Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
I’m almost done blow drying my hair when Derek comes in, dressed in a dark suit and depositing a mug of coffee beside me on the vanity counter.
He kisses the side of my head. I see his lips move as he smiles, and I can’t hear what he’s saying with the hairdryer going, though am pretty sure I lip-read the word beautiful. My finger hovers briefly over the switch but I decide against turning it off. I’m supposed to be being bitchy.
Though, being bitchy when he kissed me this morning did not have the effect of turning him off. At all.
At that thought, more belly dips ensue.
I’ve got frayed nerves as we leave, as I ponder how this day might go. He takes my hand as soon as I’m in the hallway, looking at a waiting and smiling Grace Steele who is standing by the elevator.
“Good morning!” she sunnily greets, “We’ll go together.”
“No,” Derek counters. “We have plans afterwards.”
“What plans?” she asks and smiles bigger, catching me staring at her gorgeous shoes.
She’s looking breathtaking in a flowy ivory, red, and gold dress, which is pretty and suits her, but the showstopper is the shoes. Shoes that probably cost more than one of my bi-weekly paychecks. They’re strappy platform sandals with bling-laden gold flowers at the toe strap, a blingy red flower at the ankle, and red soles.
“A surprise for Chloe,” Derek says, and lifts my hand so he can press his lips to my index knuckle.
I don’t react visibly, but I’m thinking I’ve had way more than enough surprises from Derek already.
“Drive me there, then, and I’ll get someone else to drop me back off. Or I’ll use Daddy’s or Mom’s driver.” She steps into the waiting elevator.
“Nice, right?” she asks, so I look up from her shoes to her face. She knows I’m admiring them, so she bends her leg to show it off.
“Very,” I say.
“Why don’t you take your own car?” Derek asks, holding the elevator door and gesturing for me to go ahead of him.
“Because…” she drawls, “I plan to get snockered. Why else? You know how these SS brunches go.” Her gaze slides my way. “Yes, I occasionally refer to Shannon Steele with the same acronym as Hitler’s elite guard. Not making light of the holocaust – more like… describing Mom’s personality when it comes to parties. Wanna get drunk with me, Chloe?” She links arms with me.
I startle in surprise.
“I promise, it’ll make this brunch more pleasant.”
“Maybe next time,” Derek answers for me in a droll tone as the elevator door closes.
“You’re no fun,” she complains. “Me and Nay will definitely be snockered. So will Mom.”
“When isn’t she? And I disagree. I happen to be a bit of fun,” he corrects, a little smile on his face and then his voice drops lower, “Isn’t that right, Chloe?”
My face burns. I stare at the elevator lights.
Grace barks out laughter and it’s so animated, my body shakes with hers as she’s still got my arm linked with hers. “Wow. Who are you and what have you done with my brother? Girl…” She bumps me with her shoulder. “If you think about leaving my brother, I will kidnap you and bring you back. I love your dress.”
Derek busts up laughing again and as handsome as my crazy stalker always looks when he laughs, my eyes are now pointed at his sister who looks both shocked and delighted to watch her brother laugh.
She follows us to Derek’s SUV, and I’m grateful for the distraction of having her along for the ride.
I try to get into the back seat, but she denies me the distance from her brother, and he mutters, “Nice try,” once I’m in the passenger seat, buckling up.
“Everyone coming?” Derek asks as he gets onto the interstate.
“Yep,” she says. “It’ll be strange this year, won’t it?”
Derek doesn’t answer right away so she prompts, “Without Thad.”
My eyes bounce to his face.
“This is the first anniversary party without him,” Grace adds, for my benefit.
Seeing no change on Derek’s face, I twist to make eye contact with Grace. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I tell her.
“Thank you, Chloe,” she replies softly.
“I might not be happy to be here, but I sure know how strange and hard first everythings are after losing a sibling,” I add.
Grace doesn’t look distraught or upset at this comment, which I find strange.
“I don’t know that hard is the right word,” Grace finally says.
“You’ve still got five other siblings,” Derek says nonchalantly.
My expression must betray my horror at how blasé he’s being because Grace speaks up.
“We all had a complicated relationship with Thad. He wasn’t well-liked by anyone in the family other than our mother. In fact, of course… I mean… it was a shock that he was murdered, but Thad’s nickname was Thorn. He was a thorn in everyone’s side. He was quite… disturbed.”