Page 342 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

“It was okay, I guess,” I answer.

“You didn’t turn the TV on, did you?” he asks. “I’m telling you, the first few days are always the worst, but if it helps at all, there’s some good news.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say the words good news before,” I smirk. “What happened?”

“Well,” he says, “you remember how I said the whole thing was going to backfire?”

“Yeah,” I answer. It was right before the most disrespectful, yet strangely gratifying thing I’ve ever done.

He says, “Well, it looks like the public issoupset that this happened, they’re blaming it on the board. I don’t even remember the last time anyone in the news talked about a board of directors, but there they are going through each and every one of them, listing possible motives. It’s all hypothetical, so the board can’t do anything about it.”

“I’m glad my humiliating ordeal has been so beneficial for you,” I say.

The smile fades from Zach’s face, and he’s sputtering, “That’s not what I—that’s not the way I intended it. I just meant, you know, it’s a small amount of vindication. Everyone’s onyourside. Even the tabloids have shifted their focus away from the picture itself or any statement about you and me to the bastards who—”

“Zach,” I say, “relax. You got more than your fair share of jabs when I first got here. I’m just taking my pound of flesh, cut by cut.”

“We have some stuff to work out, don’t we?” he asks. “Are you ready to go to dinner? We can cancel and eat in if you’d prefer to talk, just you and me.”

“Weren’t we going to meet some of your friends tonight?” I ask.

The last time I met some of Zach’s friends, it was one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. Of course, I hadn’t really begun adjusting to this life, so maybe now I’d be less impressed.

Who am I kidding? I wonder if Ryan Reynolds is going to be there.

So we go to dinner. I’m a little disappointed when we walk up to the table and I don’t recognize anyone, but it’s probably better that way. Now I don’t have to worry so much about making an idiot of myself.

“Grace, I’d like you to meet Tim Pratchett, he owns Minder Media and can’t hit a golf ball straight to save his life,” Zach says. “And this is his wife Darla, who you may know from the World Health Organization. Tim, Darla, this is Grace.”

I shake two deceptively important hands and Zach pulls out my chair. Zach and I sit down at the table.

For a while, I’m just sitting there, not quite sure what to say or how to add to a conversation between these people.

Oh, so the last time you saw the President of the United States, he neglected to give you a pen from that historic bill he signed, huh? Well, I recently replaced the front window of the junk shop I own in a place you’ve only heard of because Zach seemingly upset the whole world when he wanted to movehismultibillion dollar company there.

Yeah, I know whatthat’slike.

After a few minutes, though, I realize that when I do speak, nobody looks at me like an idiot or as if I’m missing some massive part of what they’re talking about. No, Tim and Darla speak and act surprisingly like regular people.

Until the food arrives, Zach, Darla, and Tim are just catching up, but as soon as the first fork goes into the first piece of real Japanese Kobe beef, the conversation, strangely, turns to me.

Darla leans forward saying, “I was so distressed when I heard what that cleaning woman did to you.” She says it in a whisper as if there’s anyone at the tables around us who isn’t aware of the scandal.

I’m a part of a scandal. That’s actually kind of cool, except for the obvious.

“Thanks,” I say.

“Yes,” Tim says, “I heard they had that woman arrested, but I say she should have been shot doing something like that, and in your sleep!”

I’m being bucked-up by two of the more important people on the planet. It almost makes up for everything.

“Well, I asked Zach here if that would be a possibility—having her shot—but he told me there’s all kinds of paperwork,” I answer.

They laugh. I’m actually making these people laugh.

“How charming!” Tim says, and while it’s not exactly how I’d characterize my remarks, I’m more than happy to be called charming by this man.

I look over at Zach, who gives me a nod of approval, and in spite of everything, I feel pretty good about myself right now.

---