Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
The welcome dinners were like a tournament of scrimmage weddings. Sort of Hunger Game-ish, but with less bloodshed, sabotage, and, unfortunately, less Jennifer Lawrence—my ultimate girl crush.
Tonight’s mock wedding included our family and wedding party and whatever guests arrived early for the festivities. Sprays of white flowers and twinkling lights created the perfect ambiance for people to socialize and sip cocktails while the chefs put on a show.
Elle and Paul arrived before the first course this time but after our introduction. I had been talking with Barrett the moment they sat down and his expression completely changed mid-sip.
“Barrett?” I followed his gaze to Elle, looking as beautiful as ever. And there was bloated Paul by her side. Were his arms actually getting bigger?
When I looked back at Barrett, his mouth was a flat line. He set down his glass. “Excuse me.”
I thought to alert Hale, but he was currently occupied with other guests. I cursed under my breath, dropping my napkin onto my seat and rising to go after him.
He disappeared through a private door marked for the restaurant staff and I found him in a long narrow hall. “Barrett, wait.”
“Go back to the party, Meyers.”
“Not without you.”
He stopped and let out a frustrated huff. We were in some sort of employee portal. Servers kept passing with trays of champagne and clatter spilled from the kitchen whenever the service door swung open.
“You can’t let her get to you.” He was clearly upset that he lost control of his emotions.
“She’s allowed to fuck whoever—”
“I know she can sleep with whoever she wants. You’ve said it enough. But that doesn’t make it hurt less to see her moving on.”
He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes closing in frustration. “Why that guy?”
I laughed. “What, you don’t like Paul?”
“What does she see in him?”
“I have no idea.” I smirked, understanding his confusion. “I don’t think it’ll last.” I hoped it wouldn’t. Not that I wanted Elle to have her heart broken, but the guy was a total tool bag.
“Tell me I’m better than that guy.”
“There’s no competition, Barrett.” I held his arms and looked him right in the eye. “You’re an incredible guy. You’re fun. Sensitive. Caring. And hot. Almost every woman out there has fantasized about sleeping with you. The men out there want to be you. You could literally have your pick of almost anyone in this entire building. Plus, Paul’s a putz.”
He laughed then glanced over my shoulder. “Not every woman.”
I sighed. “She’s not over you. She’s trying, but you’re not an easy person to forget.”
His smile was sweet. “Thanks.” He looped his arm around me and pulled me into a hug.
It was nice hiding in the shelter of his arms, away from all the strangers on the other side of the door. For a moment, I fantasized that I didn’t have to go back to the party. But then the hug ended and reality beckoned.
“We should get back.” We both turned and stilled. Hale stood at the end of the narrow corridor, his expression blank and his eyes cold.
“Uh-oh.”
Speak Now
OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE
“Are you going to talk to me?”
“I have nothing to say.” Hale removed his tie and tossed it onto the accumulating pile of accessories.
“You haven’t spoken to me since dinner.”
“It’s late, Rayne. Tomorrow’s another big day. I just want to shower and get some sleep.” Without fully undressing, he closed himself into the bathroom and started the shower.
This was an unfamiliar side of Hale. He didn’t avoid confrontation. That was my schtick.
Hale found confrontation constructive and believed in resolving challenges the moment they arose, so I didn’t have a clue why now, of all times, he was choosing to avoid me.
He was obviously bothered by finding Barrett and I hidden away in a private corridor—hugging. I’d explained the situation. His brother was upset. A perfectly normal response to watching Elle with Paul. But Hale didn’t see it that way.
“People were looking for you,” he’d said accusingly, and I knew that wasn’t true.
“Who?” He and I both knew I wasn’t important enough to provoke a search party after five minutes.
“Tyler.”
Okay, maybe Tyler was wondering where I’d disappeared to, but other than him and Hale, no one else would have noticed that I left.
I’d tried to reason with him. “Hale, if you would have seen how upset Barrett got you would have followed him too.”
“No, I would have remembered that my brother’s a grown man perfectly capable of taking care of himself.”
When it was clear he was going to be a total bitch about it, I gave up and returned to the party. There were too many people around for us to continue bickering, so we let it drop. Mostly.
All night, whenever I asked him if he was okay, he just said, “I’m fine.”
Did he think I was born yesterday? I knew more than anyone what a crock of bullshit that line was. No one was ever fine when they said they were fine.