The Galilee Falls Trilogy (Book 3): Fall of Heroes by Jennifer Harlow Page A
Authors: Jennifer Harlow
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on Bennett, but nope. My give a damn’s busted. He smiles at me as he rises from the table. “Hello. All.”
“Sorry for our tardiness,” Lane says.
“Well, you know what they say about glass houses and stones,” Bennett retorts as we sit.
I remove my sunglasses. “Doesn’t stop most people from throwing the fuckers.”
“Guess that makes me better than them,” he says, not missing a beat. “Go me.”
Even I manage a smile for that one. His grows larger. Just for me. I look away.
“Let’s not waste any more time,” Lane chimes in. “I understand we only have a few wrinkles to iron out. Shall we begin?”
As I sit for two hours listening to dull as hell negotiations about arbitration liability and tax write-offs, I realize without a shadow of a doubt I’ve made the right decision. For once. I’ve wasted over a year of my life in conference rooms bored out of my skull. No fucking more. Bennett keeps trying to catch my eye, but I stare straight ahead at the door. Thank Christ we did all the heavy lifting yesterday, so today’s torture only lasts two hours. The novel size contract gets signed, notarized, and I’m finally free.
That’s that.
After the last signature, I leap from my seat and rush for the bathroom, mostly to avoid Bennett, okay mostly due to the five cups of coffee I drank to stay awake. An empty bladder. The highlight of my day. I—
When I step out of the stall, I’m shocked to find the person—well, one of them—I was actively trying to avoid, leaning against the sink with that damn boyish grin of his affixed.
“Jesus Christ,” I gasp.
“Not quite,” Bennett quips, smile growing.
I roll my eyes. “So you’re a pervert as well as an asshole. That your kink? Listening to women pee?”
“Maybe I was hoping for a quickie.”
I roll my eyes again and move toward the sinks to wash my hands. “What? Were you doodling ‘Mr. Joanna Fallon’ surrounded by hearts in your notebook earlier?”
“You peeked,” he says with a fake pout.
A wry chuckle escapes me. “Look last night was last night and this morning is this morning, and never the twain shall meet again. I like you. I do. You’re funny, you’re gorgeous, you’re decent in bed, but my life is fucked right now. Not to mention you live hundreds of miles away and I have no intention of ever, ever setting foot in this shitty city again.” I move around him to the paper towels. “But hey, if you ever find yourself in Galilee, given time, I may be up for a few laughs, who knows? Life can turn on a dime, right?”
He studies me, eyes narrowing. “He really did a number on you, huh?”
“Which he?” With an eyebrow raised, I turn my back on him and walk toward the door.
“Joanna?” Bennett calls. I spin around. “Take care of yourself.”
“No one else will, huh?” I pucker my lips in a kiss and step out. “Bye, playboy. It’s been memorable.”
The Pendergast contingent wait for me by the elevators and don’t say a word the ride down to the lobby. There’s nothing they can say, and maybe they know me well enough to realize that. Or maybe they don’t want me to change my mind. They’ll be popping champagne when they return to Pendergast. Shannon will be ten times the deal maker I’m supposed to have been.
We step off the elevator and through the foyer. I have so much shit to do now. Packing, selling the manor, I’m sure there’ll be a ton of paperwork needed for my resig—
“Joanna?”
I cringe when I hear her voice. Of course. When I spin around, Lucy’s already risen from her chair in the vast lobby. Just waiting to pounce. Lane and Shannon actually smile at Judas as she slowly begins her approach. Nope. I stride toward her to intercept. I am in no mood for this.
“He would send you,” I hiss. “What, is he too much of a pussy to face me himself?”
“Don’t be vulgar,” Lucy admonishes.
“Don’t tell me what to do. Cunt .” I step in close, getting right in her face. “You. Of
“Sorry for our tardiness,” Lane says.
“Well, you know what they say about glass houses and stones,” Bennett retorts as we sit.
I remove my sunglasses. “Doesn’t stop most people from throwing the fuckers.”
“Guess that makes me better than them,” he says, not missing a beat. “Go me.”
Even I manage a smile for that one. His grows larger. Just for me. I look away.
“Let’s not waste any more time,” Lane chimes in. “I understand we only have a few wrinkles to iron out. Shall we begin?”
As I sit for two hours listening to dull as hell negotiations about arbitration liability and tax write-offs, I realize without a shadow of a doubt I’ve made the right decision. For once. I’ve wasted over a year of my life in conference rooms bored out of my skull. No fucking more. Bennett keeps trying to catch my eye, but I stare straight ahead at the door. Thank Christ we did all the heavy lifting yesterday, so today’s torture only lasts two hours. The novel size contract gets signed, notarized, and I’m finally free.
That’s that.
After the last signature, I leap from my seat and rush for the bathroom, mostly to avoid Bennett, okay mostly due to the five cups of coffee I drank to stay awake. An empty bladder. The highlight of my day. I—
When I step out of the stall, I’m shocked to find the person—well, one of them—I was actively trying to avoid, leaning against the sink with that damn boyish grin of his affixed.
“Jesus Christ,” I gasp.
“Not quite,” Bennett quips, smile growing.
I roll my eyes. “So you’re a pervert as well as an asshole. That your kink? Listening to women pee?”
“Maybe I was hoping for a quickie.”
I roll my eyes again and move toward the sinks to wash my hands. “What? Were you doodling ‘Mr. Joanna Fallon’ surrounded by hearts in your notebook earlier?”
“You peeked,” he says with a fake pout.
A wry chuckle escapes me. “Look last night was last night and this morning is this morning, and never the twain shall meet again. I like you. I do. You’re funny, you’re gorgeous, you’re decent in bed, but my life is fucked right now. Not to mention you live hundreds of miles away and I have no intention of ever, ever setting foot in this shitty city again.” I move around him to the paper towels. “But hey, if you ever find yourself in Galilee, given time, I may be up for a few laughs, who knows? Life can turn on a dime, right?”
He studies me, eyes narrowing. “He really did a number on you, huh?”
“Which he?” With an eyebrow raised, I turn my back on him and walk toward the door.
“Joanna?” Bennett calls. I spin around. “Take care of yourself.”
“No one else will, huh?” I pucker my lips in a kiss and step out. “Bye, playboy. It’s been memorable.”
The Pendergast contingent wait for me by the elevators and don’t say a word the ride down to the lobby. There’s nothing they can say, and maybe they know me well enough to realize that. Or maybe they don’t want me to change my mind. They’ll be popping champagne when they return to Pendergast. Shannon will be ten times the deal maker I’m supposed to have been.
We step off the elevator and through the foyer. I have so much shit to do now. Packing, selling the manor, I’m sure there’ll be a ton of paperwork needed for my resig—
“Joanna?”
I cringe when I hear her voice. Of course. When I spin around, Lucy’s already risen from her chair in the vast lobby. Just waiting to pounce. Lane and Shannon actually smile at Judas as she slowly begins her approach. Nope. I stride toward her to intercept. I am in no mood for this.
“He would send you,” I hiss. “What, is he too much of a pussy to face me himself?”
“Don’t be vulgar,” Lucy admonishes.
“Don’t tell me what to do. Cunt .” I step in close, getting right in her face. “You. Of
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