Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“Alright, creeper.”
His laugh comes easily. “I’m joking, though you are very nice to look at. That’s a simple fact.”
“I look like a wet rat.”
He raises his finger to his bottom lip, scanning me, considering. “Soggy rodent is a good look for you.”
The laugh that bursts from me is an unexpected surprise. I think about my roommates, and how shocked and jealous they’ll be to hear that I had the grump in my car. Ana appears in my mind, urging me to pull over and have my way with him. “What do you want to ask me?”
He’s looking out the side window, where we’re passing by a cluster of small seaside resorts on the outskirts of town, the ocean visible beyond them through breaks between the buildings. “I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation you were having before you got into your car.”
I wince, keeping my eyes fixed on the road ahead.
“Actually, I didn’t hear it, so much as see that whoever you were talking to made you upset.” I feel his eyes on me, but I don’t look over. “Is there anything I can help with?”
“No, everything’s fine.” Even though he came to my rescue with my car, what else could he possibly help me with?
“I’m a good listener, if you’d like to talk.”
“We’ve exchanged names, and you’ve declared us instant friends, but I still don’t know you.”
“When you have a problem, sometimes an outside perspective can help you find answers.”
I don’t think there are any answers for my problems, but as we approach the next town, and coincidentally, the resort that will be the site of Sadie’s wedding, I wonder if it would feel good to vent to this near-stranger. I’m sure my roommates are tired of hearing me gripe.
I let out a deep sigh. “I was on the phone with my mom.”
“Ahh,” he says, as if he instantly understands.
“My sister’s getting married soon, right here, in fact.” As we pass, I point out the grand archway that marks the resort’s entrance.
Max swivels his head, taking it all in. “Fancy.”
“And my mom is determined to make this the wedding of the century, with every detail perfect, yet nothing is ever good enough.”
“Ahh,” he repeats. “Sounds stressful.”
“It has been, but all of that was okay, until I found out that my ex will be there. And it’s not just a one-day thing. There are multiple events, filling several days, and he’s dating someone in the wedding party, so I won’t be able to avoid him.”
“Sounds like a good opportunity to show him you’ve moved on.”
This earns him another side-eye. “From your expression every morning in class, I didn’t peg you as one of those ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ types.”
Again, he chuckles, and I hate to say how much I’m starting to like the sound of his laughter.
“I may not always show it, but I like to look at the bright side.”
“I’d look at the bright side, but I haven’t found it yet.”
“How long ago did you and this jerk break up?”
“About four months ago, and what makes you assume he’s a jerk?”
We’re stopped at another light, and I glance over to find him assessing me. “You’re not happy about him being at the wedding, and I can tell that you’re not still into him. He must have done something. Did he cheat on you?”
I shake my head. “Not that I know of.”
Silence follows, but I don’t fill it. Our car ride isn’t long enough for me to detail what Rick did.
“Are you taking a date to the wedding?” Max asks.
“No, and that’s my mom’s big problem, but I don’t need a new man in my life to prove I’ve moved on.”
“Sing it, sister.” Max holds up his hand for a fist bump, making me smile.
It’s nice to hear that this stranger agrees, but deep in my heart, even though I am one hundred percent not interested in Rick anymore, I can’t say I’ve truly moved on. I have no interest in moving on to someone new, and I don’t have the time or money to move on to a life I’d like to live. The best I can say is that I’m surviving, and truth be told, I don’t want Rick to see what he’s done to me.
“Does that mean you’re not dating anyone at the moment?”
Old habits die hard, because the flirtatious way Max asks this question sends a rush of heat to my core. I keep my voice level when I say, “No, I’m not dating anyone.”
“Your choice, I assume?”
“You’re full of assumptions, aren’t you?”
He shrugs, still grinning that gorgeous grin of his. “Am I wrong?”
“You’re not wrong. Anyway, I was so distracted by the fact that I couldn’t get my car to unlock and I was getting soaked in the rain, that I really fucked up—excuse my language—”