Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
He shrugs. “They never actually hit each other. Well, not usually.”
“You stupid asshole.” Genna stands there, seething, and has to visibly compose herself.
“It was the only way,” he says, not sounding happy.
“You’re lucky we have other businesses,” she snaps and storms away.
I watch her go, sipping my virgin gin and tonic. Finn sits beside me, leaning on his elbow, rubbing his face. “She is not going to get over this anytime soon.”
I rub his back. “I’m sorry. Seriously, I’m really sorry, I feel like it’s my fault.”
He waves that off. “Robin’s father was going to stick the knife in no matter what. All things considered, this isn’t so bad.”
“It’s a little bit weird that we’re planning the guy’s birthday party.” I bump my shoulder against his arm. “And it’s even weirder that your former fiancée is working with you.”
He glances at me, a little sparkle in his eye. “Are you jealous?”
“No, not at all. You left her for me, remember?”
“Oh, I remember.” He leans to the side, studying me with that cocky smirk. “You are jealous.”
“Don’t be a prick.” I finish my tonic water and turn my back to the bar, crossing my legs.
I am a little bit jealous.
Not a lot jealous, since he’s doing all of this for me to begin with, but there’s still a stupid part of my brain that’s jabbering about how Robin’s so rich and sophisticated and definitely a better match for him than I could ever be.
I need that dumb part of my head to be quiet.
“It’ll be fine, you don’t have to worry. Robin has no interest in me and I have no interest in her.” He gets up and puts an arm around my waist protectively. “She’s going to be here soon, so please, be nice.”
“I’m always nice.” I glare at him. “You be nice.”
“There you go, that’s the spirit.”
I shrug away from him. “It’s fine, okay? I’m not going to get all jealous and weird on you.”
“I’d kind of like it if you did.”
“That’s extremely weird.”
“I like that you want to possess me.” He laughs softly and catches my wrist before I can walk away. “Just admit you’re a tiny bit jealous.”
“Okay, fine, I’m a tiny bit jealous. Are you happy? She’s the one your family wanted you to marry.”
“That’s what you don’t understand.” He touches my chin and leans in to kiss me. “My family doesn’t matter.”
Before I can respond, a brunette woman comes striding through the club in a pair of oversized black sunglasses, a Chanel bag under her arm, a pair of designer heels clacking away.
“There you are,” she says, taking the sunglasses off. “Some bored-looking little boy at the front tried to send me away. I think his name was Shane?” She stops and looks at me, a little surprise in her face, before her expression turns to a knowing grin. “That makes sense.”
“Sorry, what?” I ask, bewildered.
Finn rubs his face. “Robin, this is Dara. Dara, this is Robin.”
“Nice to meet you,” she says, hands on her hips. “She’s pretty, Finn. Now I get why you knocked her up.”
“Uh, thanks?” I look at him, not sure how to react to this.
“It’s a compliment,” he assures me. “I think.”
“We need to get down to work.” Robin tosses her bag on the bar and snaps at the bartender. “White wine. Big glass. It’s on the house.”
The bartender looks as overwhelmed as I feel, but after a nod from Finn, he starts pouring, only stopping when he reaches the top of the glass.
“How many people does your dad want to invite?” Finn asks, sitting down next to her.
Robin sips off the top of the wine before taking out a thick, black, leather-bound notebook, flipping through pages. Sticky notes and scraps poke out all over the place like she shoved random pieces of paper inside with zero organization. It makes my head hurt.
“At least two hundred,” she says, tapping her chin. “Maybe more if the French delegation is in town, which I believe they are.”
“Two hundred, and we’re supposed to have this done by next week.” Finn’s seething. “How the fuck do you expect me to get something like that together on no notice at all?”
“Use your industry contacts. You’re a Crowley, for fuck’s sake. Spend money!”
Finn lets out a low, steadying breath. “Let’s say I can pull it together, which I can even though I very much don’t want to, what happens if it’s not up to his standards?”
“It will be,” Robin says, putting a hand on his arm.
I stare at that arm. I stare at that arm.
And the jealousy starts screaming in my head all over again.
God, what’s wrong with me? This is so stupid. Finn’s putting himself out there to help me, and even Robin’s pitching in. All of this is for me, and here I am, feeling like a classless little child while Finn and Robin talk to each other, barely paying attention to me.