Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“You’re going to have to ask Iris about that. I have no idea what motivates her sometimes.” Evan tried for a wide, friendly smile, but she was starting to look a little frayed around the edges.
“I would ask her, only she’s gone into hiding and, as her best friend, you’re the only one who could possibly give us some insight into her thought process.”
“I’d prefer not to discuss her, to be honest,” Evan said. “I thought we would be chatting about Looker’s upcoming collaborative project with—”
“In a minute, but for now I’d like to remain focused on Iris, if you don’t mind?” Mike Holmes’s smile had become decidedly sharklike and Iris leaned forward on the sofa in anticipation. “How much of the article did she write?”
“Iris has never been a very good writer. I had to write most of it for her. It was a mess before I got hold of it.”
“I see. Extremely generous of you to share the byline with her.”
“Well, it was her story after all,” Evan said with a modest smile.
“You merely wrote it for her,” Holmes completed for her.
Evan laughed, looking flattered by the non-compliment, and made a zipping motion across her lips.
“It wouldn’t be very sporting of me to say more than that, Mike.”
Mike Holmes stared at her for a few beats, during which Evan actually squirmed a bit, before he dialed up his perfect smile again. “Well, Evan, as much as I’ve loved having you all to myself, the time has come to take a quick break and then welcome my next guest to the sitting room.”
The screen went black for a few moments, which had obviously been a commercial break during the live show, and when the picture came back on Mike Holmes was staring directly into the camera.
“The team and I have been very sneaky about my next guest,” he said, leaning forward in a confiding manner. “We’ve kept him off tonight’s roster because we wanted to surprise you. After his last stormy visit, I must confess, I feared we’d never see him back on the couch. Which would have been a tragedy, since it’s always such a pleasure having him here. But he very generously agreed to come back onto the show tonight. Ladies and gentleman, please welcome… The one! The only! The SUBLIMELY talented Mr. Trystan Abbott!”
The audience went wild as the live studio band struck up the show’s theme once again, and Trystan strode confidently onto the set.
Iris’s hands were up over her mouth as she gawked at the screen, not sure what to expect next. Trystan exchanged a warm handshake with the man he’d comprehensively shunned just ten days ago, and after a cool nod at a starstruck-looking Evan, who was now sitting on the other end of the couch, took his seat closest to Mike.
Trystan had lost weight since his previous interview and Iris wondered if he was preparing for a role or something. His cheeks had hollowed and the bones looked sharper beneath his taut skin. There were angles and shadows that had not been present the last time she’d run her fingers over his face. He was thinner, yes, but still devastatingly attractive. Iris sucked her quivering lower lip between her teeth to prevent the sob lurking in her throat from escaping.
“You okay?” Colby asked and Iris nodded, unable to speak. They heard the front door open and a few moments later Chance was in the living room, but Iris couldn’t drag her attention away from the screen long enough to acknowledge him.
She heard him exchange a quiet greeting with Colby and was peripherally aware of him sitting down in the easy chair on her left.
“Trystan,” Mike Holmes gushed. “Welcome back.”
“Happy to be back, Mike,” Trystan said, clearly comfortable as he sat with his thighs spread and one arm draped over the back of the sofa. As always, he took up more than his fair share of space, but the couch was so large he didn’t infringe on any part of Evan’s space.
“Have you met Evan Brooks?” Holmes asked, gesturing toward Evan, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement. She had a winning smile on her face, and she’d angled her upper body toward his and was leaning toward him eagerly.
“I haven’t yet had the pleasure,” Trystan said with a cool smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He turned that lukewarm smile on Evan. “Miss Brooks? Charmed, I’m sure.”
“Oh, please call me Evan,” the woman gushed and he nodded, but all that legendary charm was conspicuously absent.
Evan finally seemed to notice that he wasn’t quite as receptive to her charms and she dialed down the enthusiasm a notch, before saying, face somber, voice throbbing with—what Iris knew had to be—feigned sincerity, “I’ve been meaning to reach out and apologize for any trouble my little article may have caused you.”