Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I laughed. “Thanks again, Renee. You can leak to the paparazzi that I’ll be at my next stop by seven, and I’ll stick around to sign autographs for at least an hour because you’re the best.”
She shook her head. “You won’t be saying that when you get back and you’re double-booked for everything. But you and your girlfriend have fun off the grid.”
“We will. Thanks.”
I plan to have a damn good time—and so will Luca, as soon as she opens the door and finds out I’m coming earlier than she’s expecting.
CHAPTER 21
LUCA
“Oh my God!” I shrieked and covered my mouth. “He’s so out of his mind.”
For the second day in a row, I received a delivery of three dozen multicolored roses and a box of supermarket tabloids wrapped with a big red bow. Yesterday’s magazines had been filled with pictures of Griffin working at a pig sanctuary. I melted at the sight of the mega rock star all dirty and bonding with pigs. It was the most bizarre yet sweetest thing he could have done after I’d freaked out seeing my own photo in the papers last week. But today’s papers nearly made my eyes bulge from my head—photo after photo of Griffin in a bookstore. In some he was signing autographs, some he was perusing the shelves, but in every single photo, he had a copy of my hardcover book in his hand!
I couldn’t believe what he’d done. If I’d had any doubt that he was out in LA with all the beautiful, flashy women and already forgetting me, he certainly knew how to put those thoughts to rest. I tried to call him, but his phone went right to voice mail. He’d said he would be traveling to some important meeting this afternoon and would call me after, but I couldn’t wait.
Lately we’d been video chatting every evening, so I thought it might be fun to repay the thoughtfulness he’d shown me by getting myself all done up and wearing something sexy for our call later. I ransacked my underwear drawer to find just the right thing and then started to fill the tub for a bath. My skin had been really dry the last few days, so I pinned my messy hair on top of my head and painted on a moisture-intense mud mask to wear while I soaked. Just as I was about to step into the tub, my cell rang. Griff’s name flashed on the screen. I laughed to myself, glad that he’d called and not FaceTimed, because there was no way in hell I’d want him to see the mess I looked like at the moment. I answered on speakerphone from the bathroom.
“Hey.”
“Hey, babe. Sorry I missed your call. I was driving to my meeting.”
“Oh. It’s okay. I just wanted to say that I got your delivery. I can’t believe you did that. It was seriously sweet.” I took off my bathrobe and let it fall to the floor. “I’m planning on something sweet in return, but it isn’t quite ready yet.”
“Oh yeah? When will it be ready?”
I dipped a toe into the bath to feel the water. It was nice and warm. “In like an hour or so.”
“I can’t wait. I need to get to my meeting. But I wanted to ask you something first.”
“What?”
“When you said I could come see you in Vermont anytime, did you really mean it?”
“Of course. I can’t wait for you to come visit. I hope it’s next week and not the week after.” I climbed into the tub and was just about to sit down when my doorbell rang. “Shoot. Someone’s at my door, and I just got into the tub and have a mud mask all over my face. It’s probably UPS with a delivery I’ve been waiting for. I hope he leaves the box, because I can’t answer the door looking like this.”
“Well, I also sent you another delivery. You need to sign for mine, so you might want to get it.”
“Oh. Shoot. Okay. Hang on a second. Let me get the door, and I’ll be right back.” I got out of the tub and wrapped myself in my big fuzzy robe. Catching my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I shook my head. The delivery person is going to think I’m scary. But oh well. He’ll be right.
I rushed to the front door, more anxious about what else Griffin might’ve had delivered than caring what I looked like.
Opening the door, I was greeted by an enormous bouquet of flowers. The thing was so big that it covered the delivery person’s face. I smiled. “Oh wow. Shoot. Let me grab a tip. Give me one second.”
I turned to grab my wallet but froze when a voice stopped me in my tracks. “Do I get to pick the type of tip you give me?”