Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“You still there?” Garrett asks on the other line. Garrett, my friend. Well, more like my friend with benefits.
I blink at the sound of his voice, my eyelids heavy with mascara and eyeliner. It’s been a long day, and the last thing I need is this call with him. “Yep. Still here.”
“Well, like I said,” he goes on. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving last night.”
I frown. “I didn’t think I was obligated to right away, plus I texted you when I landed. You know I have to travel for work.”
“A heads up that you were leaving town would’ve been nice.”
I work hard to swallow while trying not to react to his passive aggressive tone. I can’t argue with him. If I do, it’ll just add fuel to his fire.
“Well, I’m sorry.”
“It just seems like we’re both on different paths, Willow. I don’t ever get to see you. I also feel like you’ve been avoiding me lately. Not answering my calls as much. Not texting me back.”
“I haven’t been avoiding you.” Sort of a lie. “It’s just ever since my promotion, I have more work to do, which means more traveling.” A door swings open behind me and music floods out, along with a train of women in cocktail dresses, all of them carrying a drink. One of the women in a ruby red sequin dress gives me a double take and grins.
“You’re Willow, right?” the woman asks, stumbling toward me.
I smile and lower the phone a bit. “I am.”
“Girl, you did so good with this event! Soooo good! Lou Ann has been going on and on about how all of this was mostly your idea! We’re…” the woman hiccups. “We’re having the time of our lives. I bet some big biddings are going up tonight!”
I force a smile at her. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re having a great time.”
The woman takes off, following the line of other women. They all giggle and shrill as they turn a corner of the boat and disappear, taking the joyous noise with them.
“You still there?” I ask, bringing the phone back to my ear.
“You sound busy,” Garrett mutters. “Look, just call me when you’re back home.”
I close my eyes for several seconds, inhale, and then say, “Okay. Sure. Talk later.”
I hang up quickly, wanting so badly to chuck my phone into the lake and scream, but I don’t because I need my phone tonight. Hell, I need it every day and night. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to give my stealing boss event ideas for Townsend Corporate.
“Why the hell did I suggest a party on a fucking boat anyway?” I mutter. And not just any boat. Nope, I had to mention The Titan, a premium boat. Lou Ann was gung-ho for the idea—so much so that she wanted the best boat she could snag. It now rocks gently over the waves, and I place my elbows on the silver railing, staring out at the water.
My gaze tilts to the full moon and the splatter of stars in the midnight sky. It’s a beautiful night—one I should be enjoying, but what’s the point of enjoying any of this when there’s no one to celebrate it with?
For a while, I thought the psychic was lying. I would find love. It would come to me. I deserved it. And when I met Garrett, we weren’t serious at first, but we became sort of serious over the course of a year, and I thought the psychic lady was wrong.
But it turns out, with him he’s been more of a placeholder—someone to occupy my time and my mind whenever I feel alone. It’s nice having someone who can pop over with a meal and watch a movie with me. And at one point, I thought I could see myself marrying Garrett, until he revealed a different side of himself, one that woke me up and put me back in reality. Since then, I figured the witchy lady was right and because of it, I refuse to look for love.
Garrett isn’t the man I thought he was and everyone I’ve ever loved has pulled away from me, either of their own accord, or because they had to, and I can’t help wondering if it’s because of me. Am I destined to be alone? Was I doomed from the moment I was born?
There was Warren. My mother. My father. All of them are gone. Am I truly that unlucky?
The door to the ballroom opens again. “Willow,” a familiar voice calls. “There you are.” I look over my shoulder to see Lou Ann, my boss. She didn’t go with a cocktail dress like all the other women. Instead, she’s in a coral pink women’s suit. Dresses aren’t for her. She’s all business, even at parties. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear a dress in my whole three years of working for her.