Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Me: I sure do know what we’re doing for our big date…
Molly: Welllll, don’t leave me in suspense. What should I wear? Sneakers or heels? Rain boots or hiking boots?
Me: Since you asked, I will say this. You need an overnight bag.
Molly: Er. An overnight bag? Are you kidnapping me?
Me: Kind of ;)
Molly: Oh god, why are you like this? Can’t we just go for ice cream like normal people?
Me: We could—if we were normal people.
Molly: True, true.
Molly: Alright. Bring an overnight bag. Gotcha.
Me: Want to know something?
Molly: What
Me: I thought for SURE you would argue with me—or at least ask a million questions about WHY you needed an overnight bag.
Molly: Trust me, I want to. But there’s also something you don’t know about me and that is that I actually like surprises!
Me: That actually does surprise me. It seems very uncharacteristic of you LOL
Molly: So—overnight bag. And what time do you want to meet?
Me: Actually, I’ll be picking you up. Does 2:00 work? I know it’s short notice…
It’s short notice, but my pilot has another trip scheduled and has to be back in the Chicagoland area by six thirty for a red-eye flight, so we’d have to be in the air by three at the latest. Which gives us little time to hustle our asses to the airport.
If Molly can make it happen.
Molly: 2 is fine. I was mostly planning to wash my hair for most of the afternoon, anyway. Wait. Does the date begin at 2 or…
Me: No. You can wear sneakers and leggings and be comfortable if you want.
Molly: What kind of a first date is this if I’m wearing leggings and sneakers???
Me: An adventurous one.
Molly: Wait. So are we going hiking? Is this overnight bag actually a backpack? WHAT’S GOING ON?
Me: You literally just told me you like surprises.
Molly: I lied. I was trying to be cool.
Me: We’re NOT hiking. And I will give you a hint: you need an overnight bag because we’re not staying in town.
Molly: Omg I was right—you are kidnapping me.
Me: In a way I suppose I am!
Molly: I’m giving everyone I know my location in the event I go missing, including Tripp Wallace. Posey. My parents. The barista at the coffee shop…
Me: I’ll grab you a coffee on my way to pick you up. What do you normally have?
Molly: Seriously?
Me: Of course—I’m pulling out all the stops to impress you, beginning with your beverage of choice.
Molly: Oh. Well, in that case, I love an iced latte in the afternoon. But maybe half decaf so I can sleep tonight? Omg WHAT ARE WE DOING? Why do I NEED AN OVERNIGHT BAG?
I ignore her questions.
Me: One iced latte, half decaf. Any flavor? Special milk?
Molly: Um, almond milk is good.
Me: Iced latte, almond milk, half decaf. Got it.
Molly: Well. If you’re coming at 2, and it’s 11 already, I better get a move on and get shit done.
Me: Yeah, same. I still have to run home from the office and grab my bag…
Molly: See you in a few hours.
Me: It’s a date.
seventeen
molly
Am I nervous?
I can’t decide.
Yes.
No.
Yes…
I have no idea where he’s taking me when I slide into the passenger seat of his car, the same slick sports car we’d had the night of the broadcaster awards, taking the same high-speed ride along the same roads.
When I’d pulled open the door he’d been standing there with a white, cake-sized box, a tiffany blue satin bow tied at the top.
“What’s this?”
If it’s not a cake, I’m going to be sorely disappointed.
“Sorry this isn’t flowers. You’ll understand why when we get to where we’re going.”
So cryptic. “Where are we going?”
He’d taken the overnight bag from my hand—a roller suitcase that’s the size of a carry-on because I don’t technically have a cute travel bag—and bounded down the steps ahead of me to toss it into his back seat.
Once he had me in the passenger seat of his car, I’d tried to lift the lid to peer inside.
“Wait.” He’d hastened. “Wait until…we get there.”
“Get where?”
“You’ll see.”
All this mystery was making me nervous, so I’d bitten my lip and peered out the window.
“Is this outfit okay? I had no idea what to put on.” I gesture to the sneakers I have on, and the jean capris with the university hoodie I wasn’t sure I should wear. The whole look is very casual. What if he’s taking me for dinner?
What if the overnight bag isn’t for an actual overnight? What if we’re going to dinner and then, oh—I don’t know, for a long walk on a beach somewhere? Or someplace fancy, and I’m wearing sneakers?
“You look perfect.”
The way he says it has me looking out the window so he doesn’t see the stupid smile on my dumb face.
You look perfect.
I don’t know about that, but I’ll take the compliment, and coming from him… I mean. Eli is charming but not overly so—and I’ve never heard him blow smoke up anyone’s ass.