Page 7 of Endeavor

I have found the individual. Below is his address, if you wish to make contact. I’ve enclosed some photographs taken yesterday at his place of business. A full report will be sent later this week.

Sincerely,

Derek Bowman

I click on the photos and stare at the familiar eyes. There’s no question about it. I sigh and close the email. I’m too hungover and too tired to deal with this right now. There’s a knock at the door and I let in room service. I chug the coffee and take a bite of toast as the woman comes out of the bathroom in a towel. She joins me. We sit quietly nibbling on the food and downing an entire French press filled with coffee. She gets up and throws on her clothes from the previous day.

“Uh, so, I guess I’ll be going,” she says, biting her lip.

“Yeah, it was…fun,” I reply as she gives me an awkward smile.

“Yeah. Well, you have my number,” she mutters. I know that I’m just another notch on her celebrity belt. I’ve seen her at other concerts. I guess that’s why I knew she was safe. She wasn’t looking for anything permanent.

“Yep. See you around,” I say as she opens the door and walks out, leaving me to my thoughts and the last two pieces of bacon.

Chapter Four

Emma

Me: I have no idea what to wear. HELP!

Kate: The red one. Definitely the red one.

Me: You don’t think it looks too…you know

Kate: RED ONE

Me: OK, OK. Take a chill pill.

Kate: Kiss, kiss. I have to go.

Me: Let me guess. He’s tall, dark, and handsome and needs your attention STAT.

Kate: I’m telling Auggie you said that.

Me: (eye-rolling emoji) Whatever. Go play with your prince.

Kate: Muah

Me: Laters.

I hold my red dress up to me again and look in the mirror. It does look good with my blonde hair. I shrug and put it on along with my silver heels. I put on a simple silver diamond pendant necklace that Kate gave me for my birthday last year. I told her I couldn’t accept it and she retorted with some bullshit about how she’s a princess and what else is she supposed to give me because I have everything I need and it’s my birthstone and it would be rude to not accept a gift from a princess. I may have rolled my eyes at that one. I have on my usual tiny diamond studs that my parents gave me for high school graduation. It’s simple, but it’ll do.

There’s a knock at my door and I grab my clutch from the side table as I open it to find Will standing there. He looks great. He’s wearing a black tuxedo and his messy shoulder-length hair is pulled back in a man bun. I’m not usually a man bun type of gal, but I must admit, it looks good on him.

“Hey!” I say as I give him a quick hug before locking my door.

“You look…damn fine, Baldwin,” he manages as his eyes move from my heels up to my hair. I notice he spends more time taking in my middle section, particularly my breasts that are accentuated by the low-cut dress.

I pause. “Is the dress really OK? I don’t want to look too…uh, you know.”

He frowns. “Too what?”

I groan. Men are impossible. I should have listened to my dad and never dated one. “Too revealing?”

His gaze lands back on my chest, and I wait for his decision. He shakes his head.

“No, you’re classy as fuck. Now, come on.” He holds out his arm, and I wrap mine through it. Will’s not exactly my perfect guy, but I have to admit he looks sexy tonight. And he’s fun, so at least I won’t be standing in a corner looking awkward. I keep hearing my mother’s voice telling me to give him a chance. The memory of her telling me to hear what my ex-boyfriend had to say when I found out he was cheating was so typically her. The whole thing left me even more cautious around people, especially people I don’t know well.

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