Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“You know what you should do?”
“No, but you’re sure as shit going to tell me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Rude, but I’ll forgive you. You should release a statement on your app that says you want people to respect your privacy during this transition in your life. That may help.”
“Look at you, just full of good ideas.”
“I’m a very smart girl. Plus, I love pop culture, so I’ve been preparing for this my entire life.”
“Are you going to hang posters of me on your walls too?”
She smirked, remembering all the pictures she’d rip out of her magazines that she’d tape to her walls. There wasn’t an actor or singer who hadn’t been displayed in her bedroom from the ages of ten to fourteen.
“If you’re lucky,” she playfully teased, leaning onto the railing with me. She nudged my shoulder. “I am really proud of you, though.”
“I know.” I nudged her shoulder back.
“What are you going to do with your first million?”
“Buy out my investors.”
She chuckled. “You don’t want to share?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“I love that you’re accomplishing all your goals. With my father running for governor this year, he wants me to join his team after I get my law degree.”
I arched an eyebrow, tapering my stare at her. “You want to work for your old man?”
“Hardly, but you know him… he always gets what he wants.”
“Livvy, you’re a grown-ass woman who can make your own decisions now.”
“If that were true, I wouldn’t be in law school.”
“Oh yeah? What would you be doing?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Try me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “You’ll think it’s dumb.”
“So you’re keeping secrets from me now?”
She blushed.
“The suspense is killing me, Livvy.”
“Ethan, this is your night. Why are we even talking about me?”
“I’m still waiting.”
“Fine.” She sighed deeply, hesitating for a moment. “I’ve always been a hopeless romantic. I just thought I’d get married young, and I don’t know, maybe have some kids already.”
My eyebrows lowered. “You’ve never told me that.”
“I know, it’s because it’s silly.”
“Who are you marrying?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
She weighed her words, aware I wouldn’t like who she revealed.
“I guess… for a while, I thought it’d be Beau.”
They’d been on and off for the past two years.
Reeling in my emotions, I bit, “Are you guys back together again?” in a harsh voice.
“I know you’re not his biggest fan.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Ethan, we’re just talking.”
“You’re always just talking.”
The son of a bitch would not let her go. He was adamant about keeping her in his life, and as much as I hated to admit it, Livvy did love him, and for the most part, he was good to her. If he weren’t, I would have already broken his fucking legs.
“Are you not seeing anyone special?” she questioned out of nowhere, changing the subject.
“Am I ever seeing anyone special?”
“Good point.” She smiled.
I tugged on her red hair. “You’re the only special girl I need.”
“Don’t you ever get lonely?”
“Lonely isn’t a word I’d use to describe myself.”
“How about man whore?”
I chuckled. “That’s two words.”
“Don’t you ever get tired of sleeping with random women all the time?”
“Livvy, I was a virgin until I was almost nineteen. I’m just making up for lost time,” I teased.
She scoffed. “You’re such a guy.”
“If I were that guy, I’d say something like I have plenty of women who keep my bed warm on rotation.”
Her mouth dropped open, slapping my chest. “Ethan Carter!”
I laughed, grabbing her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m kidding.”
“No, you’re not, and that’s what makes it worse. How many women have you been with?”
I grinned, squeezing her shoulder again. “A gentleman never tells.”
“Is that your way of saying a hundred?”
“Oh, come on. You can’t possibly think I’ve fucked a hundred women in six years?”
“Yeah, I can.” She adamantly nodded. “That’s only like one woman a month.”
I jerked back, considering it before nodding in agreement. “Well, shit. You learn something new every day.”
“So how many is it?”
“I mean, more than one a month.”
Her face scrunched.
“You asked.”
“Yeah, but the fact that you just realized how many women you’ve actually indeed fucked is alarming.”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”
“You know what?”
“What, Livvy?”
All in one breath, she spoke with conviction, “You’re right.”
Chapter
Eighteen
Livvy
Twenty-Six Years Old
I started my day by drinking a full glass of warm lemon water while I leaned over the island in my apartment, going through my emails as I waited for Ethan’s plane to land. I was still living in California, and Ethan owned one of his headquarters for his app in LA. Despite having all the money in the world, he stayed at my place anytime he was in town.
I grabbed my yoga mat to exercise on my living room floor. I slipped on my Bluetooth headphones, shaking out my head for the anxiety I was suddenly feeling. Getting into position on my mat, I faced the foam and went into downward dog position with my butt in the air.