Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
I bit into a pancake, marveling at the revelation that he could cook now. “Where are you really going?”
“Anyway.” He flung open the fridge, withdrawing a prepackaged meal. How much did this man eat? And could we afford it, even with our billionaire status? “I grew to like it.”
“No, you didn’t,” I said decisively, cradling the glass between my fingers. “You’re also wearing a business suit. Tell me where you’re going.”
He popped a peeled boiled egg into his mouth in its entirety, glowering in exasperation. “Do you ever let things escape you?”
“Yes.” I sliced through another pancake. “I let my parents escape me. Though, honestly, good riddance to them.”
“Those bastards aren’t worth your sneezes’ bacteria.” He frowned at his Patek Philippe and muttered something mean about Dallas being late everywhere, even to her own wedding. “Don’t worry. My parents worship you and can’t wait to see you again soon.” He flashed me a reassuring smile. “Mom always said you were like the daughter she never had.”
“Nice subject change. I like her, too. Now where are you off to?”
He groaned, rummaging his prepacked meal for a second boiled egg. “Board meeting at the hotel.”
I twisted in my seat, my jaw almost hitting the floor. “You took over The Grand Regent?”
He nodded, grabbing a shaker bottle and a tub of protein powder. “Dad hasn’t been himself for a long time now.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s healthy.” Ollie nodded as I relaxed back in my seat, relief sweeping into my gut. “He’s still the CEO by name, but I’m the one taking care of business.”
“That’s wild.”
“This seems to be the ongoing reaction when people find out, which is why we are keeping it a secret.”
I hated that he was putting himself down, pretending he was dumb when he wasn’t.
“How long has this been going on for?”
“Almost eleven years. Again – very few people are aware of this. Even Romeo, Zach, and their spouses have no clue.” He disposed two fat scoops of powder into the shaker, filling it with soymilk and Greek yogurt. “So please, don’t mention it.”
I rubbed the raw part of my forehead, free of gauze now. “Why would you hide this accomplishment from your friends?”
“The bigger the expectations, the bigger the failure.” He shook the shaker, taking a sip. “They think I’m a ditzy heir. Let them.”
Hmm … Romeo and Zach met Ollie in preschool, right around the time he realized all the other kids just didn’t do it for him. The three of them – thick as thieves – paraded around Potomac like little menaces with freakish IQs and even freakier penchants for trouble. I highly doubted Romeo and Zach would’ve accepted Ollie into the fold if they truly found him to be a ditzy heir.
Plus, it would be a total one-eighty from his personality growing up. He was mischievous, yes. Full of endless pranks, of course. But he had never, ever been ditzy.
I filed this under yet another thing Oliver was keeping from me, right beside the fight that led up to the accident. Realistically, I knew Doctor Cohen had ordered him not to tell me something upsetting. Still … I couldn’t help but hate myself for losing my memories. None of this would be an issue without the amnesia.
“I should be home in no more than a couple hours. Be good, Cuddlebug.” Oliver turned toward the door. He stopped, swiveled back to me, and marched over, giving me another kiss, this time catching the shell of my ear. “Stay away from the south wing.”
He’d followed me like a hawk these past couple days, making sure I didn’t venture too close to it.
“Mmhmm.”
“I adore you,” he whispered.
“I love you.”
I turned to grin at him.
He wasn’t grinning back.
He looked serious. Sad. Lost. Devastated? But why? Wasn’t it a good thing that I loved him? It was the one thing I remembered very well. Not our relationship, but the acute feeling of belonging wherever he was.
I hated that the amnesia changed the dynamics of our relationship. That he obviously still loved me but felt uncomfortable showing it.
With more confidence than I possessed, I snatched up his hand, pasting on my best reassuring grin. “I don’t remember much, yet somehow, I know that no one has ever looked at me the way you do.”
He flinched.
Chapter Thirty-One
Oliver
GUAC ‘N ROLL: Happy Winter! Break out your puffer coats and head down to Guac ‘N Roll. Reply with “BRR-RITTO” for a FREE burrito! First 1,000 replies only.
Dallas Costa: BRR-RITTO.
Ollie vB: EXCUSE ME?
Ollie vB: Two seconds?
Ollie vB: The last time I texted you, you left me on READ for a week. And you reply within two seconds for this?
Dallas Costa: It’s a free burrito!
Ollie vB: And you’re a billionaire.
Dallas Costa: Wait. Oliver?
Ollie vB: You don’t even like chain food. You called it a disgrace to the culinary arts.
Dallas Costa: First – fast food doesn’t count. It’s therapy for the soul.