Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
But for tonight, I am going to revel in the fact that I have an amazing boyfriend.
Yes, my boyfriend. Significant other. Partner.
They all sound like I belong, and they belong to me.
Tonight is a girls’ night, compliments of Sophie and Jenna. The other two women who Sophie hangs out with regularly are Stone’s girlfriend, Harlow, and Coen Highsmith’s girlfriend, Tillie. Unfortunately, Harlow went to the away games, and Tillie is back home in Coudersport where she lives, although I’ll be meeting them both at Cannon’s surprise birthday party in three days. I learned that Tillie’s an artist with a business there, and she and Coen are making a long-distance relationship work. This gives me more confidence that Cannon and I can have something meaningful, even if we aren’t spending all our time together.
Our night started off with a huge surprise—Cannon hired a limousine to cart me, Sophie, and Jenna around Pittsburgh. We went out to a nice dinner, which stressed me out a little as I am down to counting pennies in my bank account. But my first paycheck is in three days, so I decided to use my credit card.
Except when we finished dinner, we learned that Cannon had already paid for it. At first, we were shocked because we didn’t know how Cannon even knew where we were. But we figured out quickly since Sophie had texted Baden and he must have told Cannon. Those guys are currently in Atlanta, doing God knows what this evening before tomorrow’s game.
We then had the limousine take us to a new champagne bar that just opened, and we’ve been working on our first bottle.
A waiter approaches our table with a fresh offering in one hand and three new flutes in the other. He places the flutes down and holds the champagne out for us to inspect. “A 1995 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay, compliments of Cannon West.”
My mouth drops in astonishment that he knows we’re here. I look across the table to Sophie and Jenna, and they both shake their heads, a silent statement that they didn’t text their other halves that we were coming here.
And then it hits me. Cannon hired the limousine, and the driver must be reporting where he’s taking us.
Nothing creepy about that. In fact, it’s charming.
“That’s an incredibly expensive bottle of champagne,” Jenna says as the waiter pops the cork.
“How expensive?” I ask as our glasses are filled.
“We sell this bottle for thirty-four hundred dollars,” the waiter says, and I nearly choke while Sophie gasps.
“That man is suave,” Jenna says in awe.
When the waiter leaves after depositing the rest of the bottle in the ice bucket beside our table, we all raise the newly filled glasses and toast Cannon again. “To the most thoughtful and romantic boyfriend of the group,” Sophie says with a giggle. “Baden is going to have to work on his A game after this.”
I can’t laugh, though. I’m still stunned that he’d spend that much on a bottle of champagne for us. I take a delicate sip, wanting to savor every nuance so I can tell Cannon all about it.
When I set my flute down, I’m struck with a need. I never call Cannon during work hours, but I’ve got enough champagne in me to feel a little daring. Besides, it’s almost eleven p.m., and surely any work he might be doing won’t suffer if I call him.
I choose to FaceTime him instead of a regular call, and he answers after the second ring. As the video connects and his face fills the entire screen of my phone, I have that moment again—a bolt of yearning when I first see him. He looks delicious, especially with the five o’clock shadow gracing his strong jaw. I can tell he’s sitting up in his hotel room against the bed, the collar of his white T-shirt barely showing at the bottom of the screen.
He grins at me. “Are you drunk?”
“I’m incredibly tipsy, which is why I’m calling you. I didn’t want to interrupt your work.”
Cannon’s smile softens. “You can never interrupt me, Ava. And seeing your face has made my night.”
“We just wanted to thank you for paying for dinner, plying us with expensive champagne, and taking care of our transportation tonight.”
“Yeah,” Jenna says from across the table, and I flip the phone around so Cannon can see her. She and Sophie lean in together, lifting their glasses. “Thank you, Cannon. Please make sure you tell our guys that they need to step it up.”
I turn the phone back around to find Cannon laughing.
“I miss you,” I say and resist the urge to clap my hand over my mouth. Cannon and I have never shared words like that, and I’m always afraid it might put him off. The other night when I was teasing that I might fall for him, his silence told me all I needed to know.