Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 70092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
"You know what? None of this is right.” I hold up my hand. “Nothing about this is right.” I bend down and grab the bottles of water. “Now if you guys will excuse me, I have to go back to my friend." I look at her sisters. “Not my date."
They both fold their arms over their chests and roll their eyes. “Suddenly, he's a comedian."
"Whatever," I huff and start to walk away before turning. “Also, can someone go and make sure she is okay?"
"Who do you want us to check on?" Clarabella rolls her lips. “Your baby momma or your date?"
Travis snickers, and all I can do is flip her the bird as I turn and walk away. "We love you!" Clarabella shouts.
"Great," I mumble under my breath. “Well, at least one of you does," I say, making my way over to Clarissa and forcing myself not to look around for her. The whole time, all I can do is hear her sister’s voice play over and over in my head. “She cares for you.”
Chapter 24
Presley
I sit in the chair in the backyard, counting down the minutes until I can leave without it being obvious that I'm leaving because I'm uncomfortable with Bennett bringing a date.
I look over and see Harlow chatting with Clarissa. My stomach burns, and I bring the bottle of water to my lips, wishing it was something stronger. The minute I was introduced to her, I wanted to get the fuck out of there. Forget that I sat in the car for five minutes talking myself out of it.
What did I do? I told myself fuck him, this is my family, and then walked in and went to the bathroom, where I cried a bit and then made sure I looked semi okay before opening the door. I almost shit myself when I saw him. Seeing him standing there in his black jeans and the cotton T-shirt with his arms showing just had everything inside me light up. All I wanted was to jump into his arms. All I wanted was his lips on mine. All I wanted was for him to be mine. But he was moving on.
"Are you sulking?" Clarabella comes over and sits next to me. Followed by Shelby, who sits on the other side of me.
"This is called relaxing," I inform them, taking a sip of the water. “And staying off my feet."
"I call it if looks could kill,” Shelby says and motions with her chin toward Clarissa who has fit in with everyone. She smiles, laughs, and she’s pretty. I hate her.
"I'm not looking at anything." I turn my head, looking at the other side.
"You wanted this,” Shelby reminds me, and I make a mistake of looking at the other side and seeing Bennett sitting with the guys. He sits in the middle with Travis on one side and Ace on the other side. Luke sits next to Ace. Ace says something, and the four of them laugh, and I can't help the lone tear that escapes my eye. "You wanted him to be free."
"Yes," I say, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Well, now he's moved on obviously." I hold up my hand. I watched Clarissa's face when I said my name to see if there was a flicker there that she knew who I was, but there was nothing. She was oblivious to who I was, and I just had more questions in my head. Did he not mention the baby? Did he not mention that he was with me for so long? Did his past not come up? How long have they been together? Did they date when he was in college? Have they dated before? I was making myself literally sick with all of these questions, and all I wanted to do was go home and be in the safety of my house.
"You are so full of shit," Clarabella snaps. "You can't even try to tell me that this doesn't bug you." I don't answer her because I can't. The lump in my throat is so big that nothing will come out. “You can't tell me that him being here with another woman doesn't bug you.”
"One day, he is really going to move on,” Shelby says, and I look over at her confused. “And then what?"
I'm about to answer her when I see my mother coming over to us. The smile on her face is anything but friendly. It's almost as if it's a glare. “Oh, fuck," Shelby says when she finally sees our mother. "That smile is the same one she had on when Clarabella ran away from her wedding."
"I didn't fucking run,” Clarabella defends between clenched teeth. “I left quickly."
"So this is where you are?" My mother looks around to make sure no one is around us before the smile disappears off her face. "What are you doing?"