Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Back in the cabin, I found an appetizing arrangement of fruit, cheese, and little bites waiting for me.
“Dig in,” Rex invited.
“Looks yummy,” I said as I sat down. “So, don’t forget ours was love at first sight,” I reminded, as I popped a strawberry into my mouth.
“I remember,” Rex said. “In the rain.”
“Under the umbrellas,” I added.
“Shouldn’t we practice?”
The flight attendant came and took away the empty plate after asking if there was anything else we needed. I shook my head and suddenly wished I had kept in touch with my old friends. It would have been so much fun to tell them about the experience of flying in a private plane.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” Rex said, drawing me back to the present.
I laughed. “What are we practicing?”
“Touching. Kissing. Being in love. We have to be convincing,” Rex said with a straight face.
I laughed again, but awkwardly. Even the idea of kissing Rex made heat run up my neck. “I’m not sure we ever need to kiss, and as for looking like we’re in love, I’m sure we’ll manage that when the time comes.”
“If you say so,” he said too casually.
“I do,” I said firmly. “Er… how should we say you came upon all this money then?”
“I own my business.”
“Selling what?”
“Something glamorous but too difficult for most people to probe into. How about an investment company?”
“I like that,” I agreed, thinking of how green Tiffany would be if she thought I had bagged such a man.
We landed and there was a sleek dark green and silver Maybach S class waiting for us on the tarmac.
“Wow,” I said. “Called in another favor?”
“Nope. This one comes with the plane, but I have hired a fast car that should be waiting for us at the hotel,” he explained, and began heading towards the driver.
We started out on our one-hour drive to the Lake Club, where I had booked us a suite. The entire land was snow-covered and it was freezing cold, but inside the car it was warm and toasty. I literally sank into the plush seat.
My phone rang and I dug into my handbag to get it. Who on earth could that be? I groaned inwardly when I saw my stepmother’s name. I hadn’t told her the exact time we were arriving in Wisconsin so her timing was just incredible.
“Hi, Nicole,” I said unenthusiastically. I became a different person when I spoke to her or my sisters.
“Hi, Willow. Welcome home,” she cooed with her usual saccharine sweetness.
“Thanks,” I said automatically.
“You could pretend to be happy about coming home.”
What on earth was I doing? I was giving the exact opposite impression of what I had intended to. I was supposed to be over the moon in love and happy. I straightened my posture. “I am happy, very happy, just groggy. I slept the whole way here,” I said, injecting some cheer into my voice.
“Oh good. That means you’re fresh. Everyone’s here, come and say hello.”
I gripped my phone tighter. I wasn’t ready to see them yet. But if I said no, they would all conclude I was hurting. “Okay. I’ll be there.”
“You will bring your new man with you, won’t you?”
I swallowed. What reason could I come up with for saying no. Off the top of my head, I couldn’t think of any. Oh dear, I promised Rex he would hardly have to work for his money and already it was looking like a lie.
“Of course, I will,” I agreed with fake brightness.
“Where are we going?” Rex asked, when I ended the call.
I shot him an apologetic look. “My stepmother’s house. Everyone’s there apparently. Sorry.”
11
WILLOW
“Don’t apologize. That’s what we’re here for,” Rex said evenly.
My hands felt cold and clammy with sheer nerves and anxiety. “What if they see through us, Rex?”
“I don’t know about you, but I can put up a damn fine performance when I want to. They will never see through me,” Rex declared confidently.
That made me feel a little better. “Okay, I think I’ll be able to match you, but coming home has made it all so real. I’m actually going to witness my ex and Tiffany get married. That is so freaking twisted.”
An oddly fierce expression had flashed in his eyes while I was speaking, but it was hidden very quickly. I wondered what I had said to cause it.
“If you prefer, we could skip the whole circus and just show up for the wedding?” he suggested mildly.
“Hell no! We’ve come all this way. I won’t chicken out.” I smiled weakly. “Besides it’s not fair on you. You deserve the chance to double your money.”
He smiled back. “Exactly. How about we go to the hotel, freshen up, then take a trip into the lion’s den… hmmm?”
I nodded. It really did feel as if we were going into a lion’s den. “Yes, freshening up first is a brilliant idea.”