Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“So, Oliver and Alec don’t get along?” I ask. Oh my God. Will someone please shut me up before I dig myself a hole? It’s not like I don’t already know the answer to this question, but I’m hungry for as many details as I can get. I need intel to keep this thing from blowing up in our faces.
Or maybe you miss Oliver and want to know everything you can about him.
Caroline coughs out a laugh. “That’s like asking if Batman and the Joker are buddies.”
“It was hard for them,” Rose says. “After Oliver’s mom died, Dad just moved Oliver to L.A. and demanded we all act like some big, happy family. It was messed up. Oliver was so fucking bitter about being there. He hated us all.”
Caroline shakes her head. “Cheryl didn’t make it any easier. She hated having Oliver there and made sure he knew it.”
“Poor guy,” I whisper. Oliver had his flaws, but I never doubted that he had trauma to match. After only a few minutes in Alec’s mom’s presence, I’m beginning to imagine what those years might have been like for him.
“Ugh.” Rose shudders. “He would hate knowing we’re all standing here gossiping about him. Let’s change the subject, please.”
Jared nods in agreement and shifts his attention to me. “So, tell us about yourself, Savvy. Did you grow up in Orchid Valley? It’s a beautiful little town.”
“No. I’m a transplant. I moved here when I took the job as the fitness director at The Orchid,” I say, waving to the building that houses my office.
“She’s interviewing to be an instructor for The Rage,” Rose says. When I shoot her a questioning look, she giggles. “Alec told me. He might be a little proud of you.”
“That’s great,” Jared says.
“Just don’t let Kyle hear you say that,” Caroline says. She turns to me. “His business partner was one of the major investors that got Diva Studios off the ground.”
“That’s incredible,” I say. Diva Studios isn’t as well known as The Rage, but it’s one of its competitors and definitely an up-and-comer.
Jared nods. “It’s Kyle’s sister’s passion project. It’s been awesome to see it flourish in a relatively short time.”
“If things don’t work out with The Rage, maybe you should make some introductions,” Rose tells her fiancé.
I force a smile. If things between Alec and I were real, I would jump on that opportunity. But they’re not, and I won’t drag this out longer than I need to and risk his getting hurt.
The evening was a whirlwind. I was introduced to the groom’s mother when she arrived, and even a couple cousins from one side or the other—I lost track somehow, probably because my wine glass was never empty, despite my sipping at it all night.
Only once dinner was served was I returned to Alec’s side, but by that point I was too tipsy to feel frazzled.
“I knew you’d love Rose,” Alec says, walking me to my door at the end of the night.
“She’s like a walking ray of sunshine,” I say.
Alec blinks at me then nods. “Yeah.” He swallows. “That’s perfect. I can’t think of a better way to describe her.”
I pull my keys from my purse. “So you think tonight went okay? I played the girlfriend acceptably?”
“I think you were perfect.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I fly out early tomorrow, so I won’t see you until you land in L.A. next weekend. Just text me when you have details.”
I nod, but my gaze drops to his mouth. It would be so easy to let him kiss me right now. So easy to kiss him. The wine in my system makes it hard to remember why that’s a bad idea. “I don’t think I made a very good impression on your mother.”
He grimaces. “She can be difficult. Don’t take it personally.”
Nodding, I look down at my keys. Staring at his mouth will send all the wrong signals.
He gently takes my wrist in his hand and strokes. I feel my pulse accelerate beneath his touch. “I mean it. You were great tonight. You have no idea what it means to me.”
I lift my gaze back to his. “It was nothing.”
He steps back toward his car but doesn’t release my wrist until the last moment.
When I get inside, I lean back against the door and close my eyes, willing my racing heart to slow.
CHAPTER NINE
ALEC
Isit in my car for ten minutes after she goes inside, waiting for her to come back out, waiting for her to ask for what I know she wanted when we stood at her door.
A kiss. Maybe more.
She’s afraid of something, and I wish I knew what it was. Maybe Brinley’s right and this is all rooted in her past with the guy who hurt her. Maybe my family’s money scares her too much. People like my mother can make others acutely aware of the divide between haves and have-nots. But I hope Rose helped. I’d like to think she did. I could almost see Savvy letting down her guard every minute she chatted with my sister.