Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” she said, trying not to feel too disappointed for the date to be ending.
It was a fake date, after all.
Only, suddenly, it didn’t feel quite so fake anymore.
9
“What do you mean his thesis is on vampire literature?” Lucy was slack-jawed in the break room of Luna Bean a couple of nights later.
Pandora noted that her friend looked better than ever. She always did after the full moon, in fact. Her sable hair, which was always thick and gorgeous, looked extra shiny. Her skin was glowing. Her energy seemed revitalized.
Lucy had rushed through the employee entrance just ten minutes before – twenty minutes late for their shift – and thrusted a half-dead red maranta plant at Pandora that she’d “forgotten existed” for several weeks. She had hoped Pandora could bring it back to life, and had immediately started to demand details about the date with Victor.
“I know,” Pandora said, wincing as she put the poor wilted plant under the tap, watching its drooping leaves start to lift with just a proper drink.
“God, the irony is so thick I can’t breathe.” Lucy pressed a hand to her chest.
“It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Pandora said.
“Especially once he meets your family.”
“Exactly. How long until he starts piecing it all together?”
“This is too good.” Lucy laughed as she pulled her hair up into a clip. “I mean, the man is studying you and he doesn’t even know it.”
“It’s not funny!” Pandora said. “I don’t know what I will do if he figures it out.”
“You’ll just have to fess up. And then he will fall madly in love with you.”
Pandora shook her head. “It’s not a book, Luce. My whole future is depending on this working. And Victor not figuring out what I am and running scared.”
“Well, my first bit of advice would be not to chug down any artery-ale while he’s around.”
“Ha ha.” Pandora followed Lucy out of the back and into the coffee shop.
“Oh, come on. It’s an adventure,” Lucy said.
“What’s an adventure?” Victor asked, making the two women turn. He was standing at the counter, his usual backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Oh, nothing,” Lucy said, recovering first. “Just this whole fake-marriage thing you two are working up. I wish I could be a fly on the wall when Pandora tells her family.”
If only Lucy could tell them for me, Pandora thought.
“Oh,” Victor said, looking a little worried. “Would I need to be there for that?”
“It’s probably better for me to do it alone,” Pandora said as she started to make Victor’s macchiato. “Let them come to terms with it first. Then you’re going to need to meet them, of course.”
“Of course. When do you plan to tell them?”
“Well, she’s been laying the groundwork,” Lucy said. “She even has her brother in on it, talking about how excited she’s been to go on dates every day. I think you could tell them in the next few days, right?” she asked, looking at Pandora.
Pandora’s stomach clenched at the idea of that discussion. Especially with her aunt, uncle, and cousin still visiting. For the most part, Pandora had managed to avoid their company. But she knew that once the news got out about her engagement, every relative was going to be crawling out of the woodwork to congratulate her and to meet her fiancé.
But she was going to have to tell them sooner rather than later.
“I think I’m going to tell them on my next day off,” Pandora said, mostly to keep herself accountable for actually doing it. “They’re probably going to want to meet you pretty quickly after.”
“That’s fine,” Victor said, but Pandora could swear he looked a little ashen at the idea. At least they would be together in their misery.
“OK, so while we’re on the topic of wedding stuff,” Lucy said once Victor had made his way to his table to start working on his notes again. The only difference now being that Pandora knew exactly what he was studying. And it put her nerves on edge. “We need to discuss my chief bridesmaid dress. Namely, that it can’t be hideous. Or peach.”
“What’s wrong with peach?” Pandora asked.
“Only that it clashes with my colouring and washes me out.”
“Noted,” Pandora said, pretending that she wasn’t casting glances over at Victor. Partly to admire him. But also partly to see if he’d read some chunk of text that had made things click in his brain and was now looking over at her like he’d figured her out. “Don’t worry. My mother will likely want a hand in picking dresses. Which means they will be black or red, skintight, silk or velvet, and likely displaying a large amount of cleavage.”
“Well, what’s the point in having all this,” Lucy said, gesturing toward her chest, and, yes, Pandora had to admit that the universe had been generous when forming that particular part of Lucy’s anatomy, “if it’s not going to be shown off a little? Especially at a wedding. I mean, maybe I’ll find some hot groomsman to spend the weekend with.”