Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
I giggle. “That poor woman.”
“Ah, she loves it.” He heads for the foyer. “I’ll take our stuff to our bedroom.”
My heart skips a beat. “Our bedroom?”
“Didn’t I mention that?” He spins around, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. “There’s only one bedroom here.”
“How convenient.” And probably utter bullshit, given the size of this place. But I’m not exactly mad about it. I’ll get to sleep next to this Adonis. I’m sure I’ll survive.
He shrugs like the innocent man he is not. “I’ll make some calls and then hop in the shower. Feel free to join me.”
With a wink, he walks away.
“Damn you,” I mutter, taking out my phone.
I dial Ella while I head back to the patio. She answers on the first ring.
“Hey, how are you?” she asks, concern thick in her tone.
I lift my face to the sky. “I’m good. In Australia, of all places. Right on the beach.”
“Lucky you.”
“Something like that,” I say, stretching out on the loveseat and shoving a pillow under my head. “What’s happening back there?”
“Oh, the usual. I’m doing laundry from our trip and ignoring your brother’s phone calls.”
I laugh. “So you two didn’t make up?”
“No, we didn’t. I have no interest in making up with him unless he gets his head out of his ass.”
“What did he do?”
She sighs. “I just don’t think we’re going to work out, Blakely. We moved from fling to feelings, but we’re not inching any closer to forever.”
I frown.
This revelation does not shock me; I often wonder if they’ve met their end. But I also know they both really do care about one another, and I hate it that they can’t work out their problems.
My eyes fall closed, and I yawn. “Well, I’ll always be his sister, but I’ll always be your friend, too.”
“I know, and that’s why I’m not involving you in any of it.”
“You’re the best.”
“I know that too.” She laughs. “So what are you and Renn doing at the beach all by yourselves for a few days?”
“Well, we’re on our honeymoon.”
“Is that the official story?”
I take a deep breath and prepare to tell the first person I’m married—even though she knows the truth. It’s good practice saying it.
“I’m changing my name to Blakely Brewer as soon as we’re home.”
She gasps. “What?”
That was fun.
“What do you mean you’re changing your name?” she asks.
“We’re going to stay married for three months.”
She pauses. “You’re good with that?”
“Yeah. I mean, he offered to give me a baby in exchange for—”
“What?”
My whole body shakes as I laugh.
“He offered to, what? Impregnate you? Blakely.” She stutters. “That’s hot.”
My laughter gets louder.
“Did you say yes?” she asks. “Wow. I think I have a breeding kink.”
I put a hand on my stomach to try to steady myself. “Well, good for you. But I don’t.”
“Well, if your marriage doesn’t work out, and he wants to—”
“That’s my husband you’re talking about.”
She laughs, unable to keep her amusement to herself. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. But, seriously—he suggested that?”
“He did. I didn’t take him up on it, exactly.” Although … “But I did agree to do the whole wife thing until this blows over and he makes nice with the Royals.”
“Three months?”
“Yup. Ninety days.”
“Wow. Okay. I wasn’t expecting this turn of events, but I can’t say I don’t like it.”
Yeah, well, me either. “I expected to be a little more … I don’t know … nervous about it. Weirded out, maybe. Unsure. But so far … so good.”
She sighs. The sound of the chair in her living room squeaks. “I expected to be a little more unsure about this too. But it makes sense in an odd sort of way.”
“Right? I mean, this isn’t what I had planned, but what’s three months? It could be fun.”
“Oh, Blakely. It could be a lot of fun.”
I yawn again. “Right now, I don’t have enough energy to be fun. I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ve lay down on the patio, and I’m not sure I can get back up.”
“Okay. Go. Get some sleep so you can have all the fun and report back to me.”
I chuckle. “Sure.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
I nod. I want to tell her about the house and Foxx, and I want to tell her to let Brock know I’m okay. But she says goodbye, and the line goes dead before I can.
And then sweet, sweet sleep covers me in its warm embrace.
CHAPTER 14
Renn
“Here you go,” Foxx says, slipping me a small pink box. “Need anything else?”
“Nothing you can give me.”
Foxx gives me a look—a warning not to waste his time. It’s always funny when he acts this way since I’m paying for his time. Shouldn’t I be able to waste it? Maybe on mere mortals. Foxx Carmichael is one tough motherfucker, and when you’re that much of a badass, you make your own damn rules.