Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Well, that’s too bad, buckaroo, because once you signed up to be my fake boyfriend, you signed up to go down my crazy rabbit holes.”
“That wasn’t in the contract.”
“It was the small print.”
“Honestly, I should’ve known you were crazy when I found out you named your cat Grandma.”
“It’s charming.”
“In an insane kind of way, sure. Anyway,” he grumbled. “What’s this plan of yours?”
“We have to set it up where MJ is hitting on me, and we get it on a recording. Or you can become buddy-buddy with him, get him liquored up, and get a confession from him that he’s not a good person.”
“I don’t buddy-buddy with people.”
“I know, grumpy. But you could do it for me.”
“Why would I do that for you?”
“Because it’s me! Holly! Holly Jolly! You’re favorite fake girlfriend.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
“We’re not on the same page. This isn’t even the same book. You’re reading The Boxcar Children, and I’m reading Shakespeare over here.”
I laughed. “To be fair, The Boxcar Children were outstanding. Plus, you are not a Shakespeare guy.”
He looked at me, arched an eyebrow. He placed a hand on my cheek as he moved in closer. He was so close that his lips were mere centimeters away. Then he whispered, “‘Graze on my lips, and if those hills be dry, stray lower,’” His eyes moved down to my lower regions before he moved them back up to my stare, “‘Where the pleasant fountains lie.’”
Did he…did he talk dirty to me with Shakespeare?
His voice grew deeper, more seductive. “‘From hour to hour we ripe and ripe…’”
He caressed my cheek as he locked his brown eyes with mine. He held such an intense stare as he seduced me, making my cheeks heat up.
I shook my head, breaking away from his trance. “Stop being weird and making Shakespeare sexy. Besides, we don’t have time for this. We have some scheming to do.”
“Why do we have to scheme? Can’t you tell your brother why Matthew isn’t a good guy? Before going down the crazy road, how about we try the straight direct approach?”
I sighed. “Okay, but if it doesn’t work, you must put laxatives in MJ’s coffee in the morning.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “That’s not going to happen.”
I figured that much, but a girl had to try.
A big part of me felt insane waiting outside of the bathroom for Alec to come out, but it seemed like MJ was attached to his hip every time I’d even considered talking to him.
“What the…?” Alec remarked as he started to walk out of the bathroom, and I quickly shoved him back inside. I followed quickly behind him and shut the door, locking it and pressing my body against it.
“What the heck are you doing?” he asked, baffled.
“We need to talk,” I whispered.
My brother arched an eyebrow, completely bewildered by my odd actions. My heart pounded against my chest as I stood there. I was ninety-nine percent certain that MJ would be looking for Alec any second now. The last thing he’d want is for Alec and me to be alone together so I could talk my brother out of making the biggest mistake of his life.
“Talk about what?” he asked. Then, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his right hand. “Wait, I know what this is about.”
I stood taller. “You do?”
“Yes, I do. I felt this would come up, and I was trying to prepare myself for it.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes.” He placed his hands against my shoulders. Even though he was my younger brother, he always hovered over me in height. “And the answer is no.”
“No?”
“No, I won’t put your name on Mom’s and Dad’s gifts for Christmas. I already know I got them the best gifts, and I’m not going to let you ride those coattails.”
“That’s not what I want to talk about,” I said, waving my hands in dismissal of his comment.
“Oh? Then what is it?”
I swallowed hard as I prepared to tell him the news about MJ. I knew this would break his heart, and I didn’t want to be the one to do it. I stood tall and rolled my shoulders back. “MJ is a fuck boy,” U blurted out.
He stared at me blankly for a few moments. Completely and utterly blank stare. Then, he burst into laughter. “Excuse me?”
“MJ. He’s not a good guy.”
“Holly, I’m not going to do this.”
“I’m being serious, Alec. You deserve someone better than him.”
“You’re just saying this because you’re still hurt that he broke things off with you.”
“What? No, I’m not. I couldn’t care less about that. I’m saying this because you deserve better than him. He’s using you for your money!”
“Stop it, Holly.”
“Don’t you find it odd that he wouldn’t commit to you for months, and now after you have the biggest success in your life, he wants to be your husband?”