Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Five minutes after I sent them, Jude had sent a text in response.
I approve.
I grinned because I wondered if he was talking about more than the car.
I’d shot texts off to my friends to assure them all was well with me and Rafe, and then a text from Gigi lit up my screen. A few days after Rafe and I became official, I called her to apologize for blowing her off, but she was lovely and understanding and we were all good. She was excited to see us at lunch.
When we arrived, Gigi proved that by running and throwing herself into my arms. “I’m so happy,” she whispered into my hair. “You’re exactly what he needs.”
Her acceptance meant a lot to me, and I squeezed her hard in response.
We spent most of the afternoon on the shaded lower terrace, enjoying the warm weather. September was approaching and with it the cooler weather would come and, Rafe warned, more invitations to events. Their social circle was returning from their summer vacations, and there was always some party or function going on somewhere during the fall. Thankfully, Rafe’s schedule meant he couldn’t accept invitations to everything, but family obligation required him to attend some. And he wanted me with him.
If I could make it through those events pretending to be his girlfriend, I was pretty sure I could do it as his real one.
Whatever nerves I’d felt soon disappeared too as I fell into a familiar rhythm with his family. Hugo barely looked at me, but everyone else (even Pippa) was great. At one point, I sat next to Jen on the lower terrace, Rafe sat opposite us, and Charmaine, who’d been in the pool only seconds before, ran up and slapped Rafe on the arm. “You’re it, Uncle Rafe!”
Without hesitation, he grinned and jumped out of his chair. She screamed in delight and took off, and butterflies whooshed to life in my belly as I watched him chase her around the lawn. When he finally caught her, he swung her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing, and her little-girl giggles filled the air.
Hot damn.
I suddenly was finding it a little hard to breathe.
“I like that.”
Jen’s voice broke me out of Rafe’s spell. “What?”
She searched my face and her intensity reminded me of Rafe in those few seconds. Tenderness softened her expression. “I like the way you look at my son. He’s happier than I can remember seeing him in a long time.”
In the last few weeks, I’d determinedly not allowed myself to think about the future. I was afraid I’d freak out and blow it with Rafe. Therefore, I focused on our present. However, in that moment, I fought the overwhelming urge to burst into inexplicable tears.
As if his mom sensed the emotions roiling inside me, she grabbed my hand and squeezed it as if in reassurance.
Not long later, we were back up on the upper terrace digging into the amazing spread Jen and Pippa had set out. I’d asked every time I’d attended if I could help, but they always shooed me from the kitchen.
“Any line sitting jobs this week, Star?” Gigi inquired across the table. The idea of my job apparently fascinated Rafe’s little sister, because she texted me every week to ask what I was waiting in line for.
I nodded around a mouthful of pasta and waited to swallow before answering. “A few. One of them is to get an autographed copy of a book. The bestselling thriller writer Pauline Hartcliffe is signing at the Strand. I’m going to get myself a copy too.”
“How do you manage the commute?” Pippa frowned at me. “You spend most of your time in the city. All that back-and-forth must be exhausting and expensive. You should consider moving to Manhattan.”
Yeah, ’cause we could all afford city living.
“Pippa, I don’t know if you know this, but Manhattan isn’t exactly affordable.” Gigi took the words right out of my mouth.
Rafe’s sister-in-law appeared uncomfortable as she pursed her lips and shifted in her seat. “Right.”
If Rafe and I were going to do this for real, I had to make it clear I wasn’t ashamed of my jobs or my lack of money. “My apartment on Staten Island has everything I need. And I get a lot of reading done during the commute.”
“Rafe did say you love books.” Jen smiled conspiratorially. “I’m a big reader too. Who’s your favorite author?”
Before I could answer, Hugo interrupted. “Is that really your grand life plan? To work crappy-paying jobs, paying crappy rent for a crappy apartment? What happens when you’re old and physically can’t wait in line or people don’t want an old woman dressing up as a Disney princess? Do you have a retirement plan?”
“Hugo.” Greg heaved a sigh, cutting his elder son a dark look. “If you can’t be civil, leave.”