Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 156029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Dad exhales heavily, a mutual sadness rolling over us. We’re so close yet so far away.
“Every week we’ve travelled to London to watch her this way. I miss her, Edward.”
“Me, too, but I have no idea what this Spencer Jones wants with her, and until I know for certain we cannot, with a clear conscience, encourage this relationship.”
Ten minutes later, Charlotte reappears with a fresh juice and a brown paper bag containing her lunch. She disappears down the street. I start the car and pull out into the traffic.
“At least she’s okay.” I sigh.
“I’m not okay, Edward. We need to start thinking about making peace with this. She’s not coming home.”
“Trust me, he will hang himself… we just have to wait.”
Charlotte
“Anthony called me,” Beth says casually as she sips her cocktail.
I gasp and look over at him standing up against the wall with Wyatt. “Oh my God, when?”
“Last night.”
“And?”
“Shh, I don’t want Lars to know.”
“Why not?”
“Because if she is getting it on with Edward like we suspect, she’s going to tell him.”
“Hmm, good thinking.” We’re in a cocktail bar on a girl’s night out. Spencer and Sebastian are at our place watching football. Lara is in the bathroom of the bar right now, but she’s staying at our place tonight.
“What did Anthony say?” I whisper.
“He asked me if I wanted to go out some time. He told me that Spencer warned him away from me a few weeks ago—said he didn’t want us to date because if we didn’t work out then he didn’t want my friendship with you to suffer.” My face falls. “What?”
“Apparently, Spencer knew that Anthony had the hots for me all along.”
My mouth falls open. “You’re kidding, he said that?”
“You know, Spencer is more like Edward than you think.” She huffs.
“God.”
Lara smiles warmly, arriving back at the table. “Another round?” she asks.
“Please.” I smile.
“Sure,” says Beth.
We both watch as Lara saunters to the bar. “I think she’s definitely sleeping with Edward,” I whisper.
“But why wouldn’t she tell us that? We tell each other everything. I don’t get it. Why is she hiding this?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “All I know is that in the last month my family haven’t talked to me, Lara has been to stay at Spencer’s house five times. That’s more than she’s ever seen me. It’s as if she’s checking on me for Edward.”
“But surely she can see how happy you two are together.” She frowns. “He dotes on you, for fuck’s sake.”
Lara arrives back at the table with three drinks.
“Thank you.”
“Tell me all about your new business venture.” Lara smiles. “Where are you up to with it?”
“It’s not a business, it’s a charity.” I smile proudly. “So far, I have the office space I wanted, and I hired two people who I was working with at the mailroom in my old job.”
“Who?”
“Sarah and Paul.”
“Isn’t Sarah a loose cannon?” Lara frowns.
“No. She’s smart, intelligent, and I adore her. As for Paul, well, he is just Paul. He’ll be good for the place until his next trip.”
“Who else is going to work there?”
“Two young lawyers straight from university—both guys. They start in February.”
Beth bounces in her seat. “This is so exciting, Charlotte.”
“I know.”
“Don’t let Sarah bonk the solicitors,” Lara warns me. “Or Paul, for that matter.”
I laugh. “I already warned her: no sex with the staff.”
“What did she say?” Lara asks.
“She told me she was hoping for a threesome on their desk.” I smirk.
“Charlotte.” Lara gasps. “You’re going to have pubes on your desk, too.”
We all burst out laughing. “How are my father and Edward?” I ask.
“Good.” Her eyes meet mine as she catches herself, shrugging casually. “As far as I know.”
“Have you seen them?”
“I ran into Edward the other day. He asked me how you were.”
“What did you say?”
She shrugs again. “I told him you were happy.”
I watch her.
“Did you tell him to fuck off from me?” Beth asks casually, lifting her drink to her mouth. “I’m so fucking annoyed with him.” She tuts. “If he took the time to get to know Spencer, he would see how wonderful he is. He pisses me off to no end.”
“Edward just wants you to have your own place, Charlotte. It’s not unreasonable, if you ask me.”
Beth’s eyes meet mine. Always defending him.
“I’m old enough to make my own decisions, Lara. I love Spencer. I want to live with him. My family should accept that and stop judging him like they judge Penelope. Spencer’s done nothing wrong and I won’t stand for him to be treated the way that they treat him.”
Lara rolls her eyes at me, clearly unimpressed.
“Have either of you ever tried bondage?” Beth asks. “I met this new guy and he wants to tie me up.”
I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling. I can’t believe Beth. She’s fishing for information for me.