Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I gotta give it to Quinn, though. He has no desire to give up on her,” Asher says. “I would have the first time she told me she didn’t love me.”
I grimace. “She smacked him today after he kissed her.”
Everyone winces at that, and Asher exhales loudly. “But that’s the Adlers for you. They don’t give up.”
“Got that right,” Harper says, leaning into me. “Shea wore Elli’s engagement ring the whole time they were broken up. He couldn’t give up.”
“And then broke a sheet of glass to get her attention,” Jakob adds, and I know this story. Everyone does. I’m surprised it isn’t a movie yet, because the love story of Elli and Shea is pretty damn epic.
“We all know, Dad,” Ally says with a grin. “I’m pretty sure their love story was a bedtime story growing up.”
I snort at that. She isn’t wrong. Asher catches my attention with the face he makes. “But still, Em shouldn’t be hitting anyone. She’s such a jackass.”
Ally shrugs. “She’s young and confused. Quinn is coming at her hard.”
“So, you’d slap me if we had the same thing going on?”
He walks by her to go to the kitchen, and Ally gives him a sly grin before smacking his butt. “Yes, love is scary.”
Asher stops, leaning in and kissing her lips lavishly, as if there is no one else in the room. See, stuff like that makes me want a relationship, but then stuff like Emery and Quinn makes me glad I’m single.
“Nonetheless, they’ll figure it out, and we’ll be going to their wedding next,” Harper says as she squeezes me.
“I don’t know. Emery is a tough cookie,” Asher retorts, and Harper grins.
“Yes, but those Adlers know what they want and usually get it.”
I make a face. “Let’s hope that’s not true. ’Cause if so, Shelli will have me off the roster in no time.” Everyone glances over at me then. “Did you guys know she hates me?” I feign hurt, and my mom smirks.
“She doesn’t hate you,” Harper says, as do my mother and father. But Ally’s face tells me otherwise.
I point to my cousin. “She knows the truth.”
Everyone looks at Ally, and she shrugs. “I mean, he did do her kind of dirty.”
I’m the one making the face now. “What? How?”
Ally’s eyes meet mine, her hazel depths full of apprehension. “I mean, if you don’t think what you did was dirty, then I have nothing to say.”
“What did he do?” Mom asks, and I nod toward Mom.
“Yeah. What did I do?”
Katarina, in the peanut gallery, says in Russian, “Probably fucked her and left her.”
“Katarina!” Mom complains about the vulgarity of my sister.
Jakob snorts, and Harper asks, “What?”
“I didn’t,” I say back to my sister.
“What is happening? Jakob, translate!” Harper commands, and my uncle laughs.
Jakob looks to my mother and then my father before shrugging. In Russian, he asks, “Did you?”
I shrug. “I mean, we hooked up. But it was hardly that dramatic,” I admit, and surely that’s not why she hates me. It was damn near ten years ago!
“For the love of God, Dimitri,” my mom sighs. “Can’t you keep it in your pants for five seconds?”
“I was like fifteen. It isn’t a big deal. This happened years ago,” I complain, and Katarina is cackling at this point. “Surely she can’t be upset about that. She’s married to the guy she always wanted.”
“Women are sensitive creatures,” Dad says. “Mom broke my Xbox because I missed your ultrasound.”
“And you deserved it!” Mom yells. She switches to English. “You need to talk to her!”
Harper looks at me, confused. “What just happened?”
As I sit there replaying that night so long ago, I can’t pinpoint what could have made her hold a grudge like that. We were kids; we were dumb and horny. She knew I wasn’t staying in the States. We came to visit that summer, and I didn’t promise anything. She was upset that Aiden had gone off to college or something, and I made her feel better. It was completely physical. But it was almost ten years ago. Surely… I mean, surely that’s not why she hates me.
Or is it?
I feel like I’m gonna have to talk to her about this, and it’s going to be awkward as hell.
Great.
The thing with Shelli is still heavy on my mind when I get back to my apartment complex. I almost call her to talk, but I know I’ll see her tomorrow. I actually have a meeting with her and her mom. That should be loads of fun. I reach for the lights as I enter the apartment, but I can’t feel the switch. It just annoys me more since I’ve had a long day. Between practicing, dealing with the soap opera that is Quinn and Emery, and then my family dinner that brought up Shelli and the past, I am ready to hit the sack. I’d be okay if I didn’t wake up for days on end.