Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“How do you know? I mean how do you know this isn’t his usual ammo?”
“Because I did my research, and better yet I asked daddy to look into him if you’d recall. He’s solid.”
“Why are you doing all this for me? I mean, we’re friends but I always just thought you were like the others.”
“You mean you thought my friendship was just fake and shallow. Nah. Do you remember all those times we’d be over and I’d leave the rest of you doing whatever crap you were into? I used to go hang with Estelle. I knew that if her opinion of you was true, then you couldn’t be the person you pretended to be. Plus I liked you. Can’t stand the rest of them though. If my dad wasn’t as rich as he is, they wouldn’t even spit on me. You were never like that.” I hugged her and fought back tears until she told me to suck it up because she had more snooping to do.
“Okay let’s put the rest of this stuff away first. I can’t believe I’m actually moving in with a man.”
“Well yeah. Next step marriage and a baby carriage. And when he asks, you better say yes.”
“Okay that I do not believe.”
“I’ll bet you your firstborn.”
“What? That’s crazy.”
“Well then I guess you’re not as sure as you think.” I decided to leave the conversation there for my sanity’s sake.
Of course I thought of nothing else for the rest of the day. Marriage. Why doesn’t the idea scare the crap out of me? And why was I even thinking about it. Sure Simone has been right about everything else so far, but this was a bit of a stretch. I know he feels something for me and I’m more than sure of what I feel for him, but does that spell marriage?
If I’m honest with myself I would admit that I would like nothing more. But I couldn’t stand the thought that everyone might think I was with him because of money. If my own mother had questions, why wouldn’t total strangers who knew nothing about me? Not the real me anyway.
The question plagued me as nothing else about the situation did. Does he think that as well? Does he question whether or not I’d be with him if my situation had not changed so drastically? I hope not.
“Would you stop worrying? Everything’s going to be just fine.”
“But what if people think I’m only with him for the money?”
“I’m guessing you haven’t seen the latest article. They’re already hinting at just that. What the fuck do you care what they think? You’re the one who has to live with the decisions you make. I know you’re in love with him. I knew it even before you went out together.”
“What? How did you know? I didn’t even know.” She had to be pulling my leg.
“I knew because every time you mentioned the guy, even when you were pissed and thought he was a thief, you always got this goofy ass look on your face.” I brushed that off for now once her other exclamation hit home.
“What article?” She pulled a well known gossip rag from her purse and held it out to me.
I saw the picture of him dragging me off the stage first and then I read the words written below and felt my stomach drop. “Oh… I wonder if he’s seen this.”
“I’m sure he has. He strikes me as the type to stay on top of things like this.” I slumped back in my chair and gazed off into space. It was my worst fear realized. The conjecture that I had found a new sugar daddy was bad enough, but this went even deeper. It cast me as nothing more than a money grubbing slut.
“How do you stay so poised, so confident all the time, even in the face of such bullshit?” I asked because she like the rest of us has had to deal with her life being picked apart in the news rags in the past. But I always remember her just brushing it off like nothing they said made a difference to her one way or another.
“The trick my friend, is not to care what anyone else thinks. Not just say you don’t care, but really deep down have no fucks to give. To do this, you must first know yourself. You must find the you that you like in here.” She pointed at my chest before going on.
“Once you find that person, no matter who she may be, you be her all day everyday. If you choose to be a boss bitch then that’s what you go with. If you want to be a wilting violet…” She broke off with a laugh at the sneer on my face.
“You get what I’m saying, you get the point. Now you find your happiness and hold onto it, and don’t let anyone take it from you. And I don’t mean screwing the delectable Mr. Storm, for fuck sake are you two rabbits?” We both fell out laughing at that. I’d maybe told her more than I should have about our weekend locked away in this apartment.