Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 98021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
"We'll go with that, sure." She releases him. "I promise I'll take good care of her."
Uh…
She leads me to the patio. There are a dozen people I don't know here, but my eyes go straight to the table next to the rose garden.
Harrison is sitting with his father, laughing and sipping champagne.
They share the same mix of exhaustion and excitement.
Opal watches Liam grab our drinks. Meets him at the bar. Gets pulled into a conversation with him and Simon.
I keep my attention on the groom and his father. There's so much pride in Preston's eyes. And Harrison is meeting it with his own. They both want to see him married. They both appreciate the importance of the occasion.
And not in a solemn way.
With joy.
When was the last time I felt that? My family flew out for my graduation. They toured the city for days, clapped as I accepted my diploma, took me to dinner three nights in a row.
Dad was proud. I saw it, but I was too hurt and angry to accept it.
Mom was there, but she wasn't there. It was like she only had so much energy and excitement to give, and the second it ran out, she was in free fall.
I know that feeling. I've been there.
But it still hurt. It still hurts.
"Simon is such a buzz kill." Opal interrupts my train of thought. "But Liam distracted him." She holds up dual pastel pink cocktails.
Grapefruit martinis. Yum. I take mine. Let the sweet mix of citrus and gin warm my lips and ease my shoulders.
The world is a fucked-up mess.
The West family is a fucked-up mess.
Hell, the Pierce family is a fucked-up mess.
But we're here to celebrate love, dammit. Even if the word terrifies me and the thought of an actual engagement ring makes my throat close.
Harrison is happy.
I'm celebrating that.
Carpe fucking diem.
I raise my glass. "Cheers."
Opal smiles as she raises her glass. "Cheers." She takes a long sip. Lets out a soft sigh. "That's really good. The last thing I drank was…" She looks back to the bar, where Simon and Liam are talking. "Very cheap vodka and even cheaper orange soda. This is a big step up."
"Really?"
"You don't believe me?"
"Aren't you a Park Avenue Princess now?"
"A princess locked in her tower. Simon is the most overprotective person on the planet. He gave me a curfew."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Me, a grown adult, starting college next year, and he thinks he can give me a curfew."
"Why do you follow it?"
"He gets so worried." She looks back to him. "I know he means well."
"It's what we do, as older siblings. We worry."
"And you boss your younger siblings around?"
I nod.
"We did negotiate. Two a.m. on weekends."
"That's not enough time to party?"
"That's not the point! I'm an adult. I should be able to spend the night at a guy's house."
I can't help but chuckle.
"What? Not you too, Briar. If you tell me some bullshit about how young I am, I'll throw this drink in your face."
"That's not a mature move," I say.
She raises her drink. "You've been warned."
I can't help but laugh. "You're so much like Liam."
"So I hear." She looks to her brothers again. "I love Simon. I hate how worried he gets. I just wish… I wish he wouldn't always throw down this my way or the highway thing."
"He's not used to having a young woman in his apartment."
She taps her chin with her index finger. "Dangerously close to the line, but I'll allow it."
"Has he ever lived with a woman?"
"No."
"It's different, but…"
"He knew to stock tampons."
A laugh spills from my lips.
"What? Guys don't always know."
"They don't."
"And… god. He's so paternal. He took me to the Museum of Sex. The Museum of Sex with my brother! Can you believe that?"
"I can."
"And, after, we go to the gift shop, and he tells me I should explore my sexuality with whatever device I see fit, as long as I do it alone. I almost died of embarrassment."
God, I can imagine that. It's hilarious. Poor Opal.
"You're laughing at my pain."
I motion a little. "What did you buy?"
"Is this a thing? When I hit twenty-one, will I be legally allowed to drink and suddenly obsessed with other people's masturbation?"
My laugh gets louder.
"It's not funny."
"It kind of is."
"Briar West, you're cruel!"
"If you ever want to shop with a friend." I place my hand on my heart. "I'm available. And I won't discuss any of your brothers."
"I appreciate that, but I'm set. Plenty of tools."
I raise a brow.
"Not you too? Danielle is already lecturing me about self-enjoyment. Like she invented masturbation because she takes pictures of it."
Oh god. I double over, laughing. I nearly spill my drink.
Everyone looks at me.
"Why is that funny? Why do older people think it's funny, telling younger people things we figured out years ago?" Opal shakes her head. "I've had a vibrator for a long time now. I don't need Simon buying me one."