Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
“Great. Wouldn’t want to be anything else.”
Marnie curls her fingers around the back of my neck. “Why wait for tomorrow night to do this again? Let’s leave the party and head to your place now.”
“I would, if I could. Unfortunately, I have a family thing I have to go to after this.” I look into her big blue eyes. “Although . . . I’m sure my family thing won’t go too late tonight. We could meet at my place around ten or so.”
She bites her lower lip. “Text me when you’re on your way home, and if I can swing it, I’ll come.”
Before I’ve replied, my phone in my pocket rings, and I reach for it. I wouldn’t normally take a call at a moment like this; I’d call whoever back. But I’ve been expecting a call from my mother regarding an urgent favor she might need from me before her big event this afternoon, and I don’t want to leave her hanging, if this call is from her.
When I pull out my phone, Marnie audibly gasps. Her reaction baffles me, until I realize Marnie must think the vintage photo of my mom on my screen is a current shot of some gorgeous girlfriend in my life. I suppose it makes sense for Marnie to assume that, actually, since Mom is a radiant knockout in the shot. It was snapped the day she found out she was pregnant with me, I’m told. Hence, the reason I set the image as Mom’s identifier on my phone.
“That’s my mother,” I say with a chuckle. “Not a girlfriend. It’s an old shot of her. My favorite one. This will be quick. Don’t go anywhere, fuck buddy.” I connect the call with a wink at Marnie. “Hey, Momma. What’s good?”
Mom tells me she does, indeed, need me to pick up a box of business cards at her place on my way to her event. Selena’s house is pretty close to Mom’s. Plus, Mom’s at her new boyfriend’s house across town right now, so it makes the most logistical sense for me to pick up the cards on my way to the gallery.
As Mom talks, I find myself distracted by the look of pure agony on Marnie’s face. What the fuck? She looks pale. Like she’s seen a ghost. As a matter of fact, Marnie looks every bit as shell-shocked as she did that fateful morning months ago, right before she ditched my ass. I’m sure she’s skittish about unwittingly being the other woman again, given what happened with that married man she dated right before meeting me. But I told her the shot on my phone is my mother. Does she think I lied to her face about that?
As Mom continues chattering away in my ear, Marnie murmurs something in a panicked tone and sprints out of the room.
“What the fuck?” I blurt. “Marnie, wait!” But she’s gone. “Gotta go, Mom,” I bark at my mother, cutting her off mid-sentence. “I’ll get the cards.”
I end the call and fly out the door. When I get into the hallway, Marnie’s not there, but I can hear hasty footsteps descending the nearby staircase. I race to the top of the steps and shout, “Marnie, wait. Stop!” I fly down the stairs, just in time to see Marnie barreling toward the front door of the house. “You’re ditching me again?” I shout, totally bewildered. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Marnie whirls around inside the front door, her face a bright shade of crimson. “I’ve changed my mind about meeting up with you again. I’m gonna stick to my plan and stay away from casual sex while looking for Mr. Right.” With that, she turns and bolts out the front door.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I roar. Does this nut job have a split-personality, or is mind-fucking hapless, unsuspecting men, immediately after voraciously fucking their bodies, Marnie’s favorite hobby?
“You’re insane, you know that?” I shout at Marnie’s retreating frame from the porch of the house. “A total whack job!”
“I know!” she shouts back, not even bothering to stop running or turn around as she says it.
“You’re not even going to say goodbye to the Birthday Boy? To your friends?”
“I’ll text them!”
“If you leave now that’s it for us!” I shout at her, even though I know it won’t make a difference. “I’ll never fuck you again, Marnie Fucking Long. Never. No matter how much you beg me!”
“Works for me!” Marnie screams. “Have a great life, Maximillian! Good luck making partner this time!”
I watch her hop into a car—a black SUV—and peel away from the curb like she’s a firefighter speeding off to a five-alarm fire. “The photo on my phone is my mother!” I shout at full volume, but it’s futile. She’s gone. Dumbfounded, I watch Marnie’s car turn a corner and disappear from sight.