Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“I have a crush of my own,” she says shyly.
Simone, SHY?
My jaw drops. “On who? Someone here?”
Her gaze cuts to where Annika is chatting with Thalia. My eyes widen. “Annika?”
She groans. “No. Not Annika.” Then she lowers her voice. “Felix.”
“Aww!” I cover my mouth with my hands because I can barely handle how sweet and innocent she looks about her confession, and she immediately protests.
“No. No. We’re not doing that. Don’t. It’s the tiniest thing. Barely there, I swear. So don’t say a word.”
“I won’t,” I promise quickly. Then I grin. “Does he know?”
Her cheeks redden. “I’m not sure. We kissed, once. Right at the start of summer. But it was complicated then. I was hung up on this guy back in London and Felix didn’t seem to want anything serious, so I wasn’t going to upend my life for him, ya know? Summer flings are rarely anything special. It’s silly to let emotions get involved.”
I have the unyielding urge to stand and hug her, so I do.
She stiffens. “What? Why are you doing this? Let go of me.”
“You like him.”
“All right. That’s good. There, there.”
“Hug me back.”
“I’d rather not.”
“You hugged me earlier in the ocean.”
“Yes, well, a deceased sister warrants a hug, I think, but now I see I’ve given you the wrong idea about touching.”
I lean back and hold on to her arms. “Should I tell him?” I say, teasing her.
Her face is an immediate mask of panic. “Bugger off. Don’t you dare.”
“I’m kidding! Your secret is safe with me.”
I almost wish I could let her in on my secrets as well, but it’d change everything and I’m not ready to go back to being Isabel De Vere just yet.
I sit down again and she continues fixing my hair, using hairspray to make sure every strand lays just how she wants it to once she puts the gold headband in place. “By the way, we missed the chance to check off another bucket list item today at the beach.”
I frown, thinking it over. “Which one?”
“We could have gone skinny-dipping,” she says with a playful grin.
I laugh. “In front of everyone from work? How awkward…”
“You’re right. Too strange. Better you do it with the DJ tonight.”
“Simone.”
“Or actually… Cristiano might be up for it as well.”
Now I’m the one with the blushing cheeks, and there’s no way to hide my reaction with her standing in front of the mirror. At least I can play it off. “How hot is this DJ?”
It’s a silly question. It doesn’t matter. He could be a young Brad Pitt and still I just know he’d pale in comparison to Cristiano. That thought alone makes me panic with the realization that just like Annika and Simone, I’m starting to have a crush of my own. How can I deny it when it feels like a physical ache? A tightness in my stomach that won’t go away?
Winnie is somewhere smiling deviously.
I slip into my high heels and do one more makeup check before we head for the main floor. The hallway is crowded more so than usual, and I understand why, once I see that Ramón and another security guard are leading Boréal toward his private room backstage where he can prepare for his set.
Simone’s right. He’s cute, but in a tortured rock star kind of way. He’s tall and blond, but his face is a little gaunt and pale. I bet the poor guy could probably use a full night’s sleep.
Everyone is staring at him with excitement. Two guys even step up to ask for a selfie. Obviously they know who he is, but I’m totally lost. My plan is to just hover against the wall out of the way until the crowd clears, but while Boréal is walking past us, Simone takes it upon herself to not-so-accidentally shove me into his path.
Her timing is impeccable. I flail with a sitcom-worthy “Whoa!” He deftly catches me in his arms, and for that split second, we’re starring in a perfectly choreographed meet-cute. He’s staring down at me with a bemused smile. My hands are flat against his chest. We’re in a lover’s embrace with our chests pressed together and our mouths an inch apart.
Immediately I try to extricate myself from him as Simone starts apologizing. “Oh, bollocks. I’m sorry. These silly heels are so high! Are you all right, Elle?”
I try to step away from Boréal, but he keeps a gentle hold on my right arm. “You are fine?” he asks with a thick French accent. He’s smiling at me, clearly curious.
I smile tightly back at him, hyperaware of the scene we’ve caused and the number of curious gazes we’ve drawn. “Yes. Totally fine. Sorry!”
His attention lingers on my face for a beat longer than necessary, and then he moves on and the crowd disperses. Simone is smiling from ear to ear when I shoot her a glare. She doesn’t even have the decency to feign remorse.