Page 4 of Hung Up
who pissed in her Cheerios this morning?
I don’t knowwhat’s pissing me off more: the construction outside or this woman’s voice.
Hannah? Haley? Hayden? I don’t fucking know her name.
What I do know is I need to get her out of my hotel room as soon as possible, or my PR team is going to rip me apart for being late.
“This has been fun,” I tell her as I grab her arm and try to gently lead her toward the door. “But there’s things I need to do, places I need to be, so if you’d just?—”
“Can I come by again tonight?”Why is her voice so loud and shrill?
I reach for the handle as I give her a strained smile. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” She pouts, placing a hand on my chest and pushing me back against the wall. “This time, we can actually have sex.”
“I already have plans after my ride tonight, and I have to ride tomorrow, too.”
Her nails trail up my chest before she lightly scratches my neck and says, “I can join you tonight. Just tell me where.”
“Look, Hannah?—”
“It’s Tracy,” she corrects, her eyes narrowing as her hand freezes.Well, shit. I wasn’t even close.
“Tracy,” I start as I grab her wrist and move her hand away so she’s no longer touching me. “I’m just not interested. I’m sorry.”
“Jesse, please?—”
“I think it’s time you go.”
I pull the door open and extend my hand toward the hallway, gesturing for her to finally let me get on with my day. She huffs as she walks by, flipping her hair dramatically over her shoulder and disappears out of sight. I release a heavy sigh as I close the door, pinching the bridge of my nose when my phone pings.
Mr. Boss Man
If you’re not early, you’re late.
Me
Okay, grandpa. I’m on my way.
Me
Had to stop for your arthritis medication.
Mr. Boss Man
I’ll give you your hemorrhoid cream back then.
I bark out a laugh before I grab my black cowboy hat off the bed and my wallet from the dresser, heading out the door. Thankfully, I only have to go downstairs to one of the conference rooms in the lobby for this meeting. Otherwise, I would’ve been hella late. What’s five minutes?
After what feels like an excruciatingly long elevator ride—seriously, what the fuck is up with elevator time?—I emerge on the main floor and make a beeline for the room my PR firm had rented out the night before. Henry, my PR manager and owner of the firm, refused to tell me what the impromptu meeting was for. He said something about how if I didn’t already know, then we had a problem, which means I’m definitely going to have to finagle my way out of whatever mess I unintentionally got myself into.
Pushing open the door, I plaster on the largest smile I can muster, but it falters when I see a young brunette sitting at the table next to Henry. Turning my attention to him, he’s already staring at me with a smug smile tugging at his lips. My eyes narrow slightly in response.What the fuck is this?
“Jesse, take a seat,” he greets, gesturing with his arm to the five remaining open chairs. I plop down in the seat opposite him at the other end of the table. The head of the table. “I presume you’ve figured out why I’ve called this meeting on such short notice.”
“Let’s pretend I haven’t,” I retort, taking off my hat and tossing it onto the table. Running a hand through my longer brown hair, I ask him, “What would you say to me right now?”
The woman laughs and attempts to cover it up with a cough, and a smile tug at my lips. Raising a brow, Henry narrows his eyes at her for a moment before turning his attention back to me. “I’d say that you need to realize where you’re at and who is around you before you start making out with someone—three different someones—at the same bar before taking a different one home.”
