Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“You two carry on with what you’re doing. I’ll get some champs opened and then you can give me a job.” She pulled out a bottle of champagne from the tote she was carrying and set it on the side, then headed to the cabinet with the wine glasses in them. She must come here a lot. I felt a pang of jealousy. Did she and Parker have girls’ nights I wasn’t aware of?
“Oh, I saw the details of the house Dexter sent you,” she said. “It’s so great. And in Hampstead, which I know you wanted. Even though I want you to move to Mayfair.”
Parker shook her head. “We have our hearts set on Hampstead. I’d never see anything of Sutton otherwise. And of course, I love the area.”
Stella popped the cork and poured the first glass of champagne.
“We’re going to view it on Saturday.”
This was news to me. Parker hadn’t said anything about a house viewing.
“Beck and I will come with you. That way, Beck can tell you all about what the potential of the place is like. You’re never going to find something perfect, but as long as you can adapt it . . .”
The two of them went back and forth about non-negotiables and what was important in a house. Their voices started to fade out and all I could focus on was the ball of jealousy in my heart. I’d never been jealous of Parker before. She’d grown up with a family who loved her and more money that I could even dream about, but I’d never felt envious of her.
Until now, as she was discussing her requirements for the perfect house with her perfect friend in her already perfect kitchen as I helped her prepare the perfect meal for all her other perfect friends. And I hated myself for wanting all that for myself too.
I tried to focus on getting the onion chopped as finely as I could, one slice after another after another and another.
“Sutton?” Parker said.
I snapped my head up from the chopping board and realized I hadn’t heard what they were saying for the last few minutes.
“Sorry, in another world. What were you saying?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nodded and continued to slice over and over and over and—
The blade of the knife slipped and caught my finger. “Shit,” I said, dropping the knife and pressing my finger over the wound.
“Sutton!” Parker said. “What happened?”
I headed to the sink. The juices of the onion made the cut sting and I bit down on my cheek to stop the tears forming in my eyes.
Parker got to the sink before I did and turned the tap. I pushed my hand under the running water and the blood mixed with the water like the closing credits of a budget horror movie. “It’s fine,” I said as I caught Parker’s eye. “The knife slipped. I’m totally fine. Do you have a plaster?”
I could tell by the way Parker didn’t respond that she didn’t believe I was totally fine.
“Have you been on the booze before I arrived?” Stella asked.
“Remind me to be sick during my surgery rotation,” I said, trying to make light of the situation.
I cleaned my wound, stuck a plaster on, and then headed back to the chopping board.
“I don’t think so,” Parker said. “No more chopping for you. I’ll finish that off. You take a seat and sip some champagne. I want to hear about your week.”
Parker and I had spoken a little less than usual this week. After I drove off from breaking it off with Jacob, I got the urge to keep driving, but given I’d hired a car and couldn’t afford the penalties, I figured I’d drop the car off and go back to life before Jacob. Except my life before Jacob didn’t include my job, so it was a completely impossible task.
“What do you want to hear about? I worked. I slept. I ate. And then I worked again,” I said.
“Did you see Jacob?” Parker turned to Stella. “Jacob is another doctor at the hospital. Total hottie by all accounts. And they’re secretly dating because of hospital politics.”
“Actually we’re not secretly dating. We’re not dating at all. I called things off.”
Parker set down her knife and stared at me, her mouth open. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I looked down at my glass. I really didn’t want to talk about this. I knew I’d made the right decision and I just wanted to skip to the bit where I felt fine.
“Gosh, I’m sorry. Had you two been dating long?” Stella asked.
“No, just a couple of months,” I replied, as my eyes filled with tears. Parker rushed over to me and pulled me in for a hug. “Don’t be nice to me.”
“I will so be nice to you. There’s no way I’m not giving you a hug. What did he do?”