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)
“He’s a motherfucker.” Sofia is the one to say what everyone is thinking. “A small-dicked motherfucker.”
Zara grabs my head and puts it on her shoulder as she kisses the top of it. “Anyway, now I have my lawyer blowing up my phone, telling me to take the twenty million dollars for the NDA. It started at twelve and for the past two weeks they’ve increased it.” Zoey stands up and I watch her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m calling fucking Ryleigh,” she hisses out, mentioning Romeo’s sister, “I know you don’t want to get her involved and you want to handle it yourself, but you need the best, and well, she’s a pit bull,” she declares and then puts the phone on speaker, and I can hear it ringing.
“If you are calling me to gloat about your impromptu girls’ day drinking,” she hisses, “I’m going to stop sending you pictures of the kids.”
Zoey laughs. “No, it’s not that. We’re here but we’re calling because Lexi needs your help.”
“Uh-oh,” she says. “Should I start the Bat chain?” She mentions the phone chain our family has. It’s sort of the emergency phone network that people use. “Does she need bail?”
“NO!” I gasp. “I’m here.” I then look at the women around me, who are here to catch me if I fall. “But I might need your help.”
“Tell me,” she says, and by the end of it, she is pissed.
“I am going to make this guy wish he’d never met you,” she grinds out. “He’s going to literally sit down on his little stool and think he should’ve walked away from you when he saw you all those years ago.” Zoey snickers. “One, you aren’t taking that NDA settlement because chances are he’s going to try and hide shit from you. Two, you aren’t taking that settlement because he’s a piece of shit and I said no, and three, you aren’t taking it because you are not going to be fucking silenced. You know if you took that and you even mentioned his name, he could sue you for all of it back.” I can hear the hatred in her voice. “Fire your lawyer and send me a dollar.”
“What?” I ask her, looking around and Gabriella is already on her phone.
“Sent.” I look at her. “We have to pay her a dollar so whatever we say to her goes under client-lawyer privilege. Even though she’s my sister-in-law and it’s a conflict of interest.”
“Send me his lawyer’s name,” she says and then laughs. “The last time I had this much fun was when I took Charlie’s sister-in-law”—she mentions Sofia’s cousin—“Harmony’s ex to the cleaners.” She snickers. “That was a fun, fun day.”
“Send her the name,” Zara urges from beside me. “You got this.” I pull up my phone and send her all the information.
“Just got it,” she confirms. “Okay, I’m off to make a couple of phone calls. Oh, and it’s Friday and it’s almost five. I love ruining people’s weekends. I have to go now. Lexi, I’ll call on Monday unless something comes up before.”
“Okay,” I tell her. “Thank you again. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Hey, you’re family.” I nod, not able to say anything.
“Okay, now that that is over,” Zoey prods, “tell us about the hot hockey player you are sleeping with.” She claps her hands. “We might have stalked him on social media before you got here.” She looks at the girls in the room. “But it was for research purposes only.”
I can’t help but smile when I talk about Kirby. I tell them everything, including how he saw right through me, how he helped me without even knowing, and how his note was the one that gave me the strength to make the phone call.
“I love him,” Zara states. “He got you to smile like that”—she points to me—“and to wear jeans. He’s got my vote.” I laugh at her and I don’t say another thing because the front door opens and chaos erupts. The kids come running into the room, and I’m surrounded by my family. I hug the twins, who take me off my feet, and I look up to see my parents watching with tears in their eyes.
I’m shuffled from person to person, getting all the hugs and kisses, talking to each and every one of them. I look around and the only thing that is truly missing from all of this, who I want by my side, is Kirby. My phone is in my hand with the last text he sent me and I never got a chance to answer him. Except, he’s not pressing me to answer him. I know if I don’t answer him, he’s not going to belittle me about it. Not make me feel guilty for not taking the time to answer him. It’s going to be the opposite. He’s going to want to hear all about how my day with my family was and he’s going to do it holding my hand. He won’t have to say a word, all he’ll have to do is hold my hand, and I know it’ll be okay.