Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I glance up at him as I take a sip of coffee, and his expression shows slight remorse. How can he possibly think that was funny. Fucking prick.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? Fucking me and dragging me into this new nightmare so you can make jokes?” There’s enough bite in my tone to leave a scar, and I fucking hope it does.
“I don’t usually fuck students.” His tone is different, and I can’t place it.
“Usually?” I counter. “And I’m not your student.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I obviously don’t.”
Inhaling a deep, rapid breath, he calms himself and then retorts, “You can redecorate whatever you want except my office.”
“That’s fair.”
“Thanks for being so understanding, considering this is my place after all.” He offers a thin smile.
“Not when I’m done with it.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but the doorbell cuts him off.
He arches an eyebrow, and I answer his silent demand. “It’s Aspen,” I say as I push the chair out. “My best friend. I invited her.” And she’s going to hear about your fucking standup comedy, you fucking prick, I think as I head to the door.
“I know who Aspen is and what she is to you.”
I resist the urge to ask him how much he knows about me until he abruptly stands and excuses himself to his office. Quick on my feet, I hustle toward the door and open it.
Before I can greet her, she spews, “What the fuck is going on?”
I gesture to the open floor plan. “I want to redecorate.”
She’s an interior decorator. So perfect timing.
“Brooklyn, what the hell?”
“Come on.” I grab her hand. “Let me show you around.”
“Where’s Ronan?” she asks, and I say I don’t give a shit. Her expression scrunches, and I ignore it, closing the door and deciding that I don’t need breakfast. I need to spend a fuck ton of money on art that I plan to replace next week. Now, the expression on his face when he gets the bill? That will be fucking funny.
She goes along with what I have to say and all my ideas on what I want to do with the place until we’re sitting out on the balcony, and she demands to know what is happening. Since I can’t tell her the truth, I make up a story about how we started dating and why I couldn’t tell her.
“I was just accepted into the program, and we were more concerned about his job than telling anyone, you know?” I nod, and she nods along with me. I fucking hope she believes me. Even if I hate myself for lying to her.
Even though she listens to every word I have to say, I can tell by her expression that she wants to call bullshit. But she knows I won’t tell her the truth unless I want to, and the fact of the matter is, I can’t.
I’ve already told him I won’t, and I can’t risk him kicking me out on my ass too. I hate lying to her, but I have no choice. I’ve never lied to Aspen before, and I hate that this is happening in the first place.
“So because you’re a student, you had to keep your relationship a secret? You know I’d never tell anyone, Brook.”
“I know, but Ronan is paranoid and about to make tenure, so we wanted to wait to tell everyone until after he did. With the video, we were forced to come clean. He asked me to marry him last week.”
She eyes me skeptically, then looks down at my hand. “Where’s your ring?”
“It’s getting sized.”
“He didn’t know your ring size?”
“He’s a man, Aspen.”
She arches a brow and crosses her arms over her chest. “Good point.”
I lean against the iron railing, embracing the cool breeze. Thank God she’s accepting what I’m telling her.
“How does your father feel about the two of you?”
The pain of yesterday comes back tenfold. I swallow and decide to push every emotion down and just shrug. “It doesn’t matter. I’m happy, and I get to spend a shit ton of money while still pissing my father off. I call that a win.” She’s my best friend, and I can’t bring myself to tell her.
“Are you staying in school, then?”
“I might.” I answer and realize I haven’t even thought about it. I wonder if I quit school if they will even care that Ronan and I are engaged… and what that would mean about the deal I just made with him. Fuck. It’s a web of lies.
“What plans do you have for the future? Where are you getting married? Do you want kids?”
Her questions go on and on, and I try to answer each one to the best of my ability. Ronan steps out onto the balcony, and his presence instantly demands attention which he radiates twenty-four seven.
He greets her. “Good morning, Aspen.”