissions.

I really hoped Josh was serious about his offer of help, because I would need it if I hoped to keep my job.

First thing was getting a temporary loan until the wire transfer came through and I could pay him back. I'd need to buy a laptop. I usually bought Apple products because I loved them, but given my situation, I'd be going with the cheapest laptop I could find.