Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 133511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Great, now Kit felt qualified to lecture me, too.
“You know, I’m really tired of everyone telling me what to do all the time,” I announced, not bothering to hide my anger and frustration. Kit pulled back, eyes wide. I glared at her. “You need to learn some boundaries. Both of you.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything—”
“You push into my bedroom without knocking, you’re telling me who I can sleep with, and you’re even pissed at Loni and Reese for getting married. It’s their wedding, not yours, and I totally understand why they didn’t tell you. You couldn’t just be happy for them. No, you had to try and force them into things they didn’t want. No wonder they got married by themselves!”
Jessica was inching away, mouth open.
“I’m sorry, Mel.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “Just maybe try to think about how other people feel once in a while. Both of you. I’m sick of it. And that was a private call, which means it’s none of your damned business who I’m talking to, or why.”
Kit looked down. “You’re right. We should’ve knocked.”
I couldn’t help but notice the apology didn’t cover her attempted lecture or acknowledge that perhaps her father had a right to make his own decisions. That was his problem, though—I’d already said my piece.
“We’ll be downstairs,” Jess said. “And you should probably get a lock for your door . . . especially if you’re going to be having sex in here. Realistically, we both know I’m going to forget to knock the next time I get all excited.”
Music burst out of Kit’s phone and she grabbed it, looking down.
“It’s Em,” she said, shooting me a furtive glance. “Let’s go, Jess. We have plans to make. She’s already started driving over from Portland and we have a lot to get done before she reaches Coeur d’Alene.”
“You’re throwing a party, aren’t you?” I asked. Kit had the grace to look guilty.
“A surprise bachelorette party,” she admitted. “Tonight. I’m sorry. I know what you said about boundaries is probably true, but there’s no way Em and I can let this pass. We have to welcome London to the family right. It’s our job.”
“You’re welcoming her by pissing off your dad?”
Kit shrugged. “If you had any idea the shit Dad pulled on me and Em when we were younger, you’d get it. We can’t let him get away with this—we just can’t. It’s the principle.”
“You sound crazy.”
Kit sighed. “Yeah, I know. But he started it.”
They left the room and I started looking around for my phone. It’d gone flying, and it took me a good five minutes to find it wedged between the futon and the wall.
Six missed calls from Painter and one from Reese.
Shit.
He answered on the first ring.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice terse.
“I’m fine,” I said, and I heard his sigh of relief.
“Okay, give me a minute to text Pic—I messaged him that something was wrong at your place. He’s already on his way to rescue you.”
“Oh shit. I’m so sorry. I can explain—that was Jess and Kit, and they—”
“Of course it was Jess and Kit,” he muttered. “Give me a sec, then I’ll call you back.”
He hung up, and I reached for my bra. I didn’t know about him, but the mood was certainly dead for me. I’d just pulled my shirt on when the phone rang again.
“I’m so sorry,” I said again. “They pushed into the room and scared the hell out of me, and then I couldn’t find my phone and I guess we’re having an emergency bachelorette party tonight for London because she got married.”
Silence.
“You wanna run that by me again?” he finally said.
“Apparently he didn’t have time to tell you . . . Reese and Loni got married this morning. All by themselves—I guess they didn’t like how people kept making plans for them, so they just up and tied the knot without telling anyone.”
Painter burst out laughing.
“I’ll bet Kit and Em are pissed as hell,” he said. “They had all kinds of crazy-assed shit in mind.”
“I don’t know about Em, but Kit seems pretty upset. Oh, and just so you know, the girls figured out what you and I were doing and started giving me shit, so I yelled at them. Now they’re hiding downstairs.”
He started laughing again.
“That’s almost worth the heart attack you gave me.”
“I’m really sorry about that,” I murmured. “They scared me.”
“They’re scary girls,” he said. “I don’t suppose you want to pick up where we left off?”
I considered it, but the thought of Jess and Kit down below . . . it wasn’t working for me.
“No more phone sex until I get a lock for my bedroom door. I don’t think I can take another scare like that.”
“I’ll do it first thing tomorrow.”
He sounded so determined I couldn’t help but laugh.