Free Project Seduction by Tatiana March

crossed the room to the bookcase and reached for a file with green covers. She lowered it to the floor. The letters inside were organized by date. Some had little notes clipped to them, carrying comments written in her dad's untidy scrawl.
    'Huston, Skillings, Pendleton’ it said on top of each letter. An ornate line made a box around the three names, turning it into a logo. Andy frowned. Why didn't it say ‘and’ between Skillings and Pendleton? That was the way Miss Chalmers thought them in the English class. What was the point of learning any rules, if the rest of the world didn't follow them?
    Selecting a letter halfway down the pack, a short one with no comments stapled into it, Andy flipped the file open and carefully detached the single sheet of paper. Then she returned the file on the shelf and glanced at her watch. It was a hand-me-down from her dad. It was wider than her wrist and chafed her skin, but she'd refused his offers to buy her something different.
    Almost nine. She'd give Gina another fifteen minutes. Nine o'clock wasn't too early, not even on a Saturday morning. Clutching the letter in her hand, Andy burrowed down in the recliner and waited.
    * * * *
    The sound of the doorbell tore Georgina out of her fitful sleep. She opened her eyes. They stung, and when she swallowed her throat felt like sandpaper. Slowly, she pushed herself up and made her way out to the hall.
    "What do you want now?” She shouted the words through the door without bothering to open it.
    "It's me. Andy. I've got the letter for you."
    Georgina rubbed her puffy eyelids. “What letter?"
    "A letter from the lawyer. With the address."
    "Oh.” Georgina fumbled at the lock. “Here. Give it to me.” She opened the door a few inches and stuck her hand out through the crack.
    "Can I come in?” Andy didn't hand over the letter.
    "It's not a good time."
    "Are you all right?"
    "I'm fine."
    "You sound croaky."
    "I've got a sore throat.” She'd be damned if she told the nosy child that she'd been up half the night sobbing over something she couldn't even understand.
    "It's the dry air,” Andy said. “Your heating's on too high."
    "I've turned it down. The air conditioning is supposed to be on."
    "Sometimes the dial gets stuck. I might be able to fix it for you. Do you want me to come inside and take a look?"
    "Oh, all right.” Georgina sighed and stepped out of the way. It had been a wasted effort trying to hold off the girl anyhow. Andy had a talent for wearing down resistance.
    "Here's the letter."
    Georgina took the sheet and glanced at the logo on top. The name sounded familiar. She had hoped for that. Pacific Bank specifically targeted SMEs, small and medium sized enterprises. It had been a good bet that the law firm Rick Matisse used might be amongst the bank's clients.
    She folded the letter and slipped it into the side pocket of her briefcase. Her face grew hot when she saw the Project Seduction flowchart. Damn. Was this going to be the first time in her life she'd have to give up on a goal she had set? Not only set, she recalled with dismay, but documented in writing, and announced out loud to Annabel.
    Georgina shoved the briefcase out of the way. It bounced against the table leg, making her keys rattle in the ceramic bowl on top. Andy was fiddling with the heating controls mounted on the hallway wall. “Can you fix it?” Georgina asked.
    "Maybe.” Andy shot a quick glance over her shoulder. “I'm real sorry about last night. And my dad is sorry, too."
    "Forget it,” Georgina muttered. She tried not to think about the way she'd yelled at Rick, suggesting that he expected her to fall on her back and spread her legs every time he came near her. How could she have made such crude remarks? Recalling them made her blush.
    "My dad says he wants to do something to make it up to you,” Andy said.
    Georgina's heart jolted. This was it. The opportunity to put her project back on track. Perhaps your father would like to take me out