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)
He cleared his throat again, rasping in a hoarse tone, “Because I know my girl.”
If he meant that in a possessive way, I didn’t catch on. I was his girl. Always had been, always would be.
“Does that mean you followed me?”
He ignored my question. “Why the sad song, Livvy? Did one of your many guys break your heart today? Because I’ll break their fucking legs.”
I chuckled.
Over the past two years, the attention I received from boys probably changed the most about becoming a woman. I got asked out on a daily basis, but my dad’s rule was that I wasn’t allowed to date until I was seventeen. However, it didn’t matter. I had no interest in any of them or anyone. It was always just Ethan and me, and I loved it that way. I didn’t need the attention of other guys when I had him for that.
Ethan was also not interested in other girls. He never dated anyone or had a girlfriend. Not with us spending most of our time together. It didn’t bother him. Girls were always trying to get him to notice them, but he wasn’t ever affected by it. I think he was used to it at that point. If Ethan wasn’t with me, then he kept his head in the books. You’d think studying was his job with the way he was constantly learning one thing or another.
It was almost like he had something to prove to himself, or maybe it was other people. My father still wasn’t fond of him, and for some reason, it felt as if his disdain got worse as time passed. My mom and Ethan’s uncle implemented a new rule: we weren’t allowed in each other’s rooms overnight. Now, we snuck in through our windows and locked our doors so we didn’t get caught. It had yet to happen because we were very careful. We had too much to lose if we did.
I made my way over to my things by the shoreline and sat down, leaning back on my hands to leave my feet dangling in the water. Ethan followed, sitting beside me.
He nodded to his jeans and sneakers. “Look what you did.”
“Serves you right.”
With a grin, he nudged my shoulder with his. “You alright over there?”
I shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Livvy, don’t try me.”
I smiled, peering up at him through my long, dark lashes. “It doesn’t matter.”
He spoke his truth…
“It does to me.”
Chapter
Four
Livvy
Staring at the side of his face, I shrugged again, not knowing what to say until finally, I admitted, “Do you know what it’s like to feel like your whole life is already planned out for you?”
“Your dad still giving you a hard time?”
“He’s worse than ever.” Sighing, I inhaled a deep breath.
“He just wants what’s best for you.”
“You always take his side.”
“I’m always on your side.”
“Except when it comes to him.”
“It’s not about sides when it comes to your old man, Livvy.”
“Ethan,” I adamantly stated, “he still doesn’t like you. After ten years of our friendship, he still has something snarky to say when your name is mentioned. It’s not fair. You can’t be held responsible for the fact that your uncle isn’t in his elite society, and I don’t blame him for one second. They’re all snobs, including my father.”
“What your old man thinks of me has never bothered me. It is what it is.”
“You’re always so nonchalant about it.”
“You’re my best friend, and your dad isn’t going to change that. Regardless of how much he thinks he will."
“So if your uncle was constantly bad-mouthing me, that wouldn’t bother you?”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“He’s not my father,” he simply stated, pausing for a second. “And I’m not going to come between the two of you.”
I huffed another deep breath. “You’re on the path of becoming the valedictorian of our graduating class, Ethan. Not to mention, you already have college credits, and we’re only sophomores. What’s it going to take for him to accept you as my best friend? You’ve more than proved your accomplishments to him, and it’s still not good enough. All because your uncle doesn’t wipe his ass with hundred-dollar bills.”
His eyes sarcastically widened. “Now there’s a visual I didn’t want to see.”
I chuckled. “You know what I mean.”
He grinned. “I appreciate you wanting to stick up for me, but I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
“You’re not fighting them, so somebody has to.”
He shrugged it off. “Like I said, it is what it is.”
“I hate it when you blow me off.”
“I hate it that you still let this get to you when it shouldn’t.”
“So what, then? For the rest of my life, I’m just supposed to accept the fact that he thinks you’re not good enough to be in mine?”
“It won’t always be life this.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. You’re just his baby girl, Livvy. He’s simply doing his job like any good father would.”