Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I guess that’s a good point too.” I shook off the melancholy that threatened to turn me into a drunken, morose mess. “I’m happy to go shopping with you to help you find clothes that fit your body, your style and your personality.”
She flashed a sweet smile I could never pull off and knocked back her second shot. “That would be great, Toni. Thanks.”
I order a third round of shots and when they arrived, I raised my glass. “All right let’s toast to being happy with who we are…once we figure it out.”
Molly laughed and finished off her third shot with a frown. “Hot damn that stuff burns but it’s also smooth.”
“That’s because it’s top shelf tequila.” We ate too much barbecue and drank too much beer and tequila, and two and a half hours later we stumbled out into the street, tipsy and laughing as we fell into a rideshare, our troubles seemed a million miles away.
For the moment anyway.
It didn’t take long thought for thoughts of Brady and his careless words to invade my mind once again. Then again, maybe the words weren’t careless. Maybe he meant every syllable he’d said, which only pissed me off more. No more, I promised myself when my eyelids finally started to grow heavy.
Sleep was near and I was counting on the booze to help me have a peaceful sleep that didn’t include thoughts of the mysterious Brady Winsome.
The next morning I woke up early and made breakfast because it was the only day I could enjoy breakfast without seeing familiar silver-blue eyes that tried too hard to figure me out.
“You made breakfast?” Molly reached her hands high above her head, stretching and yawning while she moaned over breakfast.
“I did. Dig in. You still up for shopping today?”
“If you are, I’m game,” she said uneasily which meant it was up to me to take control.
After breakfast we spent five hours updating Molly’s wardrobe before we settled into a booth for late—but healthy—lunch to make up for last night’s misery indulgence. “I’m tapping out, at least for today,” I told her as a yawn cracked my jaw.
Molly laughed. “Oh, thank god! I thought you were going to suggest more stores.”
“Hell no. I’m going home to sit on my ass and watch movies until I have to go back to work.”
“Want some company?”
Did I? Being alone would only allow me to wallow in thoughts of Brady and that was the last thing I wanted. I liked my job. I loved being the one who got to spend time with Layla and show her the world, show her that she could be anybody she wanted. Which meant I needed to get over it.
Fast.
“You know what, Mols? I would love some company.” It was too long since I had a proper girls’ day since all of my girls are all loved up and having babies. This weekend was just what I needed. When Monday rolled around it would be like the past few weeks never even happened.
Fingers crossed.
Chapter 25
Brady
Monday morning had dawned bright and early because Toni hadn’t come home on Sunday night the way she usually did, spiking my worry that she wouldn’t come back at all. She’d arrived just as the alarm sounded to wake up Layla and get her ready for the day, which gave me hope that I could find a time to apologize and get us back on the right track.
But that hadn’t happened. Toni had done a damn good job of ignoring me all week. She orchestrated it so that she and I were never alone together. At mealtime it was just me and Layla, which was nice but I still missed having her close, and when she entered a room that I was in, she turned on her heels and left.
She didn’t even pretend she wasn’t doing it and I deserved it, and more. I haven’t spoken a word to her in a week because she would give me a barely audible good morning and rush off before I could say the words in reply. She spent evenings alone in her room and I didn’t even know if she snuck down later to have something to eat.
It was maddening. Dammit, it was frustrating as hell that she’d so effectively cut me off. I deserved it, that was without question, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.
It wasn’t just the look she’d leveled me with when she left my office that I couldn’t stop thinking about, it was the expression she wore when she told me I wasn’t the first man who only wanted her for sex. Did she really think that I saw her like that? Like she was some sort of curvy fetish to try out and cast aside? “Shit,” I growled and shook my head as those two scenes played over and over in my head.