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)
I’m gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles. “I can’t do it. If it were me, on my own, I’d probably say yes, simply because I’m curious to see a multi-billionaire’s ranch. But I can’t drag my daughter into this. She’s already head over heels in love with you. I can’t risk you breaking Ripley’s heart when we get home, and you drop her like a hot potato. I wouldn’t risk Ripley’s heart for all the clients in the world.”
Max lets out a long exhale, but he says nothing.
In thick silence, I pull into the preschool’s parking lot and find a spot. After turning off my engine, I peek at Ripley in the backseat and exhale with relief when she’s still immersed in her show. She’s so engrossed, in fact, she hasn’t even realized we’ve arrived in the parking lot of her preschool.
“Okay, hear me out,” Max says. “I think we could reduce the risk of harm to Ripley by inviting your father and my mother for the week, as well.”
“How would that help anything?”
“Because the more people surrounding Ripley, the less she’ll think we’re a couple. If my mother is there, the same way she was yesterday, then Ripley will continue thinking of me as Gigi’s son and nothing more. Right now, my mother is the reason I’m in her life at all. Well, we’ll take great pains to make sure she keeps thinking that.”
I look into his pleading eyes. His idea is a good one, I must admit. But it’s not enough of an insurance policy for me. “I’m sorry, Max. I really can’t.”
“Please, Marnie,” he says. “I’ve worked myself to the bone to get ahead at this fucking firm for almost seven years, and this is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to finally get what I’ve wanted since law school. I’ll do literally anything you want. Name it, and I’ll do it.”
I press my lips together. “I’m sorry. I feel for you. And like I said, if I only had myself to think about, I’d do it for the sheer adventure of it. But I have to think about Ripley.”
Max’s deep sigh betrays his disappointment and frustration. But rather than push back or try to convince me further, he looks out the car window and says, “Okay. Thanks for hearing me out. I can’t fault you for doing the right thing for your daughter. In fact, I admire you for doing that.”
I touch his arm, causing him to look at me. “You’re not going to want me to come, anyway, once I tell you the truth about why I left your apartment that morning. Once I tell you the truth about that, I’ll be the last person you’d ever want to spend a week with, no matter what’s at stake for your career.”
Max turns pale. “What are you talking about?”
I take a deep breath. “Remember how I’d found out the guy I’d been dating was married?”
He nods.
“When I walked into your kitchen, I saw a framed photo of you and your father—”
“Oh, God.”
“And I discovered—”
“No, Marnie.”
“The married man was your father.”
“Oh, God.” Max covers his face with his palm. “I feel sick.”
“Yeah, that’s how I felt. That’s why I ran away the next morning. Because I felt physically sick. I’m so sorry, Max. I should have told you the truth, then and there, but my fight or flight instinct took over and I chose flight.”
Max drops his hand from his face and levels me with icy blue eyes. “You didn’t think to mention this little fact before fucking me at Grayson’s party?”
My stomach somersaults. “In my defense, my time with your father felt like a distant memory by then. I was in such a bad place when I dated him. I was grieving my mother and looking for an escape from the pain. I’m in a much better place now, in all aspects of my life. I stupidly thought when I saw you the other day that by-gone chapter of my life didn’t matter anymore.”
“Bullshit. You were horny, so you took what you wanted. You were fucking selfish.”
My chest heaves. “You’re absolutely right. I felt overwhelmed by my physical attraction to you, and I didn’t want to ruin the excitement by telling you the truth about your father. I should have told you to give you the opportunity to turn me down if that’s what you wanted to do. For that, I’m very, very sorry. It was disgusting and wrong of me and I’m so sorry.”
Max looks out the passenger side window for a very long time.
When I can’t take it anymore, I say, “Whatever you’re thinking, please say it. Whatever it is, no matter how brutal, say it and don’t hold back. I deserve your wrath.” When he still won’t look at me, I whisper, “See? I told you; you wouldn’t want to go to family camp with me after hearing what I had to tell you.”