Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
The worse part was the fact that he wouldn’t even allow me to see if she was okay. He grabbed me by the arm and marched me to my car. I’ve been so heated with him.
I should have gone home to my place. I thought I’d be able to calm down to find out what happened with Vernice at school, but his lack of remorse has been driving me crazy and I can’t cool off.
“Here,” Jeff says, handing me a cup of tea.
“Thank you.”
“It must be hard being engaged to someone you don’t know that well.”
“What?” I say and furrow my brow.
I take a calming breath and remember not everyone knows we’re already married. That must be why Josh didn’t say I love you back earlier. At least I can stop being mad about that.
“I’m just saying. You’re doing him a favor, right?” Jeff continues.
“What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “He had to get engaged to pull off that deal with his grandfather. You came along at just the right time.
“That’s why you agreed to the engagement, isn’t it? To help him out. A year isn’t a long time to make something like that happen, I’m glad you were there for him, but this has to be hard.
“I’m sure you’re learning all types of things about him that might not be so pretty. Josh has more than one side. There’re Josh, Joshua, and Kelex. You never know which you’ll get. It’s one of the things that has kept us close all these years.”
“Um, Jeff, you’ll have to excuse me.”
I think I’m going to be sick. Basil was the one to put our wedding together. Was it all for some deal Josh never told me about?
I feel so stupid. It all makes sense now. How he insisted we get married right away. Him proposing out of the blue while we were in Greece.
“I need to talk to you,” I demand as I storm into the bedroom where Josh is lying on the bed with his laptop.
“You’re finally ready to talk to me?”
“Tell me the truth. Did you or did you not have a deal with your grandfather to get engaged within a year?”
“What? How do you know that?”
I bite my lip to hold back the tears. I don’t need to hear anything else. I take the chain from around my neck that holds my rings and throw the chain and rings at him.
“We’re done,” I snarl and turn to rush from the house.
“Shawn, Shawna,” Josh calls after me, but I don’t stop until I’m in my car.
I make it to my parents’ before I fall apart. I knew it was all too good to be true. Why am I so stupid?
Chapter 63
What’s up with You
Shawna
I never went into my parents’ house. After I cried myself out, I realized that would be the second place Josh would come to look for me. I needed some space.
“No, Joshua, I still haven’t heard from her,” Zoe says into her phone.
I hate to drag her into the middle of this, but she’s the first person I thought of. I glance over at Achilles. He’s not too happy about his mom lying for me or at least I think that’s what his problem is.
He’s been scowling since he arrived and found me here. Zoe hangs up and looks at me. “There, that should buy you some more time,” she says.
“Thank you. I’m so sorry about this.”
“You do know he’s not stupid, right? You’ve been hiding out here for what? Two days. It’s only a matter of time before he shows up here,” Achilles grumbles.
“I know. I’m sorry about all of this. I’m leaving today.”
“You don’t have to rush off. I think Joshua would rather you hide out here safe with me than be somewhere out there,” Zoe says.
“Unfortunately, I have to face the music,” I say.
“Pit’s birthday weekend?” Achilles says.
“Yeah, if I don’t go, my cousin is going to wring my neck.”
My phone starts to ring for the millionth time. I look down to see it’s Josh again. Ignoring the call as I’ve done all the others, I sigh and fight back the tears.
“I’m here if you need me,” Zoe says gently.
“I’m fine. I’ll be okay.”
I’ve been chanting that lie in my head all day. If I can make it through this weekend, then I can ask for a divorce. I just need to make it through the weekend.
Kelex
“You want to tell me what’s up with you?” Skittles says as she comes to join me in the car.
“Not really. Can we focus on whatever it is you’re doing to help Ox?”
“I know how to multitask.”
“I know you do,” I murmur under my breath.
“All right, all joking aside. You sent me a text in the middle of the night to ask me if Shawna was coming this weekend. What’s going on with you and my cousin?”