Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 126840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Add the piece of paper with curlicues in the corner, it was borderline hilarious.
“I searched for ten minutes for something else, and I couldn’t find anything but pink. And my hand might turn into a gnarled claw if I wrote in a pink pen so I had to do the job in purple.”
I started laughing.
“And she laughs,” he said softly, and I could hear the relief.
My laughter faded.
Yes.
Last night had been emotional and he’d been worried about me.
You never wanted anyone to worry about you, still, it felt nice.
“I’m a lot better this morning, Core. Thanks for taking care of me last night.”
“That’s why I showed,” he replied, then put that behind us by asking, “You free tonight? Wanna take you to dinner.”
Okay.
All right.
Okay.
Was he asking me out on a date?
“Dinner like, just you know…dinner? Or dinner like…dinner?” I went about ascertaining.
His voice was lower when he answered, “Definitely dinner.”
That caused a wave of flutters.
So weird, but even so, they felt great.
“I’m totally free.”
“Awesome. I got no idea where the day is gonna take me, but I’ll keep in touch. I’ll try to be done around six. Work for you?”
“Works for me. Is everything good with the Greeks?”
“I’ll fill you in over dinner, but yeah. It is. We should close that out soon.”
I was surprised because that seemed fast to me.
I didn’t get into that since we’d be getting into it at dinner.
On our first date.
Instead, I said, “Fantastic.”
“Gotta go, baby. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
“Later.”
“’Bye.”
My screen went blank and it took everything I had not to pull it from its charge cord, hug it to my chest and dance around my bedroom with it like Belle with a book.
Suffice it to say, I was into Dustin “Core” Whatever His Last Name Was.
And I was beside myself we had a date.
After I finished getting ready, I spent some time typing out a long message to a group text with the girls, sharing about Dad, but also about Core, before I got in my Mini and went to the office.
The date was obviously the priority thing on my mind all the way to work, which of course took me to the fact that I had no idea what to wear out to dinner with a biker.
Fortunately, my stepsister could help me.
When I got to the office and started everything up, I had ten texts in reply to mine.
I decided to deal with those before I texted Archie.
Ohmigod! Core showed? Marcy
I cannot believe your dad played dinner that way. Kyra
Yeah. Your dad is awful. But Core! Yippee! Bree
I knew he was into you! Marcy
We need details. Also Marcy
Soon. Bree
Friday cocktails at Marcy’s and mine. Kyra
Perfect. Marcy
I’m in. Bree
Yay! Kyra
I’m in too, I replied.
I was about to go to my text string with Archie so I could ask about biker dating protocol, when my phone rang in my hand.
I sat still and stared at it because it said the call was from Bryan.
“What on earth?” I muttered, continuing to stare at it, not about to pick it up.
I went to my group text string.
Bryan is calling right now, I texted.
What!?!?! Kyra
WHY?!?!?! Marcy
I don’t know. I’m not picking up. Me
Good! He can kiss your ass! Marcy
Oh my God! What’s he up to now? Bree entered the conversation.
The ringing had stopped and it wasn’t long before it said he left a voicemail.
Shit, he’s left a voicemail, I told them.
Listen to it! Bree
Report back! Marcy
I went to voicemail and played it.
“Hellen. It’s Bryan. I…. Okay, just, I’m sorry. That wasn’t me. The way I behaved…what I did at Fortnum’s. My feelings were hurt, what you said was unexpected, and I don’t know what came over me. I haven’t been sleeping. It’s all I think about. Christ, Hell. I’m so sorry. I really am so sorry. I get we’re done, but I hate that’s the last thing I gave you to remember about me. You’ll always be my first love, and I’ll always be that clingy, selfish dick who put his hand on you in anger. I can’t handle that. You don’t have to respond to this. I just want you to know I’m sorry.”
That was it.
I was stunned.
He sounded ragged. Undone.
God, poor Bryan.
He apologized. He’s not sleeping. He hates what he did. He told me I don’t have to call back, he just wants me to know he’s sorry. I told the girls.
Three texts came in quick succession.
Well…that’s sweet????? Kyra
Good for him. Bree
Fuck him. No excuse. Marcy
I could have called all of those.
Are you going to call him? Bree
I don’t know. Me
Concentrate on Core. Don’t think about this now. Marcy
What Marce said. Kyra
I’m going to do that. I replied. Then I sent, And I’ll think about accepting his apology.
That’s the right thing to do. Bree
Marcy nor Kyra agreed in text, but I knew this was because they disagreed. They’d been pretty pissed when I told them what happened with Bryan. Bree had too, just not as much as Marcy and Kyra.