Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
When I walked out of my room earlier at the condo, he was already waiting for me in the kitchen. We took each other in slowly. Quietly. Eventually, I made a quip about him cleaning up nicely. He didn’t repay the compliment or anything, but I’m not surprised. He’s been quiet ever since this morning.
Jolie and James swung by to pick us up, and together, the four of us drove to the restaurant. We’re an odd pairing. James is in a suit and tie, Jolie in a floor-length maxi dress and huge diamond earrings. They look like they’re dining with royalty.
The restaurant only accommodates twelve guests at small tables dispersed around a streamlined room. The space is minimal. No heavy artwork or portraits on the walls, no lights dangling from the ceiling. We take our seats and then I excuse myself to use the restroom. I should have gone back at the condo, but I was running behind and felt bad keeping everyone waiting.
I curve around the tables and almost make it to the women’s bathroom when a hand shoots out and grabs my arm.
“Madison!?”
I look down to see Elise sitting with three other young women, all of whom are dressed as impeccably as she is in fitted dresses and designer jewelry. One of them is wearing layer upon layer of dainty gold necklaces around her neck, and I love the effect.
“Girls, Madison works with me at Zilker! Madison, sit sit. You have to eat with us.”
I smile and wave to her friends then nod back toward my table. “That’s sweet of you, but I’m already at a table over there.”
It doesn’t even occur to Elise that I might have come with people who expect me to sit with them.
She follows the direction of where I nodded and finds Aiden, Jolie, and James. Jolie is perusing the menu, and James is talking to a waiter. Aiden is facing us, looking over, wondering who I could possibly know here.
“Who is that?” Elise asks, obviously referring to Aiden.
Before I can reply, another one of her friends pipes up. “Who cares what his name is? I want to know if he’s single.”
“Obviously not,” another one replies. “Look at the way he’s watching Madison.”
“Are you together?” Elise asks me, still gripping my arm. “Because if not, you absolutely have to introduce me. I don’t mind younger men. In fact, I prefer it.”
Her friends all laugh and chime in, prodding me for an answer, and maybe it’s the way Elise is looking at Aiden, or maybe it’s the fact that I still have a jealous taste in my mouth from seeing him with Allison yesterday, but in the end, I lie.
“Oh yeah, that’s Aiden. We’re dating.”
My pulse immediately picks up. The second the words are spoken, I know it’s too late to take them back.
“You’re so lucky!” Elise’s friend gushes.
“What a cute couple!”
“You have to introduce us to him!”
What!? No. Absolutely not.
Though my bladder is the very last thing on my mind at the moment, I use it as a way to extract myself from Elise’s clutches.
I scrunch up my face and point to the bathroom. “Sorry, I was just headed there.”
“Oh!” She lets me go. “Of course you were. Sorry for keeping you. I’ll try to come over and meet your friends before we leave.”
Over my dead body.
I say goodbye to the group and scurry off, wishing I could splash some cold water on my face without ruining my makeup. I settle for a few deep breaths and that seems to help a little, right up until I walk out of the bathroom to see Aiden talking with Elise and her friends.
What?!
HOW did that happen so fast?
I hurry over, hoping they haven’t said too much to him already.
“You two are so sweet together. What a perfect pair.”
CRAP.
“Oh!” Elise notices me. “There she is. Sorry, Maddie, we couldn’t wait. We called Aiden over to get his take on things. Don’t blame us for being nosy.”
I want to melt into the floor. I can’t even look in Aiden’s general direction. What in the world must he think right now?
“How long have you two been together?” one of Elise’s friends asks.
What follows is the longest silence ever recorded in modern times.
I think my bones turn to dust as I try to come up with an answer that appeases them while also not alerting Aiden to the fact that I’ve lied about us being a couple.
“What has it been?” Aiden asks. “Five months?”
My gaze jerks up to his as my lips part in shock.
“Oh! So it’s serious then?” one of them asks.
His mouth hitches into an easy smile. “Very.”
Elise and her friends all ooh and ahh over Aiden’s apparent infatuation with me, but I know from the look in his eye he’s only playing along for their benefit. When we’re alone, he’ll let me have it.