Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“I can work anywhere,” Vivienne says from beside me.
“But your work is in New York,” Matthew says to her.
She smiles at me. “I guess there is no time like the present.”
“What does that mean?” Matthew asks. “Vivienne?”
“It means,” she says, “I can go wherever I want to work because I work for myself.” Matthew and Max share a look. “I’m a writer,” she says, and my heart fills with pride.
“She’s like not just a writer,” I say, puffing out my chest. “But she’s like a big deal.”
“What in the fuck?” Cooper swears, putting his hands on his hips. “Mom,” he yells behind him, “Franny, Chase!”
“Well, I guess we can say the spotlight is off you.” She scrunches up her nose. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” I remind her and just like that the chaos erupts even more.
CHAPTER 33
VIVIENNE
“She’s like not just a writer,” Xavier says from beside me. His voice is all animated, and his hands are in the air. “But she’s like a big deal.”
“What in the fuck?” Cooper swears, putting his hands on his hips. “Mom,” he yells behind him, “Franny, Chase!” He turns to look at me, and all I can do is shake my head. I never thought I would tell my family. I mean, maybe eventually, I thought maybe, but listening to him come clean and bare his soul, I figured it was the perfect day.
“Well, I guess we can say the spotlight is off you.” I scrunch up my nose. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” he reminds me and leans in to kiss me.
“What is all this yelling?” my mother asks, coming into the room.
“If I’m going to do this.” I stand up. “I need to do it in front of everyone so I don’t repeat myself. Plus, I need to do it in front of Grandma and Grandpa.”
I hold out my hand for Xavier, who stands up. “We aren’t finished talking,” my father informs Xavier, who just nods at him. “Thank you.” He comes over and slaps his shoulder. “For trusting me with your secret.”
“Figured if I’m going to elope with your daughter, might as well know what kind of man I am,” he jokes with a straight face and then bursts out laughing.
“Too soon,” my father says to him, “too soon.”
“What happened?” Franny asks, coming into the foyer. “I heard you were in trouble.”
“You will never guess,” Cooper says, “what she does for a living.”
“She edits things,” Franny replies, and Cooper just shakes his head.
“Nope.”
“Can I please be the one to tell everyone?” I hit his arm.
“Mom, she hit me.” Cooper points at me, and she tells him to shush.
“Okay, well, we are all here and waiting,” Chase urges. “They just brought out dessert, so can we move this along, please?”
I roll my eyes. “Well, as most of you know, I work in publishing.” I look around the room, making sure my grandparents can see me. “And well, as much as it’s what I do, it’s not the full truth.” I take a big, deep breath, and he squeezes my hand just like I did to him when he told my father his side of the story. “I really write murder mysteries.” I look around the room. “And my name is Cooper Parker,” I admit with tears in my eyes. My eyes go to my grandparents, who look at each other and smile. My grandfather leans down and kisses my grandmother’s lips.
“Holy shit!” Franny exclaims, putting her hand to her mouth.
“You,” my father says, “you write.”
“I write books,” I say finally.
“Amazing books,” Xavier says proudly from beside me. “Trust me, I paid a lot of money for a signed copy.”
“Holy shit balls,” Cooper says, his phone in his hand. “She’s written like a lot of books, and people have like fan clubs.”
“I know,” Xavier says, throwing his hands up. “I’m part of like three of them.”
I shake my head while everyone starts coming at me with questions. “So you write the books?”
“She’s in like thirty languages,” Cooper reports, his eyes never leaving his phone.
“I think that means she’s the most successful out of all four of us,” Chase says, “and I’m a doctor.”
“Speak for yourself,” Franny says. “I had a sex tape.” I roll my lips to stop myself from laughing.
“And you looked amazing,” Alex says, holding up her hand to high-five her.
“You, too, Wilson.” She turns to hold her hand up for him, and Dylan puts it down.
“Don’t even think about it.” He glares at her, and she sticks her tongue out at him.
“I don’t even know why I like you,” Alex pouts to him, and he wraps his arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him. Kissing her lips, she just smiles up at him.
“That’s disgusting,” Michael says. “That’s my sister.”
“Now you know how I feel,” my father tells Michael, making everyone laugh. “It’s so gross.”