Read CHERISH (The Billionaire's Rules, Book 12) for Free Online Page A

“great on the phone” is not the same as mine.”
    He chuckled.   “I know exactly what constitutes great
on the phone.   It’s my business and
I’ve made a lot of money on it.”
    “I guess that trumps everything, then,”
she said.
    She already knew she wasn’t going to get
this job.   But she might as well go
down swinging.
    “Money?   Money most certainly trumps everything,”
Brayden said.  
    “How convenient for you.”   She rolled her eyes.
    “I’ve got an opening in thirty minutes,”
Brayden said.   “Be at the Hookup
offices in half an hour.”
    “I’m sorry,” she said confused.
    “What are you sorry for?”
    “I don’t understand.   Be at the offices for—“
    “I have an opening for an interview,” he
told her.   “Bring a copy of your
resume and your wonderful attitude, and I’ll see you then.”
    “That’s not much time for me to get
there.   I’m in the middle of moving
into my apartment…”
    “Listen, I’ve got about ten thousand applicants
for this job, and I’m fairly certain that without Cullen’s recommendation, you
don’t make it past screening.   So
this is what a recommendation from him will get you.   Take it or leave it.”
    “I’ll be there,” she said.
    “What’s your name again?” he asked.
    “I never told you my name.   It’s Lanie Day.”
    “See you in thirty, Lanie Day.”
    And then the line went dead.
    She stared at the phone for a moment,
stunned at how quickly so many things had gone both so right and so wrong.
    You
better get moving.   You’re sweaty
and disgusting and completely unprepared for an interview.
    Springing into action, she ran to the
bathroom and started the shower.   While the water was heating up, she went and dug through a box of
clothes and found a semi-appropriate (she hoped) outfit.
    Then she ran back to the bathroom and
showered, taking less than five minutes.  
    Could a person sweat while
showering?   She seemed to be doing
it.
    After getting out, she ran to change into
her clothes, slipping and falling on her butt in the hallway.
    Her tailbone was aching, but she didn’t
let it slow her down.
    Lanie got changed into khaki’s with a
white blouse, blazer, and heels.   She didn’t have time to apply makeup, style her hair, nothing.   She pulled her damp hair back and ran
out the door, almost forgetting her purse.
    By the time she got down to the street
she had about fifteen minutes to get to Hookup HQ, which was perhaps fifteen
minutes away with no traffic.
    Luckily, she was able to flag a taxi and
the driver seemed only too happy to speed towards the destination at a rate
that approached terrifying.
    They hit traffic about half a mile away
and it was dense and unrelenting.   “You know what?   Let me out
here, I’ll walk the rest of the way,” Lanie said, as she realized the traffic
wasn’t going to let up anytime soon.
    The driver obliged, she paid him and
quickly jumped out.
    She had about five minutes, and proceeded
to power walk as fast as humanly possible the final blocks to the office.
    By the time she arrived, Lanie was
officially drenched in sweat from both exertion and nerves.  
    The Hookup building was a quaint but
beautiful structure located across from a bookstore and numerous shops and
restaurants.   It was sort of off on
its own, hidden by some trees and hedges.
    But there was no time to stand around and
appreciate the view, because she was about to be late.
    Entering the lobby, she greeted the
receptionist with her best smile.   “I’m here for an interview with Brayden Forman,” she said.
    Behind the receptionist was a huge sunset
red logo with enormous red letters spelling out the word HOOKUP.
    The receptionist looked her up and down,
and seemed doubtful.   But then he
instructed her to take the elevator to the third floor and go directly back to
Brayden’s office, which was all the way at the end of the main workspace.
    What exactly is a ‘workspace,’ she
wondered.
    But