Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Ryker curls a hand around my head and kisses me for a hot, heady second. That’s all, and I want so much more.
Later, I’m alone at the dog park, urging Nacho through the triple hoops, then cheering him on when he nails all his skills.
“Who’s the best boy in the world?” I call out, and he jumps—okay, it’s more like pogo sticks—up and down.
I pick him up and give him a kiss on his snout, then glance around. Is someone going to take my picture? Ha. I’m not interesting without a famous athlete by my side.
Fine by me. I never wanted the spotlight, but as I leash up Nacho, and leave, I feel a pang in my chest. A wistfulness.
Next week, I won’t come to this park. I’ll be in my own tiny studio in the Outer Sunset, taking a bus to work across the city, and using any little extra dough on doggie daycare for this little love bomb.
I’ll be back to my regular life.
Though I can’t help wondering what it’d be like to come here to this park, not just with Chase but Ryker too? To laugh and play, like I did with Chase at Target, and Ryker with his grandmother? Then to kiss?
My heart squeezes. I want that but know I can’t have it.
When my phone rings a minute later, I answer it right away. It’s my mom, and it’ll be good for me to focus on my regular life.
“Hi, Mom,” I say, trying to sound upbeat.
“Hi, sweetie. Just wanted to say hi,” she says, and we make small talk as I circle the outskirts of the park. But soon the conversation comes around to her favorite topic. Romance and matchmaking.
“So how’s everything with your new beau? When can we meet him? He seems so nice. I read all his press coverage. What a good family man. Did you know he pays for his brother’s college? Oh, and he donates to cancer research and animal rescues, and he’s such a good one.”
My shoulders tense. I’m going to let them down all over again when this silly little pretend girlfriend thing ends. “Yeah, he’s great,” I say.
And so’s the other guy too.
But how would I ever say those words to them? They’d never understand what I’m feeling right now.
She and my dad were high school sweethearts. They had the perfect wedding and have the perfect marriage, the perfect daughter in Cassie.
I’m just…well, me.
29
THE PAGE-TURNER CLUB
Trina
On Friday morning at breakfast, the clock is ticking faster than usual. Just this weekend and then I’m moving into my own place. I want to stop time, but instead, we’re making wedding plans.
“Neither one of us has a game tonight,” Chase says at the island counter. “We want to take you shopping when you get off work. To Charlotte Everly’s. For a new dress to wear this weekend,” he says, and whoa.
These guys don’t fuck around. She’s the new it designer. I can’t afford her stuff. I can only salivate over it. “I love her designs,” I say.
“Good. Then you should wear one of her dresses when you dance with each of us on Sunday,” Ryker adds.
“Then when we undress you after here,” Chase continues.
“And then we’ll spread you out on the bed in your new lingerie we’ll have bought for you.”
I swoon. “Yes.”
I’m fantasizing about Sunday when a notification pops up on my phone. Seriously?
It’s Jasper.
The preview pane says You got to meet my idols. The least you can do is pay me back for those tix you stole.
I snort-laugh. “Please,” I say, then I finally reply to Jasper for the first time since I left him.
With a GIF of monopoly money.
I show the guys and they smother me in righteous kisses. “Our book babe is badass,” Ryker says and once we finish breakfast, they walk me to the door, where Chase hands me a brown paper bag.
“You said you had a busy day today so in case you can’t get out for lunch, I made you something.”
My eyes widen. I’m officially melting before I go into work. “What is it?”
“A peanut butter sandwich with fresh strawberries,” he says.
“My favorite.”
Though these two guys are my favorites too.
That evening, Kimora shakes the black and gold paperback in frustration. “Nope. I will never forgive Angus for not burning down the world for Lorelei.”
Aubrey sits on the edge of the couch, pointing to the cover with her perfectly polished nail. “He’s a hero, not a villain. He’s not supposed to burn down the world.”
“An antihero,” Kimora insists, pointing a dismissive finger at the book in question.
I’m at book club that night, in the comfy “living room” area in a back corner of the store. The ladies and I are hanging out on sofas, eating cheese and crackers while debating the super-spicy football romance—a dark romance—we read recently.