Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
She’d gone from the smiling, carefree beauty who didn’t seem to have a care in the world, and who wasn’t as stuck up as her peers. To a withdrawn shell of herself.
“But I didn’t feel like I could approach you. You’re so young I… But then Jace and Sian got together and you two grew close and I was finally able to hear little bits and pieces about your life here and there. And though it was still not enough, it was better than nothing.”
“You…you liked me all that time?”
“Why is that so hard to believe? Have you looked in a mirror lately? You’re gorgeous.” And it scares the piss out of me that some kid is gonna come along and sweep her off her feet because I have to keep my hands off of her. I’m not about to let that shit happen though.
Now that I’d made up my mind, now that the words have been said, I can wait. “I’m going to wait for you to grow up. No one else is ever going to have you but me. Then when you’re old enough, I’m going to marry you and bring you back here, with everyone, just like it is now.”
I have no idea what the future holds, but when Jace speaks, I for one listen to the words he’s saying I’ve learned to read between the lines. I know in the past few weeks he’s been planning things, things that have to do with our future.
None of us are hurting for money. We all have that, but none of us has as much as Jace. But apart from the wealth, it’s his mind and the way it works. It’s the reason we’ve been able to stay together all these years, because Jace isn’t the type to let go.
So I know, that whatever is coming, we’re all going to be in each others’ lives one way or another and I’m fine with that. I think we’re all going to be together for a long-long time.
“I can’t imagine being part of our little family without you being mine. I can’t, no I won’t watch you have a life with someone else while I’m still breathing. So you have the next year and a half to get used to the idea.”
I couldn’t kiss her, but there was no law saying I couldn’t hold her hand, which is what I did now. I raised it to my lips and kissed her fingers lightly before letting our joined hands drop between us.
When did holding hands become such a big deal? Since when did something this innocent make my heart and pulse race and my breath get trapped in my lungs?
“By the way, I saw you that day Mandy got expelled and I deduced that she had something to do with why you’d been so sad for so long. Am I right?” She scrunched up her shoulders in that cute way of hers.
“I don’t know if I should say.”
“Doesn’t matter, she’s never going to mess with you again.” She gave me a questioning look but I distracted her with the movie. Yeah, I’m pretty sure she won’t be fucking with the people I love in the future.
* * *
TAMMY
* * *
Is it supposed to take this long to come back down to earth? To get your feet back on the ground again? I feel like I’ve been floating on air for the past few days, ever since my dad told me that Shane had come to him and asked for my hand in marriage.
At first I thought it was a trick. That my dad was trying to find out if we’d had sex in a roundabout way, but when he told me that Shane was waiting outside to see me and I went out and saw him sitting in his car waiting, I knew it was real.
He was so nervous from meeting with my dad that he forgot to ask me to marry him, but that was okay. I didn’t even ask to see the ring because I’d heard all about Belle’s experience with that. I was just giddily happy.
It wasn’t until the day of Sian and Jace’s wedding, when his mom had come to me that I knew he wanted to marry me right there and then. I’d been nervous when she first walked into the room, nervous because our past interactions hadn’t been exactly pleasant.
But then she’d apologized and explained her behavior. Of course I listened even though she’d been so mean to me before. And I was glad I did. It was obvious that even with her issues, she loved her son and wanted what was best for him.
She admitted that Jace and his dad had called her. But they hadn’t threatened in anyway, just got her to open her eyes and see what she stood to lose if she turned her back on her son. I’m sure they weren’t that nice about it, but I didn’t say anything.