Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
“My Prince?” she asks, and I nod.
“My Mystery Woman.”
She shakes her head again, and I pull her in to push my mouth to hers.
“You’re my forever, Juniper June,” I whisper against her lips.
The countdown to midnight starts all around us, a growing chant of the numbers from the DJ echoing from his microphone.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!”
“Midnight,” she whispers, her gorgeous blue eyes staring up into mine.
“Forever,” I reply and kiss the hell out of my June.
Two Years Later…
Juniper
This is the day I’ve dreamed about since I was thirteen years old.
Not just in theory but in vivid detail, down to the color and arrangement of my flowers and the way I’d wear my hair. I imagined the cake and the tux for my groom, and I imagined all of it with Beau Banks.
And today, it’s happening.
I smooth on another layer of lip gloss over the Chanel lipstick shade called Adrienne, my lips curving naturally into a smile. I don’t feel nervous or unsure or preoccupied with what could go wrong. I’m ready to get married.
And I’m ready to do it with my soul mate.
Avery rushes into her childhood bedroom where we’re getting ready for the most magical night of my life.
The Banks house has always been my shelter and my happiness, and the symbolism of marrying Beau here was always something I carried in my mind.
“Oh my God, June,” she cries, sitting down on the settee beside me and twinkling her fingers together excitedly. “You’re never going to believe the next-level, out-of-this-world, holy-shit-I’m-dying tea that’s been spilling downstairs for the last half hour while we’ve been up here getting you ready for eternal happiness and all that stupid shit.”
I shake my head on a laugh. “What happened?”
“Evidently, Seth and Bethany got into this big fight while they were taking their seats. Something about how he’s fed up with how distant she’s been, and he accused her of still being in love with Beau!”
My heart drops, but Avery waves her hands to keep me on track.
“Now, don’t get too excited, but it went even crazier than you’d imagine after that. Not only is she not in love with Beau, but she told Seth in front of everyone—we’re talking all of your guests and all the people we know from work—that she’s been having an affair with his father for the last three years.”
“Shut up.”
Avery nods excitedly. She also keeps spilling. “Bethany and Chris have been doing it like bunnies since she broke it off with Beau! Literally, the entire duration of her relationship with Seth, she’s been banging his daddy too!”
“No way!” I have to take a step back to wrap my mind around the news. “Nooooo!”
“Yes! I missed most of it, but Chris and Seth were shouting at each other, and Mrs. McKenzie slapped Bethany in the face before Chris said he wanted a divorce!”
“Holy shit!” I exclaim. “And then what happened?”
“Pretty much nothing. Mom kicked them all out and told them to take their bullshit somewhere else today because it’s about you and Beau. And Henry, Mav, and Ronnie made sure they complied.”
“Wow. Go Diane.”
“I know,” Avery agrees. “Also, go Henry. The man just about turned into the Hulk and ripped off his tux to kick out Seth and his dad.” A little pout forms at the corners of her lips. “Not gonna lie, I was kind of hoping Henry and Seth would’ve had a good old-fashioned brawl in the front yard. Henry’s shirt off, of course.”
“You were kind of hoping?” I question, staring at her with a knowing look.
“Okay, fine.” She shrugs. “I might’ve started yelling ‘Fight!’ and ‘Take your shirt off!’, but I can’t be sure. It was all happening so fast.”
I cackle. “I bet Beau just loved hearing you scream that.”
“Beau has no room to talk.” She rolls her eyes. “He’s marrying my best friend.”
“That’s true.” I nod, and a snort escapes my nose. “Boy, that’d be the ultimate revenge. You marrying Henry, your brother’s best friend.”
“Get real, Juni.” It’s Avery’s turn to cackle. “Henry is the last man on earth I’d marry. He’s as clichéd as you can get when it comes to the bad-boy player type. Like, c’mon, you know? We get it, you’re hot. You’re charming. You’re smooth. But how about you stop trying to ram your cock through the whole female dating pool?”
“You’re still pissed that he said you’re not his style,” I tease, but also, say what I know to be true out loud. For years, Beau’s friend Henry has caught Avery’s eye. And for years, it’s always seemed like she’s attempted to flirt him into bed. But somehow, from what I know, nothing has happened besides one single kiss when they were at a Miami club together years ago. Back when Beau and I were engaging in our secret affair.