Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“Atta boy, Ryan,” she says smugly, but I shake my head.
“Then I came home just a bit ago, and my entire kitchen renovation is done. Completely finished, and it wasn’t a minor thing, Summer. It was a big project, and he managed to make sure that it was done by the time I got home. It’s even decorated, and there are new dishes and stuff in the cabinets.”
“Wow,” she says, blinking in surprise now. “It took me three months longer than I was contracted for to get this place done.”
“I know! So, how did he do that?”
“Honey, I don’t think you quite understand just how rich Ryan is. I don’t think there’s much out there that he can’t make happen.”
“Isn’t that weird? It’s weird, right?”
I pace away from her now, on a roll.
“He had the AC installed in one day. And then this with my kitchen. And when I got home, all of my luggage and bags and boxes from Paris were in the middle of my living room, waiting for me. Who did that, Summer?”
“Mac has a key to your house,” she reminds me. “Ryan probably texted him and asked him to unlock the house so everything could be delivered. It’s not magic. He’s not some kind of wizard.”
“I think he is.” I let out a deep breath. “And this morning, we hurt Jake’s feelings. We didn’t mean to, but we were having breakfast at the new table, and when Jake walked in, his face was just crestfallen, Summer. That was supposed to be a special thing for the two of them, and there I was, horning in on it. I felt so guilty. They’re just hitting their stride together, and they don’t need me messing it all up for them.”
“Wait, are you telling me that you don’t want to be with Ryan?”
“No.” I shake my head and then sigh, feeling tears coming again. “This jet lag is stupid.”
“Oh, honey.” Summer hurries around the counter to pull me in for a hug. “You’re overwhelmed; that’s what this is. And I get it, that’s a lot, even if it is all good stuff. Except the part about Jake. That sucks.”
“I feel so guilty,” I admit out loud for the first time. “I feel guilty that I’m pulling some of Ryan’s attention away from Jake because that kid deserves every bit of Ryan’s attention, Summer.”
“I know he does.”
“I should have known better.” I pull away from her and dab at my eyes. “I knew that they hadn’t used it yet. I knew. But I was in this haze of hangover from the best trip of my life and all the amazing sexy time and how good I feel when I’m at Ryan’s house, or just with him at all, and I was thoughtless.”
“Uh, Polly? You were simply human. You’d just traveled a long way, it was morning, and you wanted breakfast. Cut yourself some slack.”
“You didn’t see his face.”
“That’s fair. I didn’t. Okay, you need to chat with Jake. What else do you feel guilty about?”
“Make that guilty and ungrateful,” I say as I wipe my hand down my face and lower myself into a new chair in the corner of the store. “You put chairs in here?”
“For the brides,” she confirms. “When they come in for consults.”
“Oh, smart. Love that. Good idea. Anyway, he dropped too much money on me. Not just on Paris, but on my house, too. It’s too much, Summer. We’re just dating. We’re not engaged or married, or anything like that.”
“But you’re exclusive, right?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, we haven’t said the words, we’re exclusive, but we’re not seeing anyone else. And exclusivity doesn’t mean that he should drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on me.”
“Okay, I’m going to be real with you here,” she says with a sigh. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I don’t think you really understand just how wealthy that man is. Polly, he’s not simply rich. He’s filthy rich. The filthiest rich there is. What he’s spent on you? It’s pocket change for him. He’ll never miss it.”
“I—”
“Whoa.” She puts up a hand, stopping me. “I love that you don’t want to take advantage of him, but you’re not, Polly. Ryan is a generous guy. He paid for a good portion of our house.”
I feel my eyes go wide. “What? Why?”
“That’s between Chase and Ryan, but I think part of it was as simple as because he loves his little brother and wanted to buy him a house.” Summer shrugs. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there for that conversation. He’s generous, and he likes to give like that.”
I worry my bottom lip with my teeth. “He did tell me that his love language is gifts.”
“He didn’t lie,” she confirms. “He’s not trying to impress you or buy you. He just wants to give you nice things. And he can. It’s actually really romantic.”