Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“It’s her!” Gabriella shouts over her shoulder and then I hear footsteps running toward me, and I see my sister. I don’t know why but the tears just run down my face.
I hug her as if I’ve never hugged her, as if I’ve been locked away in a tower for the last ten years and I haven’t seen her. It’s a hug I didn’t know I’d been missing. Like someone in the desert wanting to drink that sip of water and then finally getting it. I can’t help the sob that escapes me as I shake in her arms.
“Hey,” she says softly.
“I’m…” I start to say, but I have to stop, the lump in my throat gets bigger. “I’m so happy you’re here.” I let her go and smile through the tears, and when I look around, I see all of them crying. Sofia is holding Jagger while Zoey is side-hugging Ariella. “Well, this is awkward,” I try to make a joke and we laugh, but my hands come up to hold her face. “I missed you.” I roll my lips together and sniffle. “So, so much.” She takes me in another hug as I look at everyone. “I’ve missed everyone so much.”
“But she missed me the most,” Zara gloats when she turns in my arms and my arm is draped around her shoulders.
“Come on, let’s go sit and talk,” Gabriella suggests, coming on the other side of me and slipping her hand in mine. It’s a little extra strength I didn’t know I needed as we walk into the house. The kitchen is filled with people cooking. “Romeo is still trying to make a good impression on you guys, so he’s hired all these people to cook for us. Plus, he called that one over there.” She points to Sofia, who is one of the best event planners in the South, holding Jagger. “And it’s like an event is happening. Wait until you guys see what he did to the backyard. I drew the line at him getting a DJ for the night.” I laugh as we step into the family room, away from the noise of the kitchen.
Jagger’s toys are in the middle of the room, and when I get close enough to him, he lunges for me. “How is my little man?” I take him from Sofia and giving her a side hug. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.” She rubs my back before walking over to the couch, where she must have been sitting before I got here, glasses of wine are in the middle of the coffee table.
“Where are all the kids?” I look around and listen if I can hear the yelling and screaming they do once they are together.
“Ah,” Zara says, “the grandparents took all the kids to some activity so we can have a mini girls’ day. I stopped listening, to be honest. I don’t know where they are but if no one called me yet, I’m sure everyone is fine.”
“That one had to stay with me since I’m his feeding source,” Ariella jokes. “But so far we’ve been handing him off to each other, so he’s content.”
Gabriella walks over to the couch and then grabs another wineglass. “Okay, I’m going to say it,” she starts as she holds up the glass for me. “You look fantastic.”
“Doesn’t she?” Zoey agrees. “I was going to say something when she walked in but I was like, I hate it when people see me and are like ‘you look fantastic’ and in my head I’m thinking, ‘Wow, did I look like shit before?’”
“The answer obviously is yes,” Zara teases, “but in your case”—she slips her arm in mine—“you did look like shit.”
I can’t help but laugh and it startles Jagger, who pouts and reaches for his mother. “It’s okay,” I soothe, walking with Zara to the couch. “I felt like shit, so I probably looked like it too.”
“I mean, you looked always put together,” Zoey restates, sitting, grabbing her wineglass and tucking her feet under her. “But you looked like you needed a cheeseburger or two.”
I sit with Zara next to me and I don’t want to let her go. She must sense it too because she sits back and pulls me with her. “Well, I’m eating carbs and—”
“Dick,” Zara interjects, laughing. “That will do it.”
I can’t help but laugh and shake my head. “I want to hear all about everything,” Gabriella says, “but I want you to start at the beginning.”
I inhale and look over at Zara, who grabs her glass of wine and then hands it to me. “Liquid courage,” she urges me and I finish it in two gulps. “Welcome back, Lexi.” She winks at me as Gabriella hands me another glass, and I tell them just about everything. From Trent cheating on me, to the embarrassing moment he gave me an STI. Which took Zoey and Gabriella to the edge of their seats as then their legs went up and down with nerves. I wasn’t sure if they were going to get up and fly to Phoenix or smash something in Gabriella’s house.