Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
“Lead the way.”
And just like that, Rick and I are escorting the beautiful woman to a local bar of her choosing. For a brief moment, I again get the sense that I must know Chrissy from somewhere, but where? There’s the oddest sense of deja vu. Then with a shrug, I decide that the past doesn’t matter. Instead, I’m curious to see what the future may bring, now that we’re leaving high school behind.
3
Chrissy
As we stride into the hotel, I shoot a sideways glance at the twins. Rick and Ryder Walsh have only gotten better looking with age, and I’m surprised to find that I’m still attracted to them, even after all these years. It hardly seems fair that the two men would only get more handsome after ten years, while most of our classmates seem to have put on forty pounds.
But part of me is confused that neither brother seems to recognize me. I thought for sure that at least one of my former stepbrothers would recognize me, but nope. That doesn’t seem to be the case at all.
I sigh ruefully.
Of course neither of them knows who I am, I think. After all, during our brief interlude as step-siblings, I was nothing more than a wallflower who was pasty, pimple-prone, and meek. I was reduced to listening to their sexcapades through the wall, or even witnessing them in person, that’s how pathetic I was.
But of course, now things are different. Long gone are my days of coke-bottle glasses and frizzy, nondescript hair. My childhood acne finally cleared up by the time I hit my early twenties, and my body eventually grew into itself. I’m certainly not thin, but now I have curves in all the right places. Plus, I’m especially pleased that – while I’m still shy at times – I’ve learned to speak up for myself and to hold my own when it comes to conversations and relationships.
No, I think with a small smile just for myself, I’m nothing like I was in high school.
Of course, it also didn’t help that shortly after high school graduation, our parents went through a bitter divorce. It was a nasty, brutal, and difficult proceeding, with my mother dragging Fred Walsh through the mud any which way she could to try and finagle money out of him. When we finally moved out of the Walsh mansion, Angela left a wake of destruction behind her, taking half the silverware, as well as half of the living room couch. She literally rented a chainsaw and sawed that thing in half before forcing me to help her lug it out the front door. Incredible, right? But my mom’s always been aggressive, especially when it comes to money.
Nonetheless, it also means that I haven’t seen my former stepbrothers in almost ten years. We’ve grown up a lot since then, that’s for sure, I think appreciatively as I sneak another glance back at the brothers. Catching my eye, Rick winks devilishly and I immediately blush at having been caught checking them out.
“You know,” Ryder’s deep, baritone voice interrupts my thoughts. “Rick and I are actually staying in this very hotel while we’re in town.”
I raise an eyebrow at this fact. “You are?” I ask with no small amount of surprise. “I only picked this spot because the lounge has the best cocktails around. And it’s not rowdy with music blasting, like Rodeo Ranch.”
“Yep, we’re right upstairs.” Rick’s sharp blue eyes flash brilliantly, hinting at something more. “And we didn’t know their cocktails were the best.”
“Oh yeah,” I say with a smile. “They don’t skimp on the alcohol, and they have a lot of fancy stuff like vermouth and orange bitters. It’s a real lounge, without the warm, fizzy beer and watered down drinks that Rodeo serves.”
The brothers laugh and a few moments later, the three of us settle into a plush booth in the bar. The room’s ambience is romantic, elegant, and soothing all at once. Above us, delicate chandeliers light the room with a soft yellow glow. Heavy oak furniture with dark green velvet cushions dot the room, while sharply dressed waiters bustle about serving drinks and simple snacks. At nearby tables, couples and small groups murmur, the vibe intimate and clubby.
I order a glass of champagne – a bit of a splurge, but I love how decadent I feel when sipping on a chilled bubbly. Meanwhile, Ryder and Rick each order their own cocktail and collectively, we sink into the lush furniture, settling in for what is shaping up to be a nice evening.
“So you seem to know your way around town,” Ryder remarks as he crosses his long legs comfortably.
I nod and smile. “Actually, I live here,” I inform the brothers. “Some folks moved away, but I stayed. Back then, I used to live pretty close to the high school, but you know how home prices in the Golden Triangle are these days. They’re absolutely insane. So now, I live a bit to the west side where it’s still nice, but also affordable.”