Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 241
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
“Announcing your own exit is beneath you, brother!” Eliot calls after Charlie as he disappears down the stairs. Beckett is quick to follow him out of the attic.
Farrow ignores the audience, a hundred percent zoned in on Moffy.
My brother whispers under his breath to him, and Farrow nods, then rips a wet wipe out of the packet. “Take your shirt off too.”
“Is he okay?” I ask Farrow, but as soon as Moffy sheds his button-down, the hives and bumps along his arms and chest are noticeable.
Ohhh no.
Farrow surveys the attic with a long glance, then sees me on the floor. He eyes Moffy again. “Everyone out.”
“Medical emergencies turn you on?” Eliot quips, but Farrow isn’t in the mood.
“If he’s having an allergic reaction to the shit up here, so can you. You all need to go.”
I brush off the moondust, which has toxic properties most likely. But I’m not itchy or scratching as badly as Maximoff, so maybe the rest of us are immune.
Farrow is wiping Moffy’s arms fast with the wet wipe. Moffy coughs out, “I’m okay.”
“Sure. If you consider hay fever okay.”
“I’m not running a fever, Farrow.”
“You don’t have to run one. Man, your eyes are bloodshot.”
It’s the last thing I hear before I descend the stairs after Ben, and Eliot and Xander are quick behind me. And as Ben cuts the corner in the hall, vanishing out of sight, I realize we never got his answer.
21
PAUL DONNELLY
Been at the lake house for less than twelve hours and the family drama hasn’t disappointed. Think it’s of a healthy caliber, all things considered. It’s not like a verbal lashing has broken out in the kitchen, a plate thrown against the wall, and a face slammed into the fridge.
Her big family actually respects the mashed potatoes.
Anyway, only Moffy suffered from an allergic reaction. Dust can’t bring my girlfriend down. She’s sprightly, smiley, and strong.
The whole issue about Greg’s will spread around the house, and it resulted in the parents basically saying, “It’s your choice” and “Let’s table Fizzle talk until after the holidays.” Girl squad weren’t too pleased to be left out of contention because of their ages. The parents were trying to reinvigorate the holiday cheer, not squash it any further, so I understood eliminating the talk altogether.
I still discussed it with Luna though.
And I’m pro-Luna. Whatever she wants to do in life, I’m here for. Within reason. I’m not gonna pass her a needle to shoot up.
She told me she’s just chasing after the position to see what happens.
“Working at Fizzle might be soul-sucking,” she said while we washed dishes after a grilled chicken and potato dinner. “It’s why no one wants to do it.”
Where I come from, people grind their whole lives for so much less. Most will never even see the outline of the C in CEO through the clouds. And here, the Hales and Cobalts are being catapulted into the sky. Difference is, they didn’t ask to be launched.
Some are trying to stay rooted to the ground.
They’re trust fund babies. If everyone had what they do, I think there’d be few people who’d choose an intense corporate job versus an artistic passion—or something full of leisure. So I can’t blame ‘em for wanting to step down from that responsibility.
Being CEO of something as enormous as Fizzle is like welcoming a beast in your bed. You don’t know if it’s the furry, cute kind or if it’ll bite your head off in your sleep.
I don’t want anything to hurt Luna or stress her out. Not a person or a fucking thing. But I don’t know how this’ll all go yet.
Luna dried a holly leaf serving platter I had handed her. “I can’t really see myself being CEO of anything,” she admitted. “But it sounds exciting to spend time with family since we kinda have to audition for the position. That’s what Uncle Stokes said.” She set the platter aside. “I have like a point-five percent chance of winning it anyway.”
“Why do you say that?” I rinsed soap suds off my hands.
“They’ll want Charlie. I think it’s pretty much guaranteed. He’s the most qualified after Moffy and Jane, and they bowed out.”
I could see that. But I’d make Luna my CEO of just about anything. She’s smarter than anyone gives her credit for, even herself.
Soon, the kitchen filled with more bodies and helping hands, so we ended our private chat.
It’s been hard to come by—privacy. Don’t get me wrong, I love her family—even if not all love me. Being included as her boyfriend (not a bodyguard) is what I’ve dreamed of. But there are so many people here—way more than just the Hales. Unless we go brace the freezing temps outside, the lake house is noisy in every direction, and it’s impossible not to be walked in on or to run into someone else.