Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
My sister and grandmother squealed when they caught sight of it. I was stunned silent since it was the biggest house I’d ever seen. Beyond that, the view of the ocean behind it was awe-inspiring.
My grandma spent most of that vacation wishing my grandpa could have been there with us, but work kept him in Manhattan. Melody brought him back a collection of seashells she found on the beach.
He cherished those damn things like they were gold. He always had at least one in his pocket until the day he died.
“Tomorrow,” I tell Basil. “Say around five or six.”
He tosses me a look over his shoulder. “That’s less than twenty-four hours from now.”
I know how to tell time, so I ignore the comment.
Even though Randall mentioned one of his friends is driving up in his car, and I can grab a ride back to Manhattan with him, I don’t want to count on that happening. Plans change, but I don’t want mine to.
Basil takes the hint and changes the subject. “I haven’t been this way in years. How about you?”
“It’s been a long time,” I say, not getting into specifics. “It doesn’t look like much has changed.”
The house I’ll be spending the night in is still painted the same shade of light blue it was when I was a kid. The shutters are as crisp white as they were then, but I suspect that’s because they’re repainted regularly.
Basil steers the SUV up the driveway and parks it. By the time he’s out of his seat and rounding the vehicle, I’ve got the door open.
Even though he’s already seen what I’m wearing, he gives me another once over. “I like the more casual look, sir.”
It’s jeans, a blue button-down shirt, and the dark blue suit jacket I had on all day. I’ve only packed the essentials in the leather bag I’m holding. This trip will be short and sweet for me. I may be the best man, but the other men Randall invited are likely better friends to him than I’ve been in years.
“Reid!” Randall exits the front door of the house dressed in red board shorts and a white T-shirt stamped with the logo of the bakery he sold years ago. “You made it.”
“You knew I would.”
He chuckles. “More like hoped you would. I wasn’t sure if a business emergency would throw a wrench in your plans.”
Since the neighboring houses are a good distance away, silence fills the air.
Basil breaks it by clearing his throat. “If that’s all, sir, I’ll head back to the city now.”
“That’s all,” Randall tells him before I can get a word in. “Reid can catch a ride back with my friend tomorrow, or if he wants, he can board the party van with us on Sunday.”
Basil suppresses a chuckle by covering it with a cough. “I’ve already made arrangements with Mr. Hunt for his return trip to Manhattan.”
“Sure, whatever.” Randall isn’t holding a drink in his hand, but the slight slurring of his words tells me he’s already indulged in more than one.
Since it’s almost eight, he’s had more than enough time for a couple of drinks on the road, as well as a few since he got here.
Basil’s eye catches mine. “I’m just a text away, sir.”
I can read between those lines. Basil will be close to his phone in case I need to break free of this bachelor party early.
“Thanks for the lift, Basil.”
His eyes widen since I rarely offer gratitude in any form other than financially. “You’re very welcome, Mr. Hunt.”
With that, he gets back in the SUV and takes off, leaving me to find a way to soldier through the next twenty-two hours without staring non-stop at my executive assistant.
“Come inside,” Randall says, motioning toward the door. “Everyone is hanging out by the pool.”
A brief image of Miss Starling in a bikini flashes through my mind before I strategically ask if she’s already here. “Who is everyone?”
“Pete, Linus, Kyle,” he lists names of men I’ve never heard of. “That’s Jimmy’s car there. Like I said, Reid, you can catch a ride with him tomorrow. It would save Basil the drive.”
I glance at the black BMW parked near one of the closed garage doors.
“Is Charlotte here?” I skirt around the question I really want to ask. I want to know if Evangeline is here, so I ask about his fiancée since I assume they’re making the drive up together.
Slapping me on the shoulder, he chuckles. “You don’t know Charlotte very well yet, but you’ll come to see that it takes her forever to pack for anywhere. They’ll be here within the hour. Apparently, she rented a car, and Evie’s driving them up.”
I smile. “Evie can drive?”
He studies my face. “It sounds like you know her as well as you know my fiancée.”
He’s right about that, but I’m not going to own it.