Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 162369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 812(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 812(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
“Tell me it’s not a spider,” I beg, launching into an inspection of my golden fried ice cream. But then I see it—perched on the tip of the pyramid-shaped cookie at the center of her mousse is a diamond ring. My jaw drops as Marcus kneels next to her and takes her hand.
“Lily Fox…will you make me the happiest guy in the world and marry me?”
My heart flutters with excitement for her. Alex and I grab each other's hands, squeezing each other as happy tears spring from Lily’s eyes.
“Yes!” she says. “Oh my God, yes!”
As Marcus slides the ring onto her finger, the other patrons at nearby tables clap and cheer. Lily glows and cries happy tears as she throws her arms around Marcus. Alex and I stand to give them each a big hug before settling back into our seats.
“I don’t even know what to say!” Lily exclaims, staring at the ring on her finger with her eyes wide as saucers. “I had no idea! My hands are shaking! Look how pretty and sparkly it is!”
“It’s gorgeous,” I agree, gazing at the pear-shaped diamond flanked by two dark gemstones. “You did good, Marcus.”
Lily says, “It’s perfect. Did you pick this out yourself?”
Her new fiancée nods. “Yup. I went to five different jewelry stores to find the perfect ring.”
Lily drags her eyes away from her finger. “Dad, did you know about this?”
Alex lifts his glass, pausing to answer. “Yup. I submitted a list of demands when he asked my permission to marry you.”
“It was more like a list of expectations,” Marcus adds. “Which I’m more than happy to meet and exceed for you, Beauty.”
Lily is swooning. “It’s so sweet you talked to my father first. And Penny,” she turns her smiling face to me. “You’re going to be my maid of honor, right?”
My lips quiver as I smile back. “Of course I will.”
“I can’t believe our little girl is getting married,” Alex says in the car on the way home. “Where the fuck did the time go?”
“Why didn’t you tell me Marcus was going to propose tonight?”
“I wanted to, but he asked me to keep it a secret in case you accidentally slipped.”
I’m slightly offended. I’m totally capable of keeping a secret. “I wouldn’t have slipped. I guess that explains why he sent her to get her nails done today.”
“He knew she’d want them to look pretty so she could show off the ring and take pictures.”
I stare at the houses and trees rolling by outside the window. It’s how I feel about my life right now—everything whizzing by in a blur without really seeing it or enjoying it. “He seems like a good guy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so happy.”
We stop at a red light and he turns toward me, gently pushing my hair from my face. “You okay? You seem a little off.”
Sometimes, I wish he couldn’t read me so well. “I’m excited for Lily. She deserves to be loved.”
“But…” He nudges as he drives through the intersection.
I look down at my hands, guilt creeping over me like a shadow. “But…I guess I’m a little jealous. I have this weird feeling, almost like I’m losing something.”
“I feel a little bit like that, too. Like I’m losing my little girl. I’m sure this won’t affect your friendship, though. She’ll always make time for you, Penny. She loves you.”
“I love her, too.”
He reaches for my hand and curls his around it. I love how we always instinctively hold hands without even thinking about it. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world to do. I’m surprised Lily hasn’t caught us doing it yet.
“And the jealousy?” he adds in his low, I’m-admitting-feelings voice. “I feel that, too. It’s hard to see people happy and in love when it always seems so totally out of reach.”
I don’t want to believe that love for us is out of reach. It might be behind a few little obstacles right now, but I’m sure that can’t last forever.
“I think we can be happy and in love, too, Fox,” I say hopefully.
He glances at me with a soft smile. “I do, too. It’s just—”
“Lily.” We say her name at the same time.
“You know her, Penny. You’ve talked about girl stuff with her. What’s your honest feeling about how you think she’ll react to us being together?”
I think about that for a moment, trying to envision her reaction. “It’s hard to say. My fear is that she’ll feel betrayed, like we’ve been sneaking around behind her back. Or she’ll feel totally appalled at the idea of her best friend with her father. It is a pretty big age difference. But, then again, now that she’s happy, it might not bother her at all. She might have one of those I’m in love, so I want everyone to be in love, stances.”