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)
I’m about to drive away when my phone buzzes. I scoop it up fast, hoping it’s Savvy, but instead I see a message from Rose.
Rose: I love her. And I totally see why you’ve been so into her all this time.
I quickly tap out a reply.
Alec: Thank you for being so friendly with her tonight. I don’t think Mom made her feel welcome.
Rose: That woman could turn a golden retriever into an introvert. Tell Savvy it has nothing to do with her!
Alec: I did.
Rose: Shit. Is she right there? You’re probably staying at her place tonight.
I’m sure I would be if we were a real couple.
Sighing, I scrub a hand over my face. I want to tell Rose the truth, but part of the reason I’m doing this is to remove the possibility of my drama affecting her day. It will have to wait.
Alec: Hotel for me. Heading to the airport before dawn.
Rose: Drive safely. Thanks for coming tonight.
Alec: Of course.
The dots bounce, indicating she’s typing. They stop then bounce again, and finally a message comes through.
Rose: I need to ask you something.
Alec: Anything.
Rose: I was talking to Savvy tonight, and I realized maybe I’m giving Mom too much control over my special day.
Alec: I thought that was why you were doing it here?
Rose: Yes, but not just the location. I mean the guest list. I mean Oliver.
I sigh. I’ve never understood my sister’s affection for our half-brother. It seems to me like he’s never been anything more than an ungrateful ass to our family, but I know she sees something in him that I never did and never could. Rose gives love to everyone, even when they don’t deserve it.
Alec: Do you think he would come if you asked?
Rose: You mean do I think he’d be willing to endure an evening in the same room as Cheryl? Yeah. He’d do it for me.
Alec: It’s up to you. You have to decide if you want that kind of tension at your wedding.
Rose: I know. I have to think about it. I just wanted to make sure YOU were okay with it.
Alec: I’ll support whatever you want.
Rose: Thank you, Alec. You’re the best.
SAVVY
I can never sleep well when I’ve had more than one drink, so I’m not surprised that I’m wide awake at two a.m. after meeting Alec’s family.
I grab my phone from the bedside table and scroll through my Instagram messages.
The thread with Oliver is bolded again, meaning there’s a new message, and unlike the one I found last night, this can’t be more than a few hours old.
My stomach knots in anticipation. My heart rate kicks into a different gear.
Why does he still affect me this much after all this time?
I tell myself it’s better to know, so I click and read his message.
Oliver_ Rhett: You looked beautiful tonight. Hope my brother is treating you well.
The message is sent with the link to a post, and when I click through, I’m directed to Rose’s Instagram profile and see a picture of myself on Alec’s arm. I’m smiling up at him like he’s hung the moon and stars.
“Strategic error,” I mutter to myself. How did I think I could do this and keep it truly disconnected from Oliver? Of course Rose is going to post pictures of the events leading up to the wedding and the wedding itself.
Maybe I’m feeling feisty, because I head back into my messages to reply. I need some reassurance that this isn’t all going to blow up in my face.
SeeSavvyLift: Are you going to come to the wedding?
After I send the message, I pull up my text thread with Alec. I should just tell him. This is torture.
Savvy: Are you still awake?
A notification lights up from Instagram. Oliver has already replied, but since I’ve officially replied to one of his messages, he’s in my primary inbox now.
Oliver_Rhett: That depends. Do you want me to?
My phone vibrates with a text.
Alec: Yeah. What’s up?
Savvy: I need to tell you something.
Alec: You can tell me anything.
I stare at the screen. I should’ve thought this through.
How would that go, exactly? Would he ask how we met and I’d explain Oliver bought me? Then say that I fell in love with him anyway? I already feel far too low-class for these people. That would only make me feel lower.
The dots bounce. Alec is typing again.
Instagram gives me another new message notification.
Oliver_Rhett: Is he there? Are you chatting with me while he sleeps beside you? That’s a little cold, don’t you think?
Oliver_Rhett: Then again, maybe you need to think about me to be interested in being in bed with him.
SeeSavvyLift: You are still so fucking cocky. If he were in bed with me, do you think I’d be thinking about you?
Oliver_Rhett: Do you really want me to answer that?
SeeSavvyLift: Get over yourself.