Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
“This is not acceptable, Cal. You’re the heir to the Line empire. You can’t run off and marry just anyone.”
“I can and will. Aunt Gia, you have been after me to get married and have kids and settle down. I’m doing exactly that. I don’t care where Harlow came from or who she’s connected to. It’s not like our family tree is full of saints. We’ve had plenty of bad branches, and some of our roots we pretend don’t exist. Her background doesn’t matter. Only she matters.” I get to my feet. Talking about Harlow makes me miss her. We’ve been apart long enough. “Nelson, prepare the prime rib for tomorrow night along with something lemony for dessert. She likes that. Aunt Gia, you’re going to like her. I promise.”
At the door, I turn back. “Do you know anyone who lives at The Grand?”
“The Grand? That pre-war Candela building on Park and 77th?”
“That’s the one.”
“I know Gertie and her partner, Sharon, live there. Why?”
“Harlow inherited an apartment from her grandmother, and she’s trying to get approval from the board to keep it. Any good word you can put in for her would be much appreciated.”
Aunt Gia perks up. “Her grandmother lived at The Grand?” Translation: Harlow’s family can’t be all bad. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place? Of course, I’ll put in a good word for your fiancée.”
“Thanks, you’re a peach. Enjoy the Fabergé toy. I’ll bring the rest tomorrow.”
Chapter Thirteen
HARLOW
“Tomorrow night? For dinner?” I gape at Cal. He showed up at my door, my literal door because Bob let him in. The entire building is conspiring against me and unnecessarily so because without my job I won’t be able to pay the monthly HOA fees. This is why Gertie was blocking me in the first place. Cal, blissfully unaware, has his shoes off and his stocking feet up on Grams’ walnut coffee table.
“It’s the price of the engagement ring.” He flips through one of Grams’ pattern books. “This shit looks complicated as hell. What does all this gibberish mean?” He holds up a page showing a table full of lines and circles.
“Those are different stitches, and she was talented.” I lift one of the plastic grocery sacks he placed on the table when he pushed his way past me at the front door. “This smells good, what is it?” The appetite I thought my phone call with Mavis had killed comes roaring back. I guess that’s a good sign.
“Sesame chicken, sweet ‘n sour pork, pork eggrolls, and Chinese donuts with three dipping sauces for dessert.”
“There’s enough food here to feed an army.”
“You have to have leftovers when you order Chinese food. It’s an unwritten law. I wonder if Aunt Gia would be interested in crocheting. She needs a hobby now that I’m getting married.”
I drop one of the boxes with a thud. “Married?” Is he talking about us or does he have a girlfriend on the side? I really am going to have to give up the dream of owning this apartment.
“Yes, I think we should tie the knot sooner rather than later. I looked it up, and there’s a three-day waiting period here. No blood tests, though. I guess that was abolished several years ago, which is a good thing because why does the state need our blood test results?” He reaches inside and pulls out a folded document. “I filled out what I could. You just need to add your details. Tomorrow we can run over to my office and Trident—he’s my chief of staff—can notarize our signatures.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I abandon the food to go confront Cal. “Who said we’re getting married? Why are you doing this?”
He grabs my hand and pulls me down onto his lap. Gone are all his smiles and crinkly eyes. Instead, I’m pinned in place by a serious deep-blue stare. “I told you already, Harlow. I saw you and I wanted you. I agreed to your scheme because being your pretend fiancé was a step closer to my end goal, which is making you my wife. I’m doing this because I want it and because you want it too.”
I see his kiss coming. I could avoid it, but like a stupid person putting her hand on a live wire just to feel something, I close my eyes and lift my face to meet him. What’s the worst that could happen? I lose my apartment? Lose my heart?
He groans the moment our lips touch, and the whole sound vibrates through me. My nipples prickle. A throb begins to beat between my legs. His tongue sweeps across the seam of my lips and my mouth opens obediently. Then he’s inside my mouth, tasting and licking. One of his hands tangles in my hair, angling my head for the deepest penetration while his other hand explores my hills and valleys. He massages one breast and then the other, thumbing my nipples into tight peaks before traveling lower to the intersection of my thighs.