Page 45 of One Bossy Disaster

“Thanks, Mark. You’ve put me on the right track and I can take it from here.”

As soon as he shuffles away, I look at the clock.

Barely one p.m.

Ugh.

I knead my knuckles into my eyes until I see stars.

I’m doing the best with what I have.

I had to go begging Carol for help so she’d give me the templates. I did all the research myself, put it together with references.

My interview with Debra Hollens was pure luck, and it was possibly the shortest interviewever. Fortunately, she has a way with words and sharing her life. She’s the type of person where everything they say is interesting.

But her frostbitten tragedy is perfect proof of the many ways this would help conservation efforts—not just the animals, but human researchers.

I’m hoping—no, praying—that it’ll help my case.

With Shepherd Foster, there’s no room for error.

The one mistake he made with that actress has him more strung out than ever.

Also, after more digging around online and getting more details about the woman he supposedly dumped, I think I know why he’s avoiding me.

Vanessa Dumas has a sizable online presence.

Her Instagram following—never mind her TikTok and Facebook page—has ballooned into six figures ever since she came out publicly about the big bad crimes he apparently committed.

It’s not my place to judge, but... she doesn’t look hurt.

She looks like she’sthrivingoff the attention.

I mean, if I were in Foster’s shoes, I might develop an unhealthy fear of attractive women too. Is that the real reason why he’s avoiding me?

I’m almost sad if it is, if he thinks I’d pull a Dumas.

Besides, he’s notthathot.

Not lose-my-mind-over-him hot.

Obviously, I have eyes and a pulse so I can see he’s attractive. I getwhygobs of women might have a crush on him.

They aren’t me.

I’ve been around rich assholes my whole life, and I’d like to think it’s made me immune to the toxic personalities buried behind their outer charms.

And I hate to admit it, but he’s definitely hot enough for someone else to lose their wits.

It shouldn’t be humanly possible for a man so cold to be scorching—but the fact that he’s so forbidding and imposing makes him more attractive.

It’s like a law of physics Newton forgot to cover, wealthy assholes and their animal magnetism.

Foster is a piece of forbidden fruit with arms and legs like tree trunks.

Raw temptation wrapped up in a pretty package, just out of reach.

But that’s not what I’m here for.