Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 92070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
At first, I did all that to prove I fit into Val's big, beautiful world. If I was a better man, I would have let go. But this worked too. As soon as I saw the check for my business, I understood.
Money changes a lot and it changes nothing too. It doesn't make me a better artist, a better partner, a better friend.
It is handy though. It paid for her ring. It's paying for our trip to Hawaii, my half of the ceremony (she insisted on splitting that, of course). It's not enough for a down payment in Santa Monica, but that's okay. We don't need four bedrooms or home ownership. We need enough, and with her new research gig, we'll have plenty.
In three weeks, Val continues her journey to world domination.
For the next two weeks, she's mine. Officially too.
And, yeah, maybe we won't travel as much as we should, but newlyweds are supposed to spend their honeymoon screwing.
My smile is involuntary. I'm a giddy asshole now. That's love: it makes fools of us all.
Val catches my gaze again. She notes my joy and her smile gets wider in return. This time, she breaks from her conversation and crosses the room to me.
"Hey." She wraps her arms around me. "Are you bored out of your mind?"
"Only halfway," I say.
"Yeah?"
"Go. Work the room. Talk to your friends. Celebrate."
"What if I'm tired of celebrating?" she asks.
"Then you won't like my plans for tonight."
"Plans?" Her eyes perk. "Do they involve French chocolate?"
"Maybe."
"And not wearing pants?"
"You're in a dress," I say.
"So you'll be wearing pants. Interesting." She leans in to whisper, "Does that mean you finally want to try…"
"That's what you wanted as your graduation present."
"I was kidding."
"Were you?"
She pulls back with a blush. "Really?"
"If you have the energy."
"Yes." She throws her arms around me. "I love you."
"I love you too, vixen. Now, go, let your friends congratulate you."
"Do I have to? I'm wiped."
"Let's compromise."
"Five minutes," she says.
"Thirty," I say. "But I'll give you the chocolate covered candied orange peel now."
"Deal." She shakes and pulls me into a slow, deep kiss. When she releases me, she looks at her mom and smiles I don't care if you think this is inappropriate, then she releases me.
I watch one of her classmates gush over her work, then I sneak to my dad's place, I find the stock of French chocolate I bought for her. Dad isn't home, but I'm not worried about running into him.
Sure, he's still an asshole sometimes, but that's his problem. He makes his choices. I make mine.
Trying to run away from his influence is another way to let him rule my life. I'm done defining myself as not like Mr. Dickson.
I know who I am now.
And it's not just the future Mr. Valeria Diaz. It is that—but it's so much more too.
I'm a friend, I'm an artist, I'm a businessman, I'm a brother, I'm a fiancé.
And maybe, one day soon, a father.
But, hey, one major life event at a time. Well, two, but I tried to talk Val out of the timing.
She insisted.
By the time I return to her mom's living room, Val is deep in conversation with her sister. She laughs at Lucia's nerdy joke—Lucia is in the middle of a PhD program of her own—and looks to Brian.
Wait. What is my brother doing here?
He wants to celebrate Val. That's normal. That's great. But when did he sneak into the party?
And why is he blushing over Lucia's glance?
He would have told me about a crush. I'd have noticed.
Or has it been developing in secret, all those weeknights the two of them spent here?
She's not at Northridge, but she's close enough.
No. It's nothing. There's no way Brian is into Val's sister. He's blushing because he thinks they're gossiping about his love life. Well, his sex life.
After things ended with his ex—
He stayed discrete about their activities. She didn't.
Val spots me watching and shoots me a smile. She whispers something to her sister—which makes Lucia blush—then they embrace in a hug and Val scampers to me.
Really, scampers.
Love's made a fool of her too, and I adore everything about it.
She points to the timer on her smart watch. Fifteen minutes to go. "You brought my chocolate late. Let's call it even."
I offer her the wrapped box.
She takes it with a smile. "That was you accepting."
I slide my arm around her waist. "We still have to drive to my place." It will be our place soon—in a few days—but for now, we're living separately.
I know. Who the fuck waits until they get married to live together in this day and age? But there's something special about saving the milestone. There isn't a lot left to save these days.
She shakes her head. "Can we do it in your room?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, Bri is here. Your dad is out. Why not?"