Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 153268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 766(@200wpm)___ 613(@250wpm)___ 511(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 766(@200wpm)___ 613(@250wpm)___ 511(@300wpm)
She was clearly overwhelmed and hadn’t completely comprehended her change of status.
“I promise I’ll make you look so hot, Kieran’ll weep horny tears.” I shoved the flowers into a nearby vase. “Can I look at the baby first?”
Dylan paused for a second, gulping. “I mean…if you must.”
I rounded her bed and peered into the little basket. And…wow.
The baby was a Winston Churchill dead ringer. The round face, downturned lips, and receding hairline. A tuft of black hair covered the back of her head—and portions of her forehead. She had many chins, and no eyelashes at all.
“She is horrid, isn’t she?” Dylan sighed in contempt. “I can’t believe it. Tuck had one job. One. To give me a cute baby. Of course he screwed it up.”
“Dylan, what are you talking about?” I rushed to the baby’s defense, a wave of protectiveness coursing through me. “She’s totally adorable.”
“No, she isn’t. And she has no interest in my breasts either. It’s all so horrible.” Her chin wobbled. She dumped the half-eaten burger on her belly, the lettuce exploding everywhere like confetti. “And I can’t even rearrange my pillows because my C-section is killing me and every slight movement makes me feel like my upper and lower body are hanging together by a thread. And someone must be cutting onions here, because…because…” She fanned her fingers over her face. “Ugh.”
I silently rearranged the pillows behind her back, then wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks. “You’re overwhelmed right now, and for a very good reason. Breathe. Rest. Don’t worry about a thing,” I suggested. “Give yourself some grace and time to adjust to your new status.”
“It would also honestly help if she didn’t look like an old, misogynist congressman.” She used the foil sheet covering the chocolate to blow her nose, still crying. “How’s my brother, anyway? Is he better?”
Oh, crap. “You mean, like, physically?” I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Making a speedy recovery. I’m telling you, this hospital? Top notch.”
Her sobbing stopped, and she narrowed her eyes at me. “Cal.”
I bit down on my lower lip. “Hmm?”
She thumped her head against the pillow, immediately wincing. “Aw. Seriously, abs? I wasn’t even using you!” Her head twisted back to me. “Tell me what happened.”
“I don’t want to bother you with my problems right now.”
“Bother away. I have a feeling you’re going to give me a good reason to take some of my existential anger out on you.”
Fair enough. “He confessed his feelings for me.” I swallowed. “And I…let him down. But”—I hurried to go on in my defense—“I never told him I was looking for a relationship. Not once. I was very clear about that, I swear.”
“God. I really should hate you.” She used her thumbs to wipe off her tears, and I shriveled inside myself. “For what you are putting him through. I knew he was still in love with you. I just thought you’d grown up and were finally giving him a chance. It’s partly my fault, that it happened again. Thing is…” She closed her eyes, looking exhausted. “Even though I’m gutted that you broke his heart again, I can’t even be mad at you properly because I can’t afford to lose you again. You’re a terrible love interest. Seriously. Zero out of ten. Would not recommend. One star.”
“Eh…thanks?”
“But as it turns out, a pretty great friend.”
Tears leaked through her closed eyes, and her nose reddened. “You’ll always have me, Dylan. And Row will too, if he’ll have me in his life. As a friend.”
We both shed silent tears for a few seconds. Finally, Dylan spoke. “Tucker hasn’t even called since he left. And he’s late. He doesn’t even know I had our baby. The only thing that’s gluing us together is falling apart.”
Had he not called because he couldn’t, or because he couldn’t be bothered? That was what I wanted to know. If it was the latter, I was fully ready to plot and execute his murder and face the consequences.
I kissed Dylan’s forehead. “You and the baby have so many people who love you to death. Focus on them. On us.” I smiled. “So did you choose a name?”
“I did.” She reached into the plastic crate, smiling dreamingly. “Say hello to little Gravity.”
ROW
oBITCHuary: Hey.
McMonster: Hi.
oBITCHuary: Are we still good?
McMonster: Always, Dot.
ROW
“You look awful.” Tate stared me down like dog shit he had to scrape from the bottom of his Gucci loafers, clad in a Kiton cashmere suit and a chunky watch that cost more than a Hamptons getaway. “And I say that with lo… Sorry, can’t fucking lie to your face. Hate your guts. You’re one of the flakiest business partners I’ve ever encountered.”
I jammed my socked feet into my combat boots, shaking my head. At least I wasn’t wearing that ass-bearing robe anymore. I was back to my Henley and jeans, my duffel perched on the hospital bed. “There go our wedding plans,” I said in a mocking tone.