Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 147136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 736(@200wpm)___ 589(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 736(@200wpm)___ 589(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Brian smirked, which I totally could’ve slapped him for but he looked really cute doing it so I let it go. He moved around the couch to hold off our company but halted only a couple of feet away when quick footsteps padded into the room.
“Uncle Brian!” the little girl shrieked. “Guess what? I chopped down Ollie’s tree!”
“Livvy! Why did you do that?” the boy asked, sounding angry. “I just put that up.”
“Because it was the only other tree I could find,” she replied meekly. “I’m sorry, Ollie. Don’t be mad. You can chop down my tree.”
“Would you both stop talking about Minecraft for five seconds and go give your uncle a hug?” a woman suggested.
Teeth clenching, I finally got my arm through the second hole and pulled my shirt down, double checking I was covered then sitting up slowly and stretching my hands above my head while forcing a yawn.
“Oh, wow. That was the best nap ever,” I lied, then rubbed my eyes and blinked fake sleepily between the two kids who were peering around Brian’s arms wrapped around them and the young woman standing a few feet away who I assumed was their mother.
She had Brian’s high cheekbones and full lips, which she was turning up into a knowing smile as she looked at me.
I didn’t think she was buying my nap story.
“Uncle Brian, who is that?” the boy asked.
The girl blinked with round eyes the color of melted chocolate.
Brian released them, stepped back, and turned his body halfway, giving them full view of me as I stood from the couch.
Both with blue-rimmed glasses and dark hair that looked playground messy, they were the same height and looked to be the same age.
Were they twins?
“This is Syd,” Brian said.
The girl took a step closer and tilted her head.
“Are you Uncle Brian’s girlfriend?” she asked, giving me a onceover and, when she was done, smiling big. “I know you are. He said you were super pretty and you are so super pretty. Your hair looks like Ariel.”
My cheeks warmed.
“Thank you,” I replied, moving around the couch and stopping in front of her. “I’m Sydney. I go by Syd, too. Is your name Livvy?”
She shrugged.
“That’s what Ollie calls me. It’s Olivia. You can call me Livvy or Olivia. Uncle Brian calls me Liv sometimes. He also said he loved you.”
My eyes widened. I turned them to Brian and watched him pinch his shut and drop his head, shaking it.
“Olivia,” the woman hissed behind her. “He didn’t say that, I said it.” She lifted her eyes to me and softened them, adding, “Not that it isn’t true. If my brother told you already, then I’m sure he means it.”
Brian groaned, clearly uncomfortable.
“Why did I give you a key?” he asked, turning his head to her.
The woman smiled, telling him, “Because I used to live here, remember?”
“Duh, Uncle Brian,” the boy, Oliver, added, looking up with tight brows.
Olivia spun around, her pretty dress fanning out as she giggled.
“Yeah, duh,” she echoed.
Brian’s sister turned back to me, keeping that smile but notching it up in brightness as she stepped forward and offered me her hand.
“I’m Jenna, by the way. It’s so good to meet you, Sydney.”
She knew about me, I was sure of that, but I didn’t know the extent and I really wanted to know what all had been said about me.
Especially the whole love business.
“It’s good to meet you, too,” I replied, dropping her hand and looking down at her shoes. “Cute booties.”
Really cute.
They were camel-colored leather with a chunky wooden heel that had to be four inches.
I wondered what size she wore.
“Thanks. I have a date tonight and he’s six-five. Needed some height.” Jenna turned her head and looked at Brian. “Did you forget?”
Brian shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Nope.”
“You forgot.” Jenna sighed. “It’s fine. I can reschedule.”
“No way!” Olivia cried, stomping her foot.
“Oh, man. This sucks.” Oliver crossed his arms over his chest and huffed out a breath. “I don’t wanna go back home. It’s boring there. I wanted to walk on the beach.”
“Oliver, don’t say sucks. That’s not nice,” Jenna scolded.
“Well, it does,” he whispered, ducking his head.
“I don’t care. You’re not allowed to say that word.”
“Fine. This is stupid.”
“You aren’t allowed to say that either,” she snapped, sounding on the verge of losing her temper. “Do I need to take away your iPad privileges?”
Oliver looked up at her, quickly shook his head, and muttered, “No, ma’am.”
I decided to cut in before the poor thing said something out of panic and got his iPad privileges taken away. I felt bad.
“You don’t have to reschedule. We didn’t have plans tonight. We’d be happy to watch them,” I told Jenna, seeing her smile then looking over at Brian to confirm and watching his brows lift in surprise. “Right?”
He stared at me, face stuck in that expression.