Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry,” Aria said.
“Don’t ever do that shit again. The next guy who tells you that kind of shit, you punch him in the balls. That’s the only respectable thing you should do,” Lidia said. “Sean is a dimwit and a fucking asshole. I can’t believe him. I can’t believe you would even believe that.”
“I don’t know what was wrong with me.”
“I know what was wrong. Your damn mother. She’s always a problem. Always claiming you’re not as good as Isabella. Well, I can tell you now Isabella is not as innocent as she claims.”
“Don’t. You know Isabella doesn’t ask for that.”
Lidia growled. “There you go, protecting her.”
She hugged her best friend.
“Now that we have all that crap out of the way,” Lidia said. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with Grant Reynolds?”
“It’s … we should go. It’s getting late.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. We’re going to the diner. You and me. We’re getting some of Carl’s makeup burgers, and you’re going to tell me what the hell is going on.” Lidia gave her hand a squeeze.
Aria sighed. She didn’t see a reason to not go with her friend. Lidia was very … she was always herself. She climbed into her car and followed Lidia to the diner, which wasn’t too far. There were a couple of parking spaces.
Lidia waited for her and they entered the diner together. It was busy and Lidia found them a table. The diner was always busy, but that was the way Carl and Beatrice preferred it. They had the best food in town.
Aria’s mouth watered but then she thought about her strict regimen. No burgers for her. Just the large salad that she would extend to the dressing.
One of the waitresses came over to take their order. It wasn’t Beatrice, but she spotted the other woman behind the counter, helping with organizing meals for the waitresses.
When she ordered the salad Lidia growled.
“Seriously? A salad over a makeup burger?”
“Don’t start,” Aria said.
Lidia shook her head. “So it’s true. You’re caving into your mom’s demands? The whole gym membership. Personal trainer. That kind of thing.”
“Come on, Lidia, don’t you think it’s time I give it a try?”
“No,” Lidia said. “There is nothing wrong with you.”
“I’m fat.”
“Don’t use that word, Aria.”
She sighed. “I’m just seeing if it will work. If something new would work. You’re … slender and beautiful.”
“Aria, you’re beautiful, okay? You are, but you don’t see it. Everyone around you keeps telling you that you have to lose weight to be beautiful, why? Fucking why? I’m sick of it. Has Grant put you up to this? I heard some rumors that he can’t stand curvy women or something like that.” She wrinkled her nose.
“What?”
Lidia shrugged. “It’s town gossip, Aria. Come on, who believes all that stuff?”
But what if it was true? If Grant couldn’t stand curvy women then why was he attempting to date her? It made no sense.
“But you’re happy to believe some town gossip?” Aria asked, changing the subject.
Lidia sighed. “Come on. We both know it’s about working your way through the bullshit and all that. When it comes to Grant, it’s hard to know what to believe. Last year he was working in this diner and hanging out with Maddie French, and she’s now married to his brother, with a kid. So who knows what was going on with that.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with Grant and me, but it’s, we’re just, you know, having some fun. That’s all.”
“Fun?”
“Yeah, some fun. Nothing too serious.”
Lidia folded her arms. “Have you guys had sex?”
Aria rolled her eyes. “What? We’re not in high school anymore. I don’t need to tell you when I’ve had sex, and no, we haven’t.”
“Aria, you have never had sex. Grant is a horndog.”
She covered her cheeks. “Can we not do this?”
Lidia laughed and then reached out. “I’ve missed this, so much.”
She held onto her friend’s hand. “Me too.”
“Let’s not allow any dick to come between us.”
Aria couldn’t help but laugh. “Deal.”
“Megadeal.” Lidia winked at her.
“So, Sean, huh, how did he take it?”
****
Dylan didn’t allow him to have a phone call. Grant sat in his prison cell, pissed off. What the fuck was going on? Bull was always there to bail him out whenever he’d gotten caught up in a bar fight or anything that landed him in a cell. This time, his brother was the one to put his ass here.
He rubbed at his temples. He’d not been able to call Aria, which pissed him off. The silence was driving him crazy. He got to his feet and walked around the small cell.
Grant was just about to grab the bars of the cell and start to yell when the main door opened. Dylan didn’t come through but a man in a hood and when he pulled it down, he saw Bull standing on the opposite side of the bar.