Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Sometimes you have to consider the source when a lawyer’s talking.
Hayden glances over at me as he puts the car in drive and starts to pull away from his house. “What are you smirking about?”
“Nothing. Just dogging your profession in my mind.”
His eyebrows rise at the cheerful way I say it, then he laughs and grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips so he can kiss it.
His eyes shift back to the road, but it’s somehow sweeter when he says casually, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
I want to be as sure as he is that we will.
I’m not, but I hope we will.
Maybe I’m only less sure because Landon is his son, and Hayden might not like the reality as much as his promise. If Landon won’t stop being a jerk and nothing we do seems to help, will he really kick his own son out?
It’s hard to believe.
I know that even if Parker were a jerk to someone who moved in, there’s no way I’d ever tell her to leave.
Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.
It doesn’t seem like we’re off to a good start, but I suppose if Hayden and Parker can be optimistic, then I can, too.
See more of Hayden and Gemma in Parker and Landon’s book, Contempt, releasing early 2023!
Turn the page for an exclusive look at Parker’s last interaction with Landon, where she tried to convince him to come to the family dinner…
Bonus scene
Parker
“I’ll just be a minute.”
I can tell Mom is worried as she watches me through the car window like a scared kid whose mother just dropped them off for the first day of kindergarten.
Hayden looks less concerned, but he doesn’t seem to have a great deal of confidence that I’ll change Landon’s mind when he couldn’t.
I take a deep breath as I make my way up the stairs and approach the front door. It feels odd to let myself in, but it would feel stranger to ring the doorbell and wait for Landon to answer.
Since I’ll be living here now, I guess I can let myself in.
The door opens to a massive foyer with a staircase off to the right. A huge spherical waterfall chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling clear down to the railing.
The place is modern and cavernous, and not at all cozy.
The walls are dark, and the house is quiet. I know Landon is alone inside, and I can’t shake the ominous vibe as I walk tentatively down the hall toward the next open space.
It’s a wide-open space with a staircase to the left and a stylish fireplace up ahead.
That must be the living room, where Hayden said Landon was.
Three steps lead down into the sunken space, and three gray couches are set up with a coffee table in the center.
My heart jumps when I see Landon sitting on the end of one couch, his dark gaze locked on me.
Fighting the impulse to turn around and avoid him—what I would ordinarily do if I ran into Landon in the halls at school—I tip my chin up and walk down the three steps so I can join him on his level.
He cocks his head, watching me curiously.
This is the first time I’ve had to see him since he broke into my house. It feels insane to be in his with him alone voluntarily, but I remind myself why I’m here and dig right in.
“Your dad said you didn’t want to come to the club with us for dinner.”
“Thought you’d be relieved,” he says.
I look down. “I know we’ve had our differences, but they’re really excited to celebrate their engagement,” I tell him. “It’s our first official ‘family dinner,’” I say with air quotes and a faint smile. “We should all be there.”
“No, thanks.”
“It won’t be the whole family without you.”
“Don’t care.”
I try again. “I think your dad would really appreciate it if you came.”
He gazes at me like I must be an idiot. “Is there something wrong with your hearing, or…?”
“I just… I feel like it’s not really that much effort to come to dinner with us, and it would mean a lot to them.”
“I don’t care,” he drawls, as if addressing the particularly stupid.
I pause. “You don’t think you’re being a little selfish?”
He smirks. “Trust me, you’ll all have more fun without me.”
“Don’t do that.” I sigh, dropping my gaze to gather my thoughts, then looking back up at him. “Look, I know this isn’t… ideal.”
“You can say that again.”
“And I know that in the past, we haven’t exactly been friends. I know you hate me, and I don’t even know why, but it doesn’t matter, honestly. Let’s look at this as a fresh start. Whatever I did to offend you or infuriate you, whatever I did to make you feel the way you do about me, I’m sorry. Okay? But this isn’t about us. Our parents are engaged now. I know it’s crazy, and maybe you haven’t seen them together yet, but your dad and my mom really like each other. I think they could be really happy together, and I would hate for us to stand in the way of that.”