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)
“What?” Pandora asked. “How so?”
“Because you are both very clearly into each other, but you keep insisting on the charade.”
“Well, the charade is worth a lot of money.”
“You two can still be into each other while pretending you’ve been into each other for a lot longer to sell the whole marriage thing,” Lucy said.
“I’m not going to lie. I really wish that was the case, Luce. But there’s been no sign of him genuinely having feelings for me. Guys who are into you don’t go no-contact for days. Hell, guys who want to acquire tons of pounds to get out of debt don’t avoid you for days.”
“Well, did you ask him what he was up to?” Lucy asked.
She had.
But he’d called before she could read his message.
Pandora reached for her mobile, swiping it open, then reading the text.
I was visiting my parents to tell them about the engagement.
“Oh,” she said, scrunching up her face as she turned the mobile for Lucy to read.
“See? Perfectly good reason.”
“But it would have been better to know that before, so I could tell my family. I’m sure everyone is wondering where he’s been.”
“Especially your awful cousin. Did you see the way she narrowed her eyes when you said you were going out with Victor after the fitting?”
“No,” Pandora said. “But I’ve been trying not to look at her.”
“I don’t trust her. I’d make sure she’s not slinking around eavesdropping at your door or stuff like that.”
“Yeah.” Pandora tried to flatten her hair. Having no luck, she turned away from the mirror and headed to the door. “We probably shouldn’t leave those two alone together for any longer than absolutely necessary.”
When they got back to the table, though, Elias was missing.
“Where’d he go?” Lucy asked, glancing around.
“Dunno. He was looking at something out the window, then just excused himself and left.”
“Love when the trash takes itself out. Maybe I can get the server to make my meal to go, so you two can get some time alone. Ugh,” she grumbled as Elias came striding back into the restaurant. His hair was windswept and there was a hardness around his mouth that hadn’t been there a few minutes before.
“Thought we lost you,” Lucy said. “I was about to order a round of drinks to celebrate.”
To that, Elias gave Lucy a small smile as he sat back down. “Saw someone I knew,” he said as Pandora took a sniff, wanting to see if she scented blood on him. But there was nothing but his posh cologne. “But we should order drinks regardless,” he said, flagging down the server and ordering a bottle of wine that certainly sounded expensive. “My treat,” Elias said, as if sensing that everyone else at the table were on extremely tight budgets.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Victor said, trying to put his hand over his glass.
“I insist,” Elias said, grabbing the stem of the glass and pulling it away so he could fill it.
“So,” Lucy broke in, her voice loud. “How was your visit with your family, Victor?” Victor visibly relaxed, his arm sliding behind Pandora’s seat again. But this time, his fingers brushed her back.
“It went well. They’re excited to meet you,” he said, giving Pandora a smile. “And your family. They were very worried about our parents not having met yet, despite us being engaged.”
“Yes, strange, that,” Elias said, getting a hard elbow to the ribs from Lucy.
“Oops,” Lucy said, not sounding apologetic at all as she raised her glass to take a long swig.
“Well, we can get that arranged,” Pandora said, nodding. “My parents have nothing going on.”
They batted around dates until they found a few when neither had uni or work, and decided to speak to their parents about a meet-up.
All the while, whether he realized it or not, Victor’s fingers were toying with the ends of Pandora’s hair, making that warm sensation course through her once again.
The mood had lightened considerably. Until the bill came.
“Elias is paying,” Lucy said, cutting through the tension. “It’s his penance for making us all endure his company.” She gave him a sickly-sweet smile as he reached for his wallet and tossed far too much money into the bill folder before rising from his seat. “And now, he’s going to get out of your hair by walking me to the Tube,” she said as Elias pulled her chair out for her. “It is a huge sacrifice on my part to suffer his company for another minute. But that’s how much I love you two,” she said, giving them a wiggly finger-wave before turning and all but shoving Elias toward the door.
“Am I the only one picking up on something … strange between the two of them?” Victor asked as he rose and then waited for Pandora to do the same.
“No. There’s definitely something weird going on there. They’re annoyed by breathing the same air, it seems,” Pandora told him as they moved outside.