Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“You look stunning,” I tell her, “as usual.”
“Are you packed?” she asks me, and I nod my head. We are on our way to Matthew and Max’s retirement party. Lunch at my house went off with so many hitches. The onions got burnt to a crisp because Mom was talking and Zara was taking notes, and by the time they noticed, it was too late. So they started again, and this time, it went smoothly until they added the cream, and by mistake, the heat was turned up, and it boiled over onto the stove. Then talking and talking, they forgot the pasta on the stove, or actually one thought the other was taking care of it, and it turned out no one was, and the water had boiled out. I’m surprised the fire department wasn’t called. But in the end, we sat at the dining room table eating pizza, and I took a look around and knew that this was my future. I just had to ask her the burning question. My parents are also coming tonight, along with Candace who has done a three sixty, and the two of them are thick as thieves when she’s in Dallas.
“I’m packed,” I tell her, my bag to Mexico at the door. “My parents said they would come and meet us.”
“Oh really, that will be so nice,” she says. “Will they stay with us?”
“Fuck no,” I tell her. “I don’t like fucking you when you’re quiet.”
She glares at me. “You better watch yourself,” she says, and I know she’s lying. Our sex life didn’t slow down. In fact, it is more active than ever. “How are Lilo and Stitch?” she asks me.
“They were fine when I dropped them off, and we can always log in and see how they are doing.” Another thing, Lilo and Stitch came with us when we came to New York.
“Lilo is not going to be happy when she comes back,” Zara says, putting on one shoe and then the other. “Last time, she ate my pink Louboutin.” I laugh and get a notification that the car is here.
We walk out of the house, and I open the car door for her, and we make our way to the gala. “How big is this thing going to be?” I ask her.
“Knowing Karrie and Allison”—she looks over—“massive.” I kiss her hand, and she is not wrong. When we show up at the hotel, we walk in, and it’s a who’s who in sports. I look over and see that even A-Rod and Jennifer Lopez are here. We walk in, and the room is massive, and pictures spanning Matthew’s and Max’s career are hanging everywhere.
“There she is,” Zoe says. I look over and see that she is wearing almost the same color except her dress has a high slit on the side, showing you her long leg. She comes over and kisses Zara and then greets me with a hug.
I look around and see that Matthew and Max are standing almost in the middle with Allison and Karrie beside them. “Hey, there.” I feel a slap on my shoulder and look up and see Cooper. “Isn’t this something?”
I grab a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “It’s something.”
“Matthew is fucking dying,” he says quietly. “He thought this was going to be a small get-together. You should have seen his face when he walked in.” Over the past month, I’ve gotten to know Matthew and Max really well. We even went golfing, and no one tried to kill me.
“If I can get everyone’s attention,” someone says, and then a spotlight comes on. “Wow, that is bright,” the man says, and I recognize him right away as Karrie’s father, Doug. He owns the team along with a shitload of other media companies. “If everyone can take their seats,” he says. The room slowly falls into place, and everyone finally takes their seat. He is standing on the stage in front of the fifty tables that are set up.
I follow Zara, and I see my parents already sitting at the big round table in front of the stage. I bend to kiss my mother and grab my dad’s shoulder, and he just nods at me. Zara sits next to my mother, and my mother gushes over her as usual.
“On behalf of Cooney Communication, I want to thank you guys for coming out tonight to pay tribute to our captain and assistant captain as they hang up their skates.” Everyone applauds them. “A very long time ago,” he starts talking and then laughs when Matthew’s face shows up on the screen beside the stage. “This little punk.” He laughs. “I took a chance on this man who everyone crossed off their list.”
I look at Matthew who looks at Karrie. She just smiles at him and kisses him. “I love you,” she tells him.