"Howl's Love Advice"

Chapter 55: Roadside Assistance

Howl's Wednesday Checklist

1. buy vodka

2. sign Markl's progress report

3. buy tequila

4. schedule Vale End Springs for spiritual cleansing

5. drop USK game tickets at Roger's desk

6. prep for talk with Markl

7. *buy ALL the alcohol

8. locate missing secretary...

"Sophie."

The white-walled office echoed her name.

"Sophie?"

A crisp breeze from the ajar window ruffled a sticky-note. Howl leaned over his desk to have a look.

'Out for lunch.'

He sighed. "Not again."


Calm winter sunshine flickered across the plush seats of the limousine. In the background, the muffled sounds of traffic played like a mixed track.

Justin gazed out the tinted windows towards the passing city. He had always like the atmosphere of Kingsbury, ever since his high school and university days. When his father had asked him to handle the Suliman Corporation contract, he had eagerly accepted. If all went according to plan, Justin hoped to be looking at a permanent position here.

Maybe a few other permanent things as well, he mused, finger swirling around Sophie's contact information in his phone.

She hadn't texted him much since their lunch date last week. He tried not to be disappointed. He knew she was busy with moving and her fairly new job. Still, he wondered if she shared any of his feelings. Doubt couldn't help but warm to hope at the memory of her shy smiles.

"Mr. Tharaldson, there's a fifteen minute traffic delay to your hotel," one of his bodyguards announced.

Justin nodded. "So be it." He sighed and looked out the window again. Despite being on mainstreet, they were now passing some rougher parts of town. It had always saddened Justin to see poverty grow under the shadows of opulence.

Suddenly, he straightened in his seat. Was that… ?

A woman had just stepped out of a ground floor apartment and was hurrying his way. As Justin watched, a coarse-looking man followed her, shaking his fist. The woman turned. A long brown braid whipped out behind her.

Just then, the limousine slowed for a light. Justin threw open a door and jumped out onto the sidewalk. His bodyguards yelped in alarm.

"Sophie!" Justin called. "Sophie!"

She spun towards him, relief flooding the alarm on her face. Justin quickly strode forward to stand between her and the man. It took great control not to pummel that sneer off his face.

"Can I help you?" Justin demanded.

The smell of illegal drugs thickened the air as the man crossed his arms. "Yeah, tell that stuck-up bitch if she didn't want the room she shouldn't have wasted my time!"

As Justin bristled Sophie spoke up. "You seemed to have plenty of tenants already," and Justin saw there were other men loitering through the apartment's open doorway, some on couches, a few in the windows. Ire filled him. Of course she had left!

"She said she's not interested. Deal with it." He touched Sophie's shoulder. "Let's go." She nodded.

"Whoa whoa, you think 'cause you wear nice shit you can step in our business?" the man barked, grabbing Justin's wrist.

The Royal Airlines heir tensed. Years of rugby sent his blood surging at this familiar position. All it would take were three moves to take this guy down. Three. Sophie would have plenty of time to escape.

But unfortunately, as it turns out his bodyguards did their job pretty well.


It took him several minutes to get his heart rate back down.

I'm glad Sophie's fine at least.

The limousine seat looked enormous with her demurely at its center. Justin found that simply being near Sophie had a calming effect. Her voice soothed as she explained her short moving deadline. "I thought this apartment would be safe since it was right by the mainstreet," she murmured, cradling a glass of juice in her lap. She had declined wine on account of returning to work.

"I didn't know you had such little time. I would've been happy to help you find something," Justin said with concern. "I happen to have some connections. Let me ask around and get you the numbers to call. You don't have to do this alone."

"Oh, Justin, I don't know… Are you sure?" she asked anxiously, staring across the gap at him with those brown eyes.

I'd buy you an entire house if that's what you wanted.

"Of course."

They arrived at Suliman Corp. earlier than he liked. As the limousine pulled around the paved entryway, Sophie shifted in her seat. "You can drop me off at the back entrance, if that's alright."

"Why? I like being seen with you."

She blushed. It gave Justin the courage to continue. "Listen, Suliman Corporation is hosting a gala this Saturday for her shareholders. It's probably going to be terribly stuffy. You know, one of those things where everyone dresses pompously and tries to outdo each other eating hors d'oeuvres."

"I know about that. President Suliman asked me to go."

Justin looked at Sophie in surprise. "Really? That's great!" He smiled. "If that's the case, would you like to go together?"

His old childhood friend searched his face. Her thumbs rubbed the curved sides of her drinking glass.

Before the wait became too long, she smiled. "Thank you. That sounds like fun."