Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“I am aware that I have only ever been committed to my sports, but that’s because there is only one Ambrosia Mercer.” I give Ashlyn a dark look. “How’s it going with Phillipe?”
My cousin flushes redder than a tomato in the sun. “There is nothing going on. I have spoken to his agent, and that’s all.”
Louis side-eyes her. “I heard he’s called you and slid into your DMs.”
Ashlyn is stoic. “I will neither confirm nor deny that, especially when this regards a client.”
I snort as Louis grins. “Aww, does Ashlyn have a crush on the big ol’ goalie? I’ve seen his—”
“Don’t make me jealous right now,” Jennings interjects, and because I’m a shit-stirrer, I grin.
“He makes the phrase ‘hung like a horse’ seem like a joke.”
Jennings punches me in the arm, making me laugh harder as Charlotte gives a little wiggle. “Hey, girl. Get ittttt. I’d climb him like a redwood tree.”
As Ashlyn flushes even redder, Jennings starts to sing Taylor Swift’s “Wood,” and of course, my brother joins in. Ashlyn ignores everyone. “This is inappropriate, and besides, the comment at hand…” She looks across at me with her eyes a bit glassy, a look that seems almost proud. But that can’t be right, Ashlyn isn’t proud of anyone. “Our Dawson is growing up.”
“About time,” Jennings mutters.
Charlotte beams. “I never saw it coming.”
“Weird, really,” Louis says. “I have seen girls practically sell their souls to suck his dick and they weren’t enough to make him look twice, but this girl has told him to leave her alone, flicked his nose, and told him he isn’t her type, yet he doesn’t give up.”
I scoff as Jennings adds, “Yes, but he kissed her.”
The girls look at me with wide eyes, and both squeal, “You kissed her?”
“Like, on the mouth?”
I give my brother’s boyfriend a look, and he shrugs. “What? You did. I wrote down the date.”
“You don’t kiss girls,” Ashlyn says, as if I don’t know that.
“Y’all are too obsessed with my love life,” I mutter.
“You’re making us make flowers!”
“I have 900 paper cuts!”
“No good candy was supplied!”
“I truly thought you forgot how to kiss!”
I need new cousins.
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Dawson
I let out a long breath, ignoring all my cousins’ outbursts as I reach for my phone to see if she’s messaged me.
These chats are the only crumbs I get from her, and like a mouse, I gobble them up.
DoesMyBreathStink60: Did you see that the Assassins are number one?
AmbrosiaMercer: I did, but so are the Panthers.
DoesMyBreathStink60: You live in Tennessee. Convert.
AmbrosiaMercer: Never.
I can’t fight my grin. She’s so stubborn.
“Oh my goodness, he’s gone for her.”
I look up to find everyone watching me, Ashlyn studying me like I’m a science project. Fuck knows, I feel like one. While I want this, and I will get a chance to make Ambrosia mine, it does feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. Every time I get excited or all sugary thinking of her, I’m like, is this really me? I don’t check my phone for texts. I have never ignored girls on my Instagram or Snapchat, but not only have I done just that, but I blocked everyone I’ve been through and then set all my accounts to private.
I am doing everything I never thought I would.
For her.
Louis snorts as he nods toward the papers. “So much so. Now, keep folding flowers for the girl who doesn’t want him and will probably burn them in front of him.”
Shit. I hadn’t thought of that.
“Do you know her friends?” Charlotte asks, and I shake my head.
“I don’t know that she hangs with anyone. At least, when I ask, no one seems to know her,” I say, looking down at my phone.
“Too bad. You could ask them if you’re wasting your time.”
I’m not, but I grin anyway. “Wanna befriend her?”
“No way. When you get what you want, you’ll drop her like a bad habit.”
I make a face. “No, I won’t.” They all give me a look, and I hate how it makes me feel. “You just said I’m growing, and I am. I don’t want her only to have her once.”
Louis blinks, and it annoys me that even he’s surprised by my proclamation. “For real, for real?”
I swallow hard. “Yeah,” I say softly. “She’s a game changer for me.”
Louis looks at Charlotte and Ashlyn, who are looking back at him. “You two have got to befriend her. We gotta help this dude out.”
“Yeah, he can’t do this on his own,” Jennings agrees, and that earns a round of laughter at my expense.
“This is it, gals. Lock in, get it done!”
I ignore them, looking back down at my phone.
Me: Do you have friends?
AmbrosiaMercer: What kind of question is that?
Me: A real one. When my friend asks about you, no one seems to know you.
AmbrosiaMercer: I thought we agreed that your friend wouldn’t ask about me anymore. That he would forget me.