Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Eric has been this way since our parents died, and that's why our relationship is so strained. He thinks he can tell me what to do, when to do it, and who I can see. He doesn't seem to understand that I’m a grown woman and that I don’t need his approval or his input for anything. I never have.
I’ve got a good head on my shoulders, and I grew up fast after our parents died. I don’t need Eric inserting himself into my life.
For just a minute, I thought he meant it when he talked about getting a fresh start together. About putting our differences aside and being a family again. He lured me in, and I believed he was sincere about it. Obviously, I’m an idiot for believing he could truly change his stripes.
I turn back to my computer. “God damn you, Eric.”
7
BEN
“You look amazing,” I say and get to my feet.
Dressed in a black pencil skirt and a green blouse that matches her eyes, she’s stunning and I can’t take my gaze off her as I slide the chair out for her. She thanks me and takes her seat. I walk around and sit down across from her, and an awkward silence ensues.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to come,” I finally say, breaking the tension.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to come either.”
“Well, I’m glad you did.”
Her smile sends a flutter through my heart. “Yeah,” she says. “Me too.”
The waitress comes over and takes our drink and appetizer order. We sit staring at one another awkwardly until she comes back with our drinks. And when the waitress departs again, I laugh and shake my head.
“Sorry,” I say. “I have to confess that I’m not very good at this.”
“At what?”
“First dates,” I reply. “Or, I guess, dating in general.”
“I don’t believe that.”
I shrug. “It’s true.”
The waitress drops off our appetizers and tells us she’ll come back for our order in a bit.
“The Velvet Lotus is one of the hottest sushi spots in all of LA,” she says. “How did you manage to get a reservation?”
“My sparkling personality.”
“Yeah, that must be it,” she says with a laugh. “Try again.”
“My agent was able to throw his weight around a little and got us the reservation.”
“Oh, so I guess fame does have some perks after all, huh?”
“A few. Now and then,” I say with a grin.
As we chat and munch on our appetizer, I watch Bailey closely. She seems a little more subdued than normal and not her usual bright, bubbly self.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Huh? Yeah. Of course.”
“You seem off.”
She frowns and looks down at the table. It’s a brief pause, but it’s enough to tell me that she’s dealing with something. But then she raises her gaze and offers me a smile.
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Okay,” I reply, totally unconvinced. “But if you ever do want to talk, I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener.”
“Yeah? And who told you that?”
“It was in a fortune cookie.”
She laughs. “Great. Thanks.”
“I mean it. I’m always here to listen.”
“I appreciate that.”
She seems to perk up a bit as the evening goes on. I can tell something is bothering her, but she doesn’t seem to want to put a damper on the evening, so she keeps it to herself. After I pay the bill, I step around and pull the chair back.
“You’re such a gentleman,” she says.
“You seem surprised.”
“Most guys these days aren’t as thoughtful.”
I shrug. “I’m old school, I guess.”
“That’s not a bad thing.”
As we step out of the restaurant, a booming crash of thunder sounds overhead. Bailey nearly jumps out of her skin, and I can’t stop the laughter that bursts from my mouth. She slaps my arm playfully but joins my laughter.
“Ass,” she says.
“Sorry.”
Before I can say anything else, the skies open up and a deluge of rain comes pouring down. She squeals and I quickly pull my coat off and throw it over her head.
“Come on,” I say.
With my hand on the small of her back, I rush her across the parking lot, hitting the button on my key fob that unlocks my truck. I dart ahead of her and pull the door open, letting Bailey jump in first. I quickly slide in after her and pull the door closed. The rain drums on the roof overhead with a heavy beat and the windows become opaque with the torrent of water running down the smoked glass around us.
Bailey looks around, as if suddenly realizing we’re sitting in the back seat of my truck, and turns to me with a sly smirk on her face.
“That was smooth,” she says.
“Thanks. Getting the timing of that sudden deluge to make sure I got you in here was tricky, but I’m glad it worked out.”
We share a laugh and sit back on the seat listening to the rain thunder on the roof of the car. The cab grows thick with that sense of tense anticipation that seems like it’s becoming a thing for us. She turns to me with a curious expression on her face.