Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
It’s Ash’s special day and I’m being a jerk.
I raise my chin, tightening my jaw. “I got some bad news earlier today, all right? I’m sorry if I’m killing your vibe, but you can go ahead and pretend like I don’t exist.”
His expression softens. “Anything you want to talk about with a stranger?”
“I’d rather do the Cha-Cha Slide for ten hours than tell you about my problems.” Which is an exaggeration. I’d max out at six hours. I really hate the Cha-Cha Slide.
“How about this. Let me buy you another glass of wine.”
“It’s an open bar.” I’m about to scream in this guy’s face if he can’t get the hint.
“I’ll give you a fifty to obnoxiously place into the tip jar. Make sure the servers notice. You’ll be their favorite for the rest of the night.”
I hesitate. I’m a waitress by trade and I know how important tips are. Even though I dislike this guy, I’d be a monster to deny the staff fifty bucks. “Fine,” I say, turning on my heel and downing my wine. “But afterward, this interaction is finished.” I glance around, searching for Jamila, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Freaking Jams abandoned me already. Not that I can blame her. I’m about as fun as nerve pain from a poisonous caterpillar.
“After you,” Nolan murmurs, having the audacity to put his hand on the small of my back, which in turn has the gall to send a thrill of excitement pulsing down into my stomach. What is wrong with this guy? Worse, what’s wrong with me?
At the bar, I ask for wine. He gets a whiskey. I make a show of yawning, waving the fifty in the air, before plunking it down into the tip bucket. None of the bartenders notice. “Try again,” Nolan says, nudging a hundred into my hand. I laugh, having fun now, and do a really obnoxious stretch, basically waving the hundred in the staff’s faces, before putting it into the bucket.
The bartender hipster guy gives me a level stare, no smile, no reaction at all, and says, “Cool. Thanks.”
I’m cracking up as Nolan steers me back to my corner table. He’s laughing too, which looks good on him. I have to admit, he does the handsome-brooding thing really well, like exceptionally well, but his smile lights his entire face up, making him look less like a guy contemplating murder and more like someone that likes to have a good time.
“That was unreal,” I say, holding up my glass for a toast, which he accepts. “Cool thanks has to be the most insane response to getting a hundred-dollar tip. He didn’t even smile!”
“I’m actually kind of impressed,” he says. “The guy took it like that’s a normal, everyday occurrence for him.” Nolan hesitates, touching his chin. “Though come to think of it, that’s the fifth time I put a hundred in that bucket.”
I laugh again, shoving his chest. “You’re lying, you dick!”
“I wish I was, but unfortunately your display just wasn’t all that impressive to these overly spoiled bartenders. Maybe next wedding we’ll drop a thousand. I’ll let you make a show of it.”
“Next wedding?” I ask, my smile starting to fade as I take another big sip. “Who do you think’s getting married next?”
“You are,” he says, leaning closer. “What do you think, would Ash mind if we upstaged her renewals? I have an engagement ring in my pocket right now.”
“I think you’re coming on a little strong there,” I say, leaning away from him. But my smile’s back. And that thrill. Seriously, what’s wrong with me? I know he’s just teasing, but still. “It’s coming off kind of desperate. Besides, I don’t think that’s a ring in your pocket.”
“I’ve never been more desperate for you, Keely Something.”
“Nothing sexier than a man begging down on his knees.” I sigh, hand on my forehead. “But alas, I’ve sworn off all sex.”
“Who said anything about sex? We could have a very friendly, chaste marriage. Separate beds.”
“You couldn’t handle that.” I smirk at him, eyes narrowing. “You’d come crawling across the gap between our beds every night like a lizard. A horny lizard.”
“I like to imagine I’d pounce like a very majestic lion.”
“Nope. You’d slink and crawl. Lizard-like.”
“Cool. Thanks.” He says it deadpanned, a perfect imitation of the bartender, and I crack up. He’s smiling too, and some of my anxiety slips away. Not all—it’ll take more than some attention from a handsome man to put me in a good mood again—but Nolan’s helping.
Somehow, against all the freaking odds in the world.
“How come you decided to bug me tonight?” I ask, standing closer to him.
He shrugs. “I was curious why a pretty girl like you looked so damn miserable.”
“I don’t look miserable. But thank you, I am very pretty.”
“Most attractive woman here,” he says, looking at me like he means it. “In fact, you’re the most attractive woman I’ve seen in a long time. Why has Ash been hiding you from me?”