Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“He also said I was hard to love,” I murmured, feeling those words sting me the hardest.
Maybe because they were true.
“He said what?!” they shouted—again in unison. We Kingsley girls had a way of doing that—speaking in sync.
“Oh, screw him!” Yara yipped, shaking her head in shock. “I can’t believe it. What a jerk. I truly can’t believe he was bold enough to say that to you.”
“And to think I gave him a friendship bracelet at the rehearsal dinner,” Willow said, her words soaked in disgust. I knew it probably sounded silly, but Willow took her friendship bracelets very seriously.
I shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. It’s very far from fine,” Yara stated. Her eyes flooded with tears, and I grumbled a little, knowing the waterworks would flow soon.
“Yara, don’t cry,” I ordered.
“I’m not going to cry,” she replied.
With a sigh, I picked up a napkin from the table and held it out toward her. “You are crying.”
“I’m sorry, but this is just so heartbreaking. I can’t believe he had the nerve to say that to you!”
Geez. She was crying harder than I’d been. And of course, Willow started tearing up, too, because she was a sympathy crier. If anyone within ten feet of her was teary-eyed, she’d burst out into an emotional tailspin. It quickly became clear why I chose to run away for the weekend instead of going to my sisters. I knew my sisters were more emotional than me, and if I had to comfort them during my own breakdown, I would’ve been a terrible mess.
I sighed and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “There, there,” I muttered. “Really, though. I’m okay.”
“You’re not,” Willow replied. “I can sense your energy.”
“Are you sure you aren’t sensing Yara’s hormones?” I asked.
“Well, actually, that might be true. A lot of energy mojo is going on in this room. I should get my sage stick and—”
“Oh no, that smoke makes me sneeze,” Yara remarked as she wiped her tears. “I’ll tame my energy.” She took a few deep breaths and wiggled her body. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” She turned to me and frowned and then placed her hand in mine. “Are you fine, Avery?”
“Just peachy. So please don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“Like I’m some sad puppy left at a pound on Christmas morning.” Yara’s eyes filled with more tears, and I rolled my eyes. “Christ, Yara. Hold yourself together.”
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just that this little girl has me all wrapped up in my emotions,” she said.
“Wait, what? Little girl?” I bellowed out.
Willow’s eyes widened as she tossed her hands into the air. “It’s a girl?! I thought you two weren’t going to find out.”
Yara nodded, and I frankly was happy for the shift in conversation. “Alex and I just found out by mistake. A doctor mentioned it. Alex cried for the longest time—don’t tell him I told you he cried. It would damage his bad-boy persona,” she teased.
I think I liked Alex because he and I were so much alike. He didn’t like people. He didn’t like to smile. And he had a steady, resting bitch face. That was, outside of whenever he looked at Yara. I’d never seen another person’s eyes light up with so much love when they looked at their partner. If it weren’t for those two, I wouldn’t have even believed love was real anymore. They were the opposite of one another, too. It was as if a golden retriever fell in love with a black cat.
As I watched them sometimes, I’d wonder about my relationship—well, past relationship—with Wesley. Wesley and I made sense in a technical manner. He wasn’t romantic, and I hated romance. I didn’t like grand gestures of love, and he didn’t know how to perform any. Therefore, our lives matched up fine. What it lacked was…heart.
I didn’t mind it lacking heart, though. Most things in my life lacked heart except for my love for baseball and my love for my family. The last time I opened my heart up to another—well, we all know how that turned out.
“A baby girl,” I swooned, placing my hand over my heart. “We’re going to have a little niece!”
“Can we revisit doing a water birth in a pool?” Willow asked. “I know a midwife who would be so good at that. I met her when I was in Peru, and I think—”
“No water births,” Yara quickly stated. “I will be in a hospital with many doctors and nurses around, thankyouverymuch. And they can load me up with all the drugs.”
“Okay, but holistic births are on the rise as of late. You can be an influential figure by diving in and having our baby girl in a pool,” Willow expressed.
Willow would always live up to her name and free-spirited beliefs.
“Congratulations, Yar,” I said, taking her hand. “Really. I’m so happy for you and Alex.”