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)
She frowns.
What the fuck?
“He made me scrambled eggs.”
“Okay…”
“And rye toast.”
“Hm.”
“He had a jar of raspberry jam in his fridge.”
Her eyebrows go up.
I add, “Seedless raspberry jam.”
Her mouth forms into a letter O.
“And nothing else other than a fruit plate from the grocery store and the stuff for coffee along with some… like… random condiments. So I figured you got my text and dropped breakfast groceries at the door in the morning while I was still asleep or something and either you must have told him I’ll only eat eggs scrambled or he took a lucky guess. But the marble rye toast? The seedless jam? I figured that had to come from you.”
“No,” she whispers.
We stare at one another for a solid five seconds.
“You know much about him?” I ask.
“No. I do know he’s from one of the richest families in the state.”
“Can you look into this guy for me?” I ask softly.
“I’ll do that, hon.”
She looks freaked. And this tells me I have reasons to feel a little freaked, too.
Because how the fuck would Derek Steele know what sort of jam I like, what sort of toast I like? Who told him? Why would he go to that much trouble? And again, why tell me he knew things? His words before he left me crying in his laundry room ring in my mind.
“You deserve more than what he’s giving you.”
“I wanted to give you more. Give you everything you deserve.”
“I want more of it, Chloe. No, little bunny, I want all of it. All of it.”
“You agreed to make all my fantasies come true, Chloe. That’s what you’re gonna do.”
“Alannah…” I whisper and meet her gaze. “I think I’ve stirred up some sort of hornet’s nest here. He said some things that were a little…” I wince.
“Concerning?” she asks.
I nod.
“Like?” she prompts.
“Like when I told him I didn’t want to see him again he told me he’d give me space, but that he’d be in touch. He made a reference to the fact that I agreed to make all his fantasies come true and that it’s what I’m gonna do.”
Her eyes bulge.
My phone rings and it’s a jump-scare for both of us. I move to my desk and lift it.
Adam calling.
“Adam,” I mutter to Alannah and answer it.
“Hello?”
“Come outside!” he exclaims.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, panic spiking in me at the volume and pitch of his voice.
“Nothing! Just come. Hurry.” He ends the call.
“He wants me to come outside,” I say to Alannah, getting shoes on. “Not a word to Adam, okay?”
“No problem. I’ll report back ASAP with what I’m able to find out.”
“Be careful,” I whisper.
“You, too,” she says, squeezing my hand with a dark expression on her face.
When we get outside, Adam is waving at me from the driver’s seat of a van. He has a huge smile on his face. Paul is in the passenger seat.
My mouth drops open.
Adam lays on the horn with his palm, the biggest smile on his face I’ve seen since the day he proposed to me on the side of that mountain we hiked, when I said yes to his offer of a lifetime of adventure, side by side.
Paul says something to Adam, then hops out. “Hiya, Alannah! Hey, Chloe. Hop in!”
I rush to the passenger side and climb in. Adam is in his wheelchair. There’s no driver’s seat.
“Hand controls,” Adam says, then puckers for a kiss. I lean in. “Don’t even need help transferring in and out of the chair. Cool, right? The door opens up instead of out. There’s a swiveling ramp and everything.”
“Whoa!” I exclaim. “I had no idea there was a local rental company that had these.”
I realize Alannah is recording us with her phone.
“It’s mine. Paul did a fundraiser with our friends and relatives to get it for me.”
Adam looks emotional.
“I had no idea,” I say.
“He wanted to surprise us both. Get your seatbelt on, sweetheart.” He rolls his window down, “Hey Alannah, can you drive Paul back to his car? I was gonna ask Chloe, but now I can take my beautiful fiancée to lunch instead.”
“Of course,” Alannah agrees. “Nice ride!”
“Did you know about this?” I ask her.
She smiles, still holding up her phone.
“She’s one of the benefactors,” Paul states.
“Surprise!” she shouts.
“Thank you, Alannah. I can’t even…” Adam starts.
Alannah waves. “Don’t mention it.”
“Drive-thru all right?” Adam looks to me.
“A drive-thru sounds amazingly perfect,” I say softly.
He kisses me again. He’s got so much light and happiness in his eyes that I’m choked up.
I look at Paul and he’s smiling from ear to ear.
I place my palm against my chest as I give Paul a look that I hope shows my appreciation.
He looks away and chews his cheek; he’s biting back emotion, I can tell.
My eyes bounce to Alannah. She’s got watery-looking eyes, too.
“Lock up?” I ask.
Alannah gives me a thumbs up.