Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“We found you, and we know you’re lying,” Tony pretty much shouts. He’s got a great, big, booming voice, and I can see what kind of effort he’s putting into it. All three brothers have blocky faces—hooded brows and square jaws. They would be handsome if they weren’t so foul and broody.
Toe-Toe. That makes me think about selling foot photos, and I have to try like heck not to let the bubbly laughter out. Must keep it trapped inside. Must keep it trapped. Keep it freaking trapped.
“We know your marriage is fake, and we’re going to prove it and get those shares that are rightfully ours.”
“Goodness,” I interject before Sterling can say something he might regret. Not that he will, but I’m scared if he does, it will be four years down the drain for both of us. I take his hand in mine and squeeze. My heart does a somersault just from that little touch, even though I instigated it. “I think we should all sit down. I’m not sure where you get the idea that we’re not really married, but I can assure you, it’s false.”
At least that much is true. Technically, we are legitimately married.
The second tallest one, maybe Lucas, lets out quite an evil-sounding laugh. It’s pretty maniacal. “We know you’re married for real, but the marriage itself is fake.”
I clench Sterling’s hand harder. “This isn’t a conversation for the doorstep, and we’ve never even met.” I don’t offer my other hand to any of them. “I think you all should come in if we’re going to hash this out.”
“You’re faking it,” the other one, maybe Joseph, growls. “I bet you don’t even know his middle name.”
Fuck, he’s right. I don’t. I didn’t even know Sterling’s first or last name until a few days ago. “He changed it a few months ago.” I try to sound confident. “To…uh, Blossom.” Yes. Yes, that is really what slips out. Blossom. Of all the names, it just had to be that.
Three sets of eyes pop out at pretty much the same distance. The three of them could be triplets. It’s kind of eerie and unnatural how much they mirror each other. “Blossom?” Tony scoffs. “That’s not real. That’s not a thing. If you think you can have one on us, guess again. We’re not going anywhere until we get answers.”
I raise my chin in the air a few notches. It’s probably remarkable that Sterling didn’t groan and wither on the spot. “Blossom. It has a special meaning to both of us, which we don’t have to explain to you. Ask me anything, and I’ll give you an answer. Anything at all. Then you’ll know we truly are married.”
That gets me a warning pressure as Sterling’s hand curls a little more tightly around mine. Right, so I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself here. I pretty much just promised the impossible, and the cousins are going to gleefully take me up on it. Challenge accepted multiplied by three.
The one I think is Joseph puffs out his chest. I probably only think that because I know he’s the oldest from Sterling’s story, and he’s the tallest. Tony is probably the youngest because he’s the shortest. That’s also likely the most ridiculous assumption anyone’s ever made. I’m pretty sure nature doesn’t work like that.
“Joseph, come on.”
No, it does make sense. Because that leaves Lucas as the middle one—middle height.
My god, this would almost be funny if it wasn’t so not funny.
“What’s his favorite sports team?” Joseph asks, giving me a look that says he’s got me now.
And shit on all the sticks, does he ever. I know nothing about sports. I would be hard-pressed to even name a single team as is, let alone pick Sterling’s favorite. I don’t look at him because that would make it seem like he was giving me cues, and I don’t want to give these three any reason to accuse us of cheating in their warped little twenty-questions game.
“That’s easy.” I pretend that I’m all confident. “Guitar. Piano. Drums. Or just acoustic guitar. Any combination of any instruments that make up any band is always going to win over sports any day. Sterling might be athletic, but music is always his first love.”
I want to cross my fingers right now. I want to cross my toes. I either said the right thing, or Joseph is wondering how I beat him at his own game because he positively looks like he’s going to have a stroke on the spot.
“Favorite animal,” Lucas grunts from between his brother.
“Also easy. My farty dog. Although, we just put him on probiotics, so now it smells less like he needs an exorcism every time he farts than before, so he might not be known as the farty dog for long. Maybe just a regular gassy dog. He’s super cute. If you come in, you can meet him.”