Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
It takes an embarrassing amount of time, but I finally get the hair tie untangled from where it was buried deep inside the rat’s nest that made the top of my head its real estate. We won’t talk about how much hair was ripped out in the process.
Nor will we acknowledge the amount of hair that comes out of my head just from ducking my head under the water to get it wet. Certainly not the strands that come out when I shampoo, rinse, and repeat three times, because why the hell not? And last, but definitely not least—because it’s, in fact, the largest quantity of all—we will not pay any mind to the literal chunks of hair that come out as I condition, run my fingers through to get some of the tangles loose, and rinse.
Nope. We’re just gonna take our big toe with the chipped off nail polish and sliiide that huge wad of my poor mane off the top of the drain it’s covering in the middle of the floor and tuck it in the corner of the stall to be disposed of when this mission is complete.
I’m sure it’s been close to an hour I’ve been under the spray, the heat of the water never dipping no matter how many other women have come in, showered in other stalls, and left within a couple of minutes like normal people do. I’ve got my eyes closed, head tilted back as I let the water cascade over my tender scalp, when my phone dings loudly off the tiles, making me jump. I dry off my hands on the towel hanging over the glass door and reach for my phone on the little shelf the disposable razors of sitting on, looking like they went through war and just want to be laid to rest in a recycling bin somewhere.
I smile when I see Gym Daddy’s message.
RomanticSadistLL: I know. But I’m also different in the fact that I am artfully sensual in my sexual advances instead of clubbing you over the head by being oafishly blunt.
WillDive4Plants: It's very much appreciated. My head couldn’t take much more. Also, how did you do that? It's like you sensed I was showering at the gym to get the writing troll look off me.
“Oh, what the hell, Sienna? Why would you even send that?”
WillDive4Plants: Aaaaaand just file that under things NOT to say when you're trying to be funny and instead sound like you're fishing. 🤦🏼♀️ You make smart girls stupid. Just in case you never noticed.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
SIENNA
The next morning, I’m back in my lounge chair in the women’s locker room at the gym. I finally got home after my obscenely long round of hygiene at around midnight last night, and all that physical activity wore me out to the point I went right to sleep.
How sad that just taking a shower is that exhausting for me.
Moving along from that depressing thought, I do have to admit I’m in a tremendously uplifted mood. And it only gets higher when Gym Daddy’s message lights up my phone.
RomanticSadistLL: LOL I prefer to call it putting them at ease so they feel comfortable and safe enough to be silly and free without judgment. I'm upstairs BTW.
I scroll up to see what message he was replying to and giggle when I realize he’s talking about my “makes smart girls stupid” comment, trying my best to ignore the fact that only one floor separates me from him.
I go on the website to see how much time I have left before I must upload my completed manuscript and take a screenshot, attaching it to a message.
WillDive4Plants: This is a countdown of how much time I have left.
WillDive4Plants: 50K - 44456 is what I have to write and edit before that clock runs out in eight hours and 58 minutes. I have never not had my book fully completed at least two WEEKS before my deadline.
An hour later, I have to take a break or I feel like my head will explode. So of course I end up scrolling Reddit for inspiration. And the squirrels have joined the party.
WillDive4Plants: Fun fact—did you know there are actual ads on Reddit by men offering CNC fantasies to be fulfilled? Like, full on, “I'll meet you in a park at night and throw you in a van.” 😳 Where was this shit 15 years ago?
WillDive4Plants: I want to find someone who will pay me to let them clean my house. Is that a kink?
RomanticSadistLL: LOL that's funny. I've done it. Not offered ads but had her give her schedule for every morning for a week and a half before I took her
My jaw drops, and I’m suddenly overcome with jealousy. Which is ridiculous, seeing as I haven’t even met this man in person yet. His next message comes through right as I’m sending my reply.