Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Disappointment? Hatred? Hurt?
“Elsy, I…” I start to say, but she holds up her hand for me to be quiet.
She’s standing there in a golden ball gown that’s covered in glitter and lace. It sets off her soft skin and makes her look like she’s glowing. Her pink lips are exactly as I remember, and every part of me wants to pull her into my arms and kiss her. But right now, it looks like I’m the last person she wants to see.
“We should go,” my father says from behind me, but I ignore him. He squeezes my arm, but I shake it off.
“Where were you?” Her voice is so cold, nothing like my sweet Elsy. “I begged for you to talk to me.” Her voice breaks on the last word, and I want to fall to my knees and ask for forgiveness. “You just disappeared.”
There are a few people around us now, but the world could literally catch on fire and I wouldn’t notice. My entire focus has centered on the one person I love most. The only problem is, she loathes me.
“I’ll tell you everything. Just give me a minute to explain. Please,” I say, and she shakes her head.
“I gave you six years, Keaton.” Then she walks right up to me and slaps me on the cheek. It stings, not because she hurt me but because she hates me. “I’m not giving you a second more.”
With that, she turns on her heel and stomps out of the ballroom. I’m not sure which of us is more surprised by her reaction, but I know one thing for sure. The monster inside me that has been screaming to get out for the past six years is finally calm for the first time ever.
Chapter Five
ELSY
The sting of my hand is bittersweet. Damn, it felt good to do it, but it was heart shaking to not only touch him again but to see him. He’s different, and I could sense it from the second I spotted him. I swear it was like I felt him before my eyes found him. I’ve always been connected to Keaton since we were kids, but this was deeper, and I didn’t understand it. If anything, what we shared should have faded over time.
One thing is for damn sure, and that’s that Keaton is no longer a boy. Has he spent the last six years in the gym full-time or something? When we were younger, he was always on the taller side—it’s why he did track—but he’s at least a foot taller than the last time I saw him. He was lean back then, but he’s doubled in body mass, and it’s hard and crazy hot. I clench my teeth, trying not to think about it.
Why did he have to get sexy? Hell, why is he here?! Of all the times he could’ve shown up, this would be it. Why now and why the hell here at my birthday party? I have to fight the tears so I can focus on my anger. Did he think that because we were in public, I would pretend to be nice and smile or put on a show? Unlike the rest of the world, I’m not scared of the Lones. They’ve already done their worst to me, so I’ve got nothing left to fear.
“Elsy!” I pause on the stone steps that lead up to the back patio of the house. “Are you dipping out of your own party?” Oliver asks.
“I need a moment.”
“I think you just had a moment.” He motions with his head back toward the tent.
“Do you think a lot of people saw that?”
He shrugs, not really answering my question. “He’s the reason, isn’t he?” I nod, answering the rest of his question. Of course Keaton is the reason I’ve never dated. Or even moved on, for that matter.
It’s stupid because I told him he wasn’t getting a second chance. If I truly believed that, wouldn’t I have tried to start dating? At first that was why I hadn’t dated, but then as time stretched on, I’d told myself it was because I was focusing on my education. What’s my reasoning now?
Fucking Keaton.
Why can’t I get over him? Once, when I was in college, I did a study on heartbreak and how long it lasted as one of my research papers. Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer beyond surveys, and the longest said a year and a half—and that was if you were married. The others said between six and nine months. I’m on year six!
“I really do need a moment.”
“Do what you need. People are eating and drinking, and I’ll start the music.”
“Thank you, Oliver.” He gives me a nod before he goes back into the tent so I can finish my escape. In my head, I’d played out what would happen if I ever ran into Keaton again. I was going to play it cool and pretend to be indifferent. Clearly, I didn’t stick to that plan.