Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Jules makes a face. “That’s some hokey bullshit.” She checks me out. “How are you getting home?”
“I don’t know yet…” That’s a tricky one. Taxi? Uber? Walking? Los Angeles is impossible without a car.
“Take the Mercedes. I’ll text the driver to bring the car around.”
A huge grin breaks across my face and a weight is lifted off my chest. “Thanks, Jules. Thank you. Really.” I give her a big hug which she tries to squirm out of.
“That’s enough tacky displays of camaraderie.”
On my way out, I see her smile.
The Mercedes pulls down the Harris Ranch driveway at midnight. How fitting. All dressed up, and holding my high-heeled shoes in my hand because my feet hurt and I’m always fatigued now. A knocked-up Cinderella.
The headlights hit the porch of the guesthouse and shine a light on a man sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs. The thrill of seeing him is quickly replaced by pain. He’s wearing a closely-tailored suit with a white shirt underneath, so handsome my entire body hurts seeing him. It’s official––he’s here to dump me.
A quiet voice in the back of my head says… no. I will not let him bring me low. I’m a mother now. I have a child to protect. I won’t be pushed around, left high and dry, or lied to anymore. For the sake of this child, I will not put up with any of the nonsense that I was willing to accept from him before.
I will not accept crumbs.
The car stops. The driver gets out and opens the door for me. I put my shoes on and step out.
“Thank you so much for the ride, Charles,” I tell him, but my attention is entirely on the man standing on the porch with two suitcases at his feet. He’s headed somewhere else after he breaks-up with me. That must be it. I’ve never seen Shane dressed so elegantly before. I didn’t even know he owned clothes like these. I wonder what hearing about the baby will do to his plans. Then I push the thought aside because it doesn’t matter either way.
I step forward with my heart hammering inside my chest and my eyes watering. I really didn’t want to cry, but my hormones are throwing everything off my game.
“Hi,” he says, followed by a slight smile.
“Hi,” I echo, dispensing with the smile. I couldn’t muster one up if my life depended on it. Brushing past him, I step inside the guesthouse, and he follows without being asked.
“What are you doing here, Shane?”
When he doesn’t answer, I glance over my shoulder and find him watching me with an unblinking stare that could strip the bark off a tree. “You are so beautiful…”
The dress is stunning, a credit to Jules’ impeccable taste. An Armani pale lavender chiffon column with crystals on it and a split up the leg. Shane’s never seen me dressed up either.
“The dress was Jules’ idea.”
He shakes his head. “You… You get more beautiful every time I see you.”
Ironic, I said the same thing about him once.
“Why are you here, Shane?” I don’t want to fight with him. And I definitely don’t want to waste any more time.
Feet aching, I kick off my shoes and go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. I’m bone tired and ready for sleep.
“I’m here to apologize…” He stuffs his hands in the front pockets of his slacks and hangs his head. “For leaving you the way I did.”
“Apology accepted. You can go.”
“Blue…”
“Tell me what you want to hear so we can cut to the chase and get it over with. You want absolution? You got it. You want to be on friendly terms? I may be able to manage it in small doses. You want sex on tap? Never happening again. I’m not the same girl you left behind.”
“I can see that,” he says quietly. We stare at each other, and as the seconds pass, the tension grows. I’m tired and pregnant and barely holding onto my composure.
“You have to go, Shane,” I manage to get out without my voice shaking.
“I thought of you every day. Morning, noon, and night. I wanted to call you but I trained myself not to––”
“I don’t care anymore,” I say, cutting him off before he makes me cry.
“You scared me.” He takes his jacket off and throws it on the couch. “I’ve never loved someone the way I love you. I didn’t even think I was capable. You read about this kind of love in books, but you think they’re exaggerating for the sake of a good read. You don’t think it exists and you definitely don’t think it can happen to you.” He looks up at me, his liquid eyes filled with some much pain I feel sorry for him. I’ve been there. It’s hell.