Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
My cousin Eros had it redone years ago. We have converted many warehouses. There is one where we all hang out. I will stay there from time to time, but normally I always make my way back home.
I jog up the stairs, and Bonte opens the door before I can reach her, two orange kittens in hand. They are wiggling all around, and I fear she might drop one.
“Here.” I offer to take one from her. “They’re going to fall.”
“Shut up; you know you just want to hold the kitten. You can admit it in front of me. No one else is here to overhear you.” She hands it over.
“He is cute.” I tuck him close to my chest and pet him under his chin. He’s so tiny and vulnerable. When Bonte doesn’t respond, I lift my head as she snaps a picture.
“Are you sure you should baptize them? I don’t think cats care for water.”
Bonte bursts into laughter. “I was messing with you. I’m not going to baptize my cats.”
“This family does strange things. You never know.”
“This is true, but I love that you were still down to do it with me.”
“Well, next time I might need to make a request, then I won’t be judged for the strangeness of it.”
“I cannot bury a body.” She lifts her arm. “I don’t have the strength for it, and have you ever tried to actually dig a hole?”
“Yes.”
“Right, stupid question.” She nods for me to follow her into the living room. I like how they kept the space open except for the bedroom and bathroom. Where would I live if I got married? Not here, I suppose.
“So winking,” she prompts.
“Why do people do it?”
“Don’t ask Eros to do it. He’s terrible at it. Actually, ask him so we can both get a good laugh.”
“Why was he winking?”
“He was being flirty and teasing me.”
“Why else would a person wink?”
“Who’s winking at you?”
“A man.”
“Okay, that takes out half the population of planet Earth. You want to be a little more specific?”
“Actually, it’s a little less than half. The male population has grown. It’s unfortunate but true. A hundred and two males to every hundred females.” I sidestep her other question for the time being.
“Great, now I’m not even down to half, and I have to live with the fact our numbers are decreasing and us women won’t be achieving world domination.” This is true.
“He was having a meeting with my father, and when he left, I passed him, and he winked at me.”
“That sounds like he was flirting with you.”
“So it’s not terrible, but he could wink at lots of girls.”
“Was that one of your first thoughts? That he might wink at other girls?”
“Yes.”
“And what do you think about this man winking at other girls?”
“That a person with one eye can no longer wink.” Bonte almost falls over the couch in a fit of laughter. I can’t stop a tiny smile.
I always enjoy spending time with her. We bonded over her father being a serial killer. She also has a sense of fashion that I rather like. It’s dark and quirky. Basically, the opposite of how I dress. I always wear slacks and a simple buttoned-up shirt. I find it very functional.
“How hot was he? I need every single detail of what this man looks like. I’ve got to know your type.”
“I don’t have a type.” Even though I say the words, I don’t believe them. I would have before the wink, but post-wink it seems I very much have a type. One that is soon to be my husband, but I don’t need to get into any of those details yet.
“Sure,” she says sarcastically. “You got pissy about him winking at other girls.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her he shouldn’t be if he plans to marry me.
He came with the intent to marry me. He made it clear it was only to be me. I am my father’s only daughter but not the only female in our tight-knit Marino family. There is also Mac, who is my age, and Nix, but she is still in high school, so she’s out.
“He was very handsome. Too handsome.”
“Too handsome?”
I nod. “Yes, like he could be on one of those shiny magazine covers. He is as tall and broad as my father, but his face is both smooth and has these hard lines. A perfect nose and all that. He was very symmetrical.”
“Symmetrical!” Bonte falls into another fit of laughter.
“I only mean it’s clear he is not for our world. He’s got deep green eyes, and his hair is brown but with a bit of blond too. His suit made him appear as though he should be working on Wall Street or a fancy lawyer.” Clean cut.
“Like he works in finance with a trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes.”