Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
There’s zero parking and, as usual, the Ivy is busy. Gia frowns at me again.
“What?” I shoot her a look. “Is that paparazzi?” I point across the street at the four guys with long lenses on their cameras.
“What gave it away?” She glares at me, then digs inside her purse. “It doesn’t matter. We’re gonna be recognized anywhere we go.” She hands me a pair of black Chanel sunglasses. “Tommy, drop us off here, please.”
Tommy looks at Ace who simply nods. Gia shakes her head.
“Whatever, let’s get fucked up and shop.” Tommy pulls to the side. The grandness of Ace stepping out in his expensive suit and dark glasses makes the vultures know we’re special.
“It’s Gia Fontaine! See if Granger’s with her,” they scream as we exit, Gia slipping on her own sunglasses.
“Ignore them.” She smiles and waves as we walk into the tiny courtyard area filled with beautiful white and pink flowers. The scent is kind of nauseating, but at least in LA everyone is used to celebrities, so people stare but leave us alone. We grab a table in the corner.
“Can we get some bread and two Ivy Gimlets, please?” Gia smiles at the waiter who instantly appears.
I sit back in the wicker chair.
“Okay, what’s wrong with you? This is more than the baby shower, which you’re going to have to suck it up and go to. It will be really bad if you don’t.” She keeps her sunglasses on, so I follow. After all, we are outside.
“What am I doing wrong?” I sigh, rubbing my pounding forehead. I’m hoping the gimlet will help.
“You’re acting weird, Jule. I carried the whole conversation on the ride over because you were in your own world.”
She stops talking when the waiter comes back, a big smile on his face as he places the gimlets in front of us. His white teeth just scream that he wants to be an actor.
“Here you go, my ladies.” He chuckles. “Are you ready?”
Gia looks at me, then says, “Yes, we need an order of the crab cakes, burrata, and I’ll take the cobb salad with lobster.”
The waiter nods as he writes everything down, then turns his eyes on me.
“I’ll have the cobb salad with lobster, also.” I smile, not caring what I eat. Bread and butter would be fine for all I care.
We hand him the menus. Gia’s smile freezes. She leans over and whispers, “What the hell is going on with you?”
I grab the gimlet—it’s truly one of my favorites—and lick the sugar off the rim.
“I want things that Ryder is not capable of giving me.” I repeat what he said, putting my own twist on it.
“Okay, tell me details, and don’t just do your skimming thing,” she demands, taking a sip of her own drink.
I lick my lips and shrug. “It’s everything piling up, really. He won’t say he loves me. He hasn’t let it be known that I’m ‘his,’” I say, using air quotes. “He’s just… I don’t know what I’m doing, you know? Is he going to…” I glance around. He, and everyone else, has me paranoid, so I lower my voice. “Is he going away?”
She takes a deep breath. “Okay. So, he should tell you he loves you, because he does.” She holds up her hand to stop me from talking.
“As far as him going away, I don’t know what to say. To be honest, I’m surprised it’s gone this far.”
I nod and take another sip. “That’s the thing. I feel like I’m helpless and I hate it. Something is wrong, yet he doesn’t confide in me other than with sex.” I whisper the sex part as my cheeks flush.
She smiles. “Thank God, you’re actually getting orgasms from something other than a vibrator.”
“Gia.” I look around as she waggles her brows.
“Is he pierced? How big is he?”
I throw my head back and laugh, not knowing if it’s the gimlet kicking in, or that I adore Gia, but I do feel better.
“Excuse me?” I stop a busboy passing. “Can you please tell our waiter we need two more of these?” I hold up the gimlet and smile at Gia.
RYDER
Law office of Jett Powers
Beverly Hills, CA
“I need to understand what’s happening. I was assured we would not be in this situation.” Jett Powers holds up his finger as his leggy secretary walks in and hands him a file.
“Thank you, Rebecca. You can take off. Go enjoy your weekend.” He waits until she shuts the door before he continues.
“So, the witness is obviously going to testify?” He looks at me.
“Apparently.” Blade snorts next to me as Axel looks up at the ceiling trying not to laugh. We’re all about to. I feel like we’re in the principal’s office because this is fucked. I’m two minutes from destroying Jett Powers’s face, so I should remove myself from this situation.