Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Thanks. So do you.”
She tilted her chin in acknowledgment. They engaged in a weird, silent standoff. I would have been intrigued if I had the backstory and a bowl of popcorn, but there was a cocktail calling my name and if someone didn’t speak up soon, I’d have to take over. I cast another curious gaze between them just as Mona turned to give me an appraising once-over.
“And you are?”
I fixed her with a frosty smile and extended my hand like a femme fatale. “Charlie. I’m Ky’s—”
“Boyfriend,” Ky said, snaking his arm around my waist and squeezing me to his side.
Ky
Yeah, that was random. I could have and maybe should have taken that word back immediately, but the apple didn’t fall from the tree. I was kind of a dick like my old man. I enjoyed seeing my father’s conservative wife squirm, and I’d made it my daily aspiration to do or say something to bug Charlie, so really it was kind of a home-run moment. That probably didn’t say much about my maturity, but I figured I’d let her stew in polite discomfort while she mulled over how on earth she’d tell my dad his son had officially gone one step too far. Knowing Charlie, he’d set her straight before she fell off her barstool anyway.
“Oh. Well, that’s…nice,” Mona said in a deliberate tone before shaking Charlie’s hand. “It’s very…pleasant to meet you.”
I’d forgotten Mona’s peculiar habit of tripping over adjectives, like her internal thesaurus had let her down. It was vaguely insulting, and Charlie wasn’t the type to let intentional grammatical hiccups slide. His suddenly radiant grin spelled trouble.
“Thank you,” he replied politely.
Mona hooked her purse on the back of her stool and gestured for us to join her. I grabbed a third barstool from the table next to hers, sitting down just as she asked, “How long have you been together?”
“Mona, I was kid—”
“Seven months,” Charlie intercepted, setting his hand over my forearm. “Seven blissfully blissful months.”
I snickered at his dreamy intonation as I twisted sideways. “Yeah. That’s it. Bliss.”
“Your sister didn’t mention…this.”
“We decided to keep it to ourselves for now. I’m surprised Ky spilled the beans to you, but he’s funny like that.” Charlie fiddled with a button on my sleeve as he signaled to a waiter that we were ready to order.
“Hi, there. What can I get ya?” the young man asked, setting bar napkins in front of Charlie and me.
I drummed my fingers on the table, slyly dislodging Charlie’s hand. “Beer, please. What do you have on tap?”
I let him list the entire menu even though I always ordered the same thing. I needed the distraction to get my bearings. I knew this would be uncomfortable. I didn’t have a problem with Mona. Sure, she was a bit cold and standoffish, but I admired her poise, and I appreciated that she kept a polite distance. If she’d tried to force familial get-togethers or pretended that marrying my dad automatically meant she deserved some kind of “mom” status, I probably would have hated her. But I didn’t know her, and she didn’t know me. It didn’t matter if she thought I was gay or bi or whatever. In fact, I’d give serious money to be a fly on the wall when she told my dad she’d met my boyfriend.
The waiter took my order, then gave Charlie an expectant look. “And you, sir?”
“Oh honey, I need a martini. Here’s what I’m thinking…vodka, straight up, dirty with a twist of lemon and two olives. Your martini glasses are adorable but small. Is there a chance of serving mine in a fishbowl?”
The young man chuckled heartily. “Sorry. We’re out of fishbowls.”
“Too bad. Be sure to fill it to the brim and have another one on deck. I’ve had a day,” Charlie groused before gesturing to the half-empty glass on the table. “Mona, would you like another?”
“No, thank you.” She smiled. A real one involving lips and eyes too. Leave it to Charizard to charm the ice queen.
I waited until we were alone to ask the million-dollar question. Or circle around it anyway. “Karly said you wanted to see me.”
“Yes.” Mona sipped her cocktail, then traced the rim with a red manicured nail before turning to Charlie. “Where did you two meet?”
“We work together.”
“So you’re in a band too,” she said like I wasn’t at the table. “What do you play?”
“Nothing well,” Charlie conceded with a theatric sigh. “I play piano, but it’s not pretty. One of my dads is a professional musician. He did his best, but I topped out at ‘Bella’s Lullaby’ from Twilight. Gray thought I might be a genius until he realized Edward was to thank for it. Not that he had an issue with that. He’s all for finding whatever it takes to spark your passion, especially when it comes to music. But after two months of listening to the same awful rendition, he suggested I give it a rest. Dad was grateful Gray intervened. I played it over and over at both of their houses. Drove them nuts. But to answer your original question…I’m not ‘in’ the band. I manage the band. I’m trying, anyway. Like I said, it’s been a rough night,” he sighed, brightening theatrically when the waiter approached with our drinks. “Oh! How quick you are! Thank you.”