Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
My dad may not be up for the father of the year award any time soon, but he still manages to impress me from time to time. I remember hearing about this fundraiser, but I’d forgotten all about it. It’s to raise money for kids, mostly in other countries, whose families can’t afford corrective surgery.
“Oh! Where is he?”
“He had some work to do on the other side of town. We’re only here until morning, so we’re going to stay at the event’s hotel to stay close to the airport,” she says, pulling an envelope out of her purse. “Here are your tickets. It starts at eight. Make sure your brother is…decent.” Decent. In other words, sober. Dash just graduated from college and is about to start law school, but you’d think he was a burnout who dropped out of high school and does nothing but party by the way my parents talk about him.
“Does Dashiell know?”
“I’m sure you can talk him into it,” Mom says, avoiding a straight answer. Which means that’s a negative. “It’ll mean a lot to your father.”
“Fine,” I relent. I feel guilty for ignoring her calls, and she’s only in town for one night, so I’ll play along.
“Perfect. By the way, whose truck is that outside?” She says the word truck like one would say dog shit as she points her manicured finger in the direction of the driveway.
“Oh, uh, one of Dash’s friends.” Not technically a lie. “I’m pretty sure they’re still asleep.”
“Well, you tell him I want this house back to the way I had it.”
“Will do. What’s new with you guys? How is California?”
“Oh, you know. Busy,” she says vaguely. “We’ll talk later. I have a hair appointment to get to.” She kisses my cheek, and I stand to walk her out.
“Oh, and Briar, I almost forgot to tell you. You have a date for tonight.”
Uh, what?
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re seeing that Jackson boy, aren’t you? His mother is also attending, and she said he’d love to escort you.”
“Mom. No.” I shake my head. No way am I going with Jackson. “I am not dating him. In fact, I’m going out of my way to not date him.”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. You can’t say no, now.”
“I didn’t say yes to begin with!” I protest, my voice rising in volume.
“Briar Victoria Vale. Two hours is all I’m asking. Two hours out of your life to play nice for your parents that you haven’t seen in weeks. Is that too much to ask?”
If there’s one thing Nora Vale is good at, it’s guilt-tripping. And passive-aggressiveness. And don’t forget manipulating.
“There better be cake,” I say, defeated, plopping back down to my bed.
“I’ll make sure there’s a chocolate one just for you.” She’s joking, but I know it’s her way of playing nice. “Now, go get showered. You smell like bad choices, and that hair is going to take nothing short of a miracle to tame.”
“Goodbye, Mother.” I laugh.
Unfuckingbelievable. I have managed to stay away from Jackson this whole time, and now I’m forced to go on a date with him. This should be tons of fun.
Hair curled: check. Lips in Scarlett Empress by Nars: check. Winged liner: double check. I turn to my bed, admiring the dress I got from Natalia’s mom’s boutique. It’s burgundy with spaghetti straps. The top is skintight lace with a deep scalloped neckline. The bottom flares out, hitting mid-thigh. It’s gorgeous, but the back is my absolute favorite part. The thin straps form an “X” across my shoulder blades, leaving the rest of my back completely bare. I pair it with black pumps, black bracelets, and a simple black choker. It’s feminine, yet edgy, and perfect for me.
I walk into my closet to find a matching clutch, and all I can think about is how I wish I was going to this thing with Asher instead of Jackson. But that would never happen. Even if Asher were the suit and tie kind of guy, my parents would probably have a coronary if I showed up on his arm. I would, though. If Asher called me up right now and told me that he wanted to be official and tell our families, I would in a heartbeat. Fuck what anyone else thinks. The only person I’d worry about is Dash. I don’t want to hurt him. But I think, in time, he’d come around. He’d want us both to be happy. Would it be so bad to find happiness together?
Deciding on my black studded Michael Kors wristlet, I walk back into my room.
“Why so blue, baby girl?”
My head snaps up to find Asher sitting on the end of my bed.
“Jesus!” I whisper-yell, rushing over to close my bedroom door. “I need to put a bell around your neck. You’re like a goddamn ninja.”
Asher smirks and pulls me to stand between his spread legs. His hands grip my waist, his thumbs rubbing my stomach. My heart pounds in my chest, and I feel myself already growing slick. My eyes close, and I lean into his touch. His hands flatten against my stomach, then move down to grip the hem of my dress.