Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
On cue, a horn blasts below us on the street.
The rooftop patio of La Pachanga, the best Mexican restaurant on this coast of Florida, is my favorite spot in Kismet Beach. It’s in the middle of the action—looking down on the main thoroughfare. It’s the best perch to watch tourists pose for selfies in front of the huge plastic shark dangling from the surf shop on the corner. From here, you can watch the action and not have to take part.
“Hel-lo?” Sara asks, waving her hand at me. “You can’t just stop talking when I sit down. I’m nosy. Fill me in.”
Ignoring Rebecca’s quirked brow, my gaze settles on Sara. Her glossy hair shines in the light.
“Becca is second-guessing my life choices,” I say.
Sara looks at Rebecca and drops her jaw. “Don’t tell me that you talked her out of coloring her hair again. I swear to all that’s holy if you did, I will …” She pauses. “Well, I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’ll do something hateful. Mean. Really petty.”
“Nope,” Rebecca says, amused. “You’re going to love this. You’re going to love it more than the time you convinced Ashley to spend a month’s wages—”
“It wasn’t a month,” I interject.
“On a purse,” Rebecca says, ignoring me. “This is bigger than that. You’ll be much more entertained.”
Sara’s eyes sparkle. “Enough foreplay. What’s going on?”
Rebecca sighs, holding a palm up in front of her. “You can have the honors.”
“Well, thanks, considering it’s my news.”
“You have news? What kind of news?” Sara asks. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve had the best news lately.”
I shoot her a look that makes her laugh.
My two best friends are complete opposites. One is mature and logical. She makes soup when I’m sick and talks me out of bad decisions. She always answers the phone—even at four in the morning. She’d be the person I’d call if I needed bail money.
And then there’s Sara.
She’ll support my honeymoon decision without question. I only need to make sure that she doesn’t talk me into some reverse harem situation while I’m in the Bahamas.
Although …
“So,” I say before nibbling the end of a chip. “After much thoughtful deliberation—”
“And a book called Intimacy with Strangers,” Rebecca interjects.
I stop and turn to her. “I told you—that’s a different thing.”
“Is it, though?”
“Yes,” I say, exasperated. “That was about making time for—”
“Cool,” Sara says, as impatient as ever. “Talk about that later. What is your big news?”
“You’ll be happy to hear that I’m going on my honeymoon,” I say, bracing myself for her enthusiasm.
As predicted, Sara shrieks. “This is exactly what you need to get your groove back. You can use the sun and salt water to bleach your energy of all things Farquaad.”
“Really?” I deadpan.
The server arrives at the table before Rebecca can chime in. Sara makes a quick order to go before turning back to me. When her eyes meet mine, they’re filled with an enthusiasm that feeds my excitement.
“I need a travel buddy,” I tell her, leaning forward. “Rebecca can’t. That leaves you.”
“Oh, I’m so excited to take the opportunity considering I was the second choice.”
Rebecca scoffs. “You know she was going to ask you whether I said yes or no. You’re way more fun than I am.”
“This is true,” Sara says, swiping a chip from the basket. “And I would if I could.”
I gasp. “What do you mean if you could? You have to come. I can’t go alone, and you love to travel.”
She takes a bite of her chip. “I’m meeting with executives from a distillery that I’ve had a hell of a time scheduling. I’d be fired on the spot if I canceled. And,” she says, scooping some guacamole on her chip, “I swore hand to heart that I would take my little sister to a concert that weekend. Like I can’t go. I can’t. No way around it. I’m sorry.”
I never thought to consider that neither of my friends could go. Sara can always get time off work—perks for sleeping with her boss. Rebecca has enough sick days to cover the trip, and I know her boss at Smokey’s would be more than happy to give her some time off since she works practically every day. I was sure she’d want to go too.
Now what am I going to do?
“You’ll be fine,” Sara says, running a hand through the air. “It’ll be good for you. You’ll have an empty bed in which to bring the hot pool boys and lifeguards. This can really be a true experience if you play your cards right.”
I lean back in the booth and laugh. “Easy, there. I’m not doing this Sara style. I’d like to know a bit more about my hookups than green eyes, great shoulders. Or wait—how did you save that one guy on your phone? Scorpio Sex?”