Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 158635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 793(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 793(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Besides, it’s not that I feel threatened by his presence or whenever I sense him watching my every move.
In fact, I feel surprisingly safe.
“That seems serious.” She takes a slurp from her orange juice, looking pensive.
“It’s nothing of the sort. We’re just winging it.”
“Cecy, I love you. I really do. But you don’t even know the meaning of that word. Besides, Jeremy definitely didn’t look at you like he was winging it.”
“You were so drunk that you fell asleep. You have no idea what expression either of us wore.”
“I do too! I can’t mistake something like that. He looked at you like he…” she trails off, seeming at a loss for the right word before she snaps her fingers. “Like he can’t get enough of you and wants more, more, and everything.”
“You…must be imagining things.”
“Hell no. Trust me. I know that look all too well. That guy is so obsessed with you, he beat that bloke for daring to touch you.”
“You…saw that?”
“Uh-huh. It’s slowly coming back to me.” She grins like a Cheshire cat. “That’s when the fucking happened, right?”
“Ava!”
“All right! I can’t believe you’re still a prude even after sex with a beast like Jeremy. He looks like he likes it rough.”
You have no idea.
“Can we change the subject, please?”
“Okay, okay.” She leans over and wraps me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you and how you’re finally moving on from Jonah.”
I automatically stiffen at the mention of his name, and I hate that. I hate that he affects me even long after he got out of my life.
“What are you talking about?” I speak in a tone so awkward, it vibrates through my chest cavity. “I was over Jonah a long time ago.”
“Bollocks.” She pulls back and strokes my hair. “You haven’t been the same since you broke up with him. It’s like a piece of you has been missing or something. You weren’t always so gloomy and distant before him and you stopped wearing dresses and dolling up after he got out of your life. It’s like he sucked out your energy and left you with nothing. I did ask Bran and Creigh if we should find the arsehole and kick him in the balls for hurting you, but Creigh said you probably wouldn’t like that. I still scratched his car and ruined clothes for daring to hurt you.”
My lips part as I listen to her. This is the first time I’ve heard their perspective about that clusterfuck. Ava wouldn’t stop asking why I broke up with him, and I told her we weren’t compatible.
That’s the only excuse I could come up with at the time.
I thought they’d let it go, but apparently, that’s not the case.
“Point is.” Ava smiles. “I’m glad you’re regaining your old self, even if slowly. And while I’m not sure if Jeremy is good enough for you, if he makes you smile while looking at his texts, then it’s a start. I’ll totally kick him in the nuts if he hurts you. He might kill me, but I will have died for a good cause.”
“You’re saying that as if Eli would let him put a finger on you.”
“Shhh. Not He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.” She squints, then her eyes widen. “Oh, fuck.”
“What?”
“Remember the tidbit about how things are slowly coming back to me?”
“Yeah?”
“I think He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was at the club.” She physically shivers.
“RIP. I love you.”
“Cecy!” She glares but then touches her hair, pretending everything is perfect. “But whatever, it doesn’t matter.”
Uh-huh.
“Point is, I’m so happy and excited for you. Jeremy better treat you right.” She hugs me again, and I wrap my arms around her.
Maybe it’s time I finally choose to be happy.
Later that night, I drive to the cottage.
Jeremy and I didn’t really talk about whether or not our arrangement will remain the same, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t.
Not only is this place ours, but it also hides us from the world so that it’s only the two of us.
And maybe I like that a little.
Okay, a lot.
Ava stepped out of her room and waggled her brows at me when I attempted to sneak out.
I threw a fluffy pillow at her, then picked it up after she dodged it and let it fall to the floor.
She just danced excitedly, made me put on her favorite lipstick, and did some provocative gesturing, but she didn’t make a sound so she wouldn’t wake Glyn up.
Earlier tonight, we were at the pub with everyone else, including Glyn, Anni, and Creigh. Because, of course, Ava completely forgot about last night's epic hangover and chose to have fun again.
Creigh sort of dragged Anni out of the circle soon after we got there, and Remi spent the rest of the night being dramatic about how he lost his spawn and how fast children grow up.
I think he really believes himself to be his father sometimes.