Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“I’m not going to listen to this.”
“Because you know that I’m right!”
“No,” he whisper-shouted. “I’m not going to listen because I know you’re just butt hurt after what Cassie and Daniel did to you!”
My stomach knotted. “What? No. This has nothing to do with them.”
“So, you’re saying me getting engaged doesn’t bring up any kind of discomfort for you after what those two did to—”
“I said it has nothing to do with them, Alec!” I barked, my nose flaring. My mind started to spiral with thoughts of Cassie and Daniel, which forced my anxiety to climb more and more. “He’s using you!” I cried out. “How can you not see that?”
Alec placed a hand against my shoulder and looked at me with pity. I hated when people did that—looked at me as if I was pathetic. “Holly, I know we give each other shit, but this is taking it a step too far. And even if MJ was dating other people, that’s fine. Is it weird as hell that you dated him? Yes. But he told me he didn’t even try to sleep with you.”
I huffed. “Um, that’s a lie!”
“Did you have sex?”
“No, but—”
“Then, it doesn’t matter,” he cut in. “Let’s start with a clean slate. MJ and I only made things exclusive when he proposed, and now that we are, we can start a life together.”
“Right after the merger of your company?” I asked, thinking about how sneaky MJ had been. “You don’t find that suspicious?”
“You’re saying he’s only with me because of my money?”
“Yes,” I blurted out before I could think it through.
I wished I didn’t say that. The flash of hurt that shot through Alex’s eyes made my stomach turn.
I sighed. “I mean, well, yes. I mean, it’s a bit weird, don’t you think, Alec? For someone who wasn’t even exclusive with you to propose marriage after you make the biggest deal in your career? It doesn’t seem genuine.”
“I get that we joke around a lot as bickering siblings, but you’re being cruel now, Holly.”
“Alec—”
“He loves me.”
“That’s not love, Alec,” I urged.
“What do you know about love, Holly? The two people you claimed to love the most were sneaking behind your back the whole time.”
Wow.
That hurt.
Alec sighed. “Sorry, that was harsh. I get that the holidays are hard for you after last year, but don’t ruin this for me. I’m happy. I’m happy, Holly. For the first time in my life, everything’s going right. I’m getting married, and you can either go with it or not. But no matter what, it’s happening.” With that, he moved me to the bathroom side, opened the door, and left me standing there like a fool.
I walked back to my room to find Kai unpacking his suitcase. He looked up and gave me a half smile. “Hey. Did you talk to your brother?”
“I did.”
“So, what is he going to do about MJ?”
I plopped defeatedly down against the mattress. “Marry him.”
KAI
When dinnertime came around, I could hardly believe that Matthew—MJ—was sitting there next to Alec as if he wasn’t an evil villain from a Marvel movie. He conversed with Holly’s parents as if he was a stand-up man when he was truly scum.
“You’re glaring,” I whispered to Holly as I poked her gently.
“Sorry,” she muttered back, shaking her stare from MJ. “I’m just so annoyed. I don’t understand at all. Alec is a brilliant guy. I don’t get why he’d settle for a guy like that.”
“Love puts on blinders. It makes it hard to see the truth sometimes.”
“Love is stupid,” Holly grumbled, shoving a piece of a breadstick into her mouth. She was moping. I couldn’t blame her. But she was missing out on a big positive thing that was happening that night—her parents’ love.
I’d never seen two parents who cared so much for their children. Phil and Lisa Jackson loved their two children more than anything else. I didn’t know a parent’s love could be so loud even when it was quiet in the space. How they looked at their children almost made the little boy inside me envious of their connection.
Even though Holly was upset with the MJ situation, her parents made her laugh. They added light to her heavy spirit, which was incredible to witness. I used to dream about having dinners like that with my parents. It was a table filled with love and laughter where memories were created.
Holly had no clue how good she had it.
“So, Kai, you own a restaurant?” Phil asked as he handed me the salad bowl.
“That’s where I know you from!” MJ remarked, making everyone turn to him. His eyes widened, and I was almost certain that was when his secret would be revealed to Holly’s parents. I’d hoped it was, too. I would love him to get caught by putting his foot in his mouth.