Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
None of this seems real. Not a word or a gesture. When Alice fell down the rabbit hole, she probably felt the way I do now. Tumbling head over ass without a clue. Because promises from this man make my world turn upside down. As if gravity has been given the afternoon off. The last person who made a commitment to me broke it while also setting a new land record speed for how fast they could exit my life. And we’d known each other longer than a week. I don’t want to hear these sorts of things out of Alistair’s mouth if he doesn’t mean them—if he’s only saying them to pacify my mother. Which of course he is. He has to be.
“Can we take a break?” I ask, my voice high and tight. Stress will do that to you. “Why don’t we sit down and have a strong alcoholic beverage and give this whole interrogation scene a rest for a second?”
Alistair looks at me.
“You have money and fame,” continues Mom in rapid-fire fashion, “but, from what I’ve seen, those things can cause trouble as easily as they can cure it. It’s all fine and well to be able to buy her nice things. But will she have your time and attention?”
“Yes,” he says without hesitation.
“Relationships are hard enough without rushing into it this way. What makes you so sure of your feelings?”
“Honestly, ma’am, your husband is right. I wouldn’t be standing here doing this for anyone other than your daughter. That’s how I know.”
Dad chuckles.
Mom does not. Her gaze narrows more, zeroing in on the man standing at my side. While it’s nice that she cares, at the end of the day, this is unnecessary and ridiculous. This would all be funny if not for the fact that I want it with all my heart and soul. But Alistair’s professed love and devotion are a deception. A falsehood, a fib, and a fabrication. I hate the way his words are a barb in my throat. Because no one has ever said these sorts of things about me. No one has ever even pretended to care this much. There he stands with his serious face, and it scares me how much I wish his words were true.
I clear my throat. “Mom, like I was trying to say at the start, the engagement—”
“Is wonderful news that you should have heard directly from us,” Alistair finishes for me. Though that most definitely is not what I was going to say. Not even a little. “I sincerely apologize you didn’t. With the media’s interest in my life, this sort of thing unfortunately happens.”
Which is when I see the look in his eyes. The yearning for my family and this home and all that it means. For the normal humdrum life that we live. A life that he was never allowed to have. But this runaway train needs to be stopped. Fast. And yet I sit there in stunned silence.
The fire has gone out of my mother. She stares at us in silence for a moment before saying, “I can see that you have our girl’s heart, and I understand why. She’s always been a romantic. Even if she does try to hide it with sarcasm. But what I need to hear from you, and be sure that you’re being honest with me when you answer...”
He nods.
“Does she have your heart, Alistair?”
Blinks and takes a breath. Then he says nothing at all. And I’m just about to butt in and tell her how the whole engagement is a mistake. How everything we’ve uttered since entering the building is bullshit. But Alistair is already saying something. Just a word. Only the one. “Yes.”
“Wh-what?” I stammer. “What did you say?”
He turns to me and brushes a strand of damp hair off my forehead. He’s so careful about how he touches me. As if someone stamped Handle with Care on my forehead. “You heard me, Leannan.”
“I’m satisfied. You have my blessing.” My mom nods sagely. “Take a seat and let’s eat.”
“Thank goodness for that,” mumbles Dad.
“You’re satisfied. Okay.” An awkward high-pitched laugh bubbles out of me. One of those What the fuck is happening? type noises. Then I ask in a whisper hiss, “Holy shit. What are you doing?”
“Let’s talk about it later.”
“You let them believe the engagement is real. Why would you do that?”
Alistair pulls out a chair, waiting for me to sit before taking his own seat at the table and announcing to the room, “Of course, it’s probably going to be a long engagement. Give us time to get to know each other better. To give Lilah the chance to plan whatever kind of wedding she wants. Or to dump me if she decides that’s what she should do.”
“She’s not going to dump you. Not unless you do something terrible. I’ve never seen her so besotted.” Mom laughs and starts loading plates with meatballs, potato salad, and pickles. “There’s no rush, of course. Though a June wedding is always lovely.”