Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“I do like Katherine.”
She holds my gaze, knowing there’s more. “But . . .” she coaxes.
“I really like your sister. She’s very sweet and a good complement to Ed.”
She widens her eyes, urging me to elaborate.
“It wouldn’t matter who Ed was marrying, if I’m being honest. I just want to make sure he and I are both equally committed to Portis going forward.”
“You think that marrying Katherine will mean he’s less committed in the future?”
I groan and roll onto my back. “Please don’t tell either of them this. I don’t want to get into it.”
“It sounds like you need to get into it,” she says. “If you think Katherine is—”
“This isn’t about Katherine,” I interrupt. “Like I said, it wouldn’t matter who he was marrying. It’s a big life change, and big life changes tend to shift priorities.”
“And you’re concerned that Ed’s priorities will shift.”
I shrug.
“So it’s not that you’re jealous? You’re not worried about the end of guys’ night as you know it?”
I turn back to her. “Jesus Christ, no, I’m not jealous. Did I look jealous tonight?”
Her cheeks pink, but she doesn’t answer the question. “So you’re worried he’s going to mess up the business. Make mistakes and stuff? Or take too much time off?”
I pull in a breath. “Maybe. I’ve been a part of a business that failed in the past. I don’t want another to go down on my watch.”
She looks surprised by my confession. “Ed always seems very dedicated to his work.”
I smile at the way she defends him. “Yeah. It’s just since the wedding planning started, I’ve picked up a bit of slack. And then if they have kids soon . . .”
“You don’t want to be left running things on your own.”
That’s true enough. I went into this because I wanted to be in business with Ed. I don’t want to run the business myself. “I don’t want it to be inequitable.”
“You should talk to him,” she says. “He’s your friend, and maybe he knows his eye hasn’t been on the ball. Maybe he’ll reroute.”
“Hmmm. That’s easy to say. But it’s Pandora’s box. Once it’s open, you can’t close it again. If I tell him I’m concerned he’s not one hundred percent in, it could undermine our relationship.”
“But it’s already undermining your relationship,” she says. “You’re sitting with this problem, and you’re not sharing it.”
She’s right, but something about telling Ed doesn’t feel good. At the moment, I’m handling it. He has a lot going on. It’s fine. The business is doing well. But I don’t want it to be like this forever. “I don’t want to say anything yet.”
“You want me to say something to Katherine?”
“No!” I snap. “You promised.”
She doesn’t bite back like she normally does. She doesn’t even move. Very gently, she says, “I promised I wouldn’t, and I won’t.”
I believe her. I exhale, feeling better after sharing my worries with her. “Thank you,” I reply.
She nods slightly.
“Sweet dreams, Lucy Jones.”
She gives me a shy smile that feels like a victory, and I close my eyes. I replay the evening through my head like a film. The fire. The s’mores. The blanket.
Lucy. Lucy. Lucy.
Her mouth around my thumb. My lips on her soft hair that smelled of ocean breezes and woodsmoke. The way her body felt in my arms as I picked her up and laid her in bed.
I open my eyes to find her staring at me.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey,” she replies.
“I was just thinking about tonight.”
“Me too,” she says.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Too much,” she says, and then her eyes flutter closed before I can ask her what about the evening she enjoyed so much—and whether they were the same parts I enjoyed best.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucy
When I wake up, my heart thuds against my ribs as I remember where I am and who I’m sharing a bed with. Except Hunter’s not next to me. I pad into the bathroom, and he’s not there either.
Fishing.
Of course. They left early. I didn’t hear a thing, and I’m usually a light sleeper. I check the time. It’s seven thirty. Time for me to organize breakfast.
I pull on a sweatshirt and am about to head downstairs when I practically trip on the two boxes Hunter had delivered yesterday. He’s set them right by the door. On top is a scribbled note, signed by Hunter, telling me the boxes are for me.
I’m so confused. I asked him what was in the boxes, but he didn’t say anything. Why would he want me to open them now?
I pick up the first box and immediately realize what I’ll find inside.
The wigs.
I gave him such a hard time about forgetting the wigs, and he’d already arranged to have them delivered here. Why didn’t he tell me? I grin to myself, check that there are the correct number of wigs, then head downstairs. I need to prepare breakfast before people start waking up.