Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I glance at the other patrons, and seeing all the expensive clothes, jewelry, and handbags, I feel like something that crawled out of a trash can.
I’m really going to have to put in more effort with my appearance while I’m here. I don’t want to embarrass Easton, Rachel, or Lainey.
“Bianca has a massive crush on Uncle Easton,” Lainey whispers as we follow the hostess. “That’s why there’s always a table available for us even though he’s never eaten here.”
“Is that so?” I whisper back while I keep glancing around the fancy establishment.
Some girls and women wave at Lainey, and she returns their greetings with a polite smile.
Gosh, Lainey’s so grown up. Rachel and I were making mud cakes when we were her age.
We’re shown to a table that overlooks the sidewalk, and as we take our seats, I notice a man hiding partially behind a car with a camera in his hand.
“Ah, Lainey. Shouldn’t we get another table inside? There’s someone with a camera behind the sports car.”
She doesn’t even look up from her menu and only shakes her head. “The paparazzi are everywhere. Just ignore them.”
God, I’m not wearing any makeup.
I turn my face away from the man, and picking up the menu, I use it to hide behind.
Lainey lets out a chuckle. “You’re being silly.”
“I am, right?” I say, chuckling. Focusing on the menu, I ask, “So you suggest the pancakes?”
“Yes,” she replies. “That’s what I’m getting. We can add bacon and share if you want to.”
Relieved that I don’t have to think about what to get, I nod. “That sounds great.”
Lainey gestures for a waitress to come to our table, then orders, “Hi, Stacey, we’ll have a plate of pancakes to share, and please add bacon.”
Stacey jots down the order on a small notepad, then asks, “What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll have orange juice,” Lainey replies while looking at me.
Not wanting to keep the waitress waiting, I quickly answer, “I’ll have the same, please.”
“Great. I’ll be back with your order shortly,” the waitress says before hurrying away from our table.
When we’re alone again, I smile at Lainey. “Tell me everything that’s new with you.”
She leans forward to rest her forearms on the table. “My grades are good, so Mom’s happy.”
I let out a chuckle. “No, tell me all the fun stuff.”
“Our grade is having a bake sale in two weeks, and Mom said Porsha can come over the day before the sale so we can bake chocolate chip cookies.”
“That sounds fun.” My smile grows wider. “When your mom and I were sixteen, we tried to bake a cake and almost burned down the apartment.”
“Really?” Lainey chuckles. “Did you get in trouble?”
I shake my head. “We just had to clean up the mess and paint the kitchen.”
“Did Mom get in trouble a lot?” she asks.
I shake my head again. “No.” My gaze drifts over Lainey’s pretty face. “You look so much like your mom.”
“And Uncle Easton,” she mentions, pride shining in her eyes.
Lainey glances to her right, then lets out a groan before mumbling, “Ugh. Don’t come over. Don’t come over. Don’t come over . . .”
I glance at a woman and girl heading our way with wide smiles on their faces. The woman is dressed in a pair of dark-blue pants that fit her like a second skin, a white silk blouse, and white high heels. An expensive-looking handbag hangs over the crook of her arm, and gold bangles jingle on her wrist. Her blond hair is up in a neat bun, and her bangs are perfectly layered around her face.
The little girl looks like a carbon copy of her mother, except that her hair is down in curls.
When they stop beside our table, Lainey gives them a polite smile. “Oh, hey, Mrs. Riley, Shay.”
“It’s so good to run into you here,” Mrs. Riley says while patting Lainey’s arm. She glances around, only sparing me a second of her attention. “Is your mom here with you?”
Seeing the uncomfortable expression on Lainey’s face, I climb to my feet and hold out my hand to Mrs. Riley. “I’m Nova Allen, Lainey’s godmother.”
“Ohhhh!” The woman’s eyebrows almost rise into her hairline with surprise, but her surprise quickly passes before she looks me up and down with disdain. “I thought you were the nanny.” She barely touches me, her fingers only brushing over mine before she pulls back and wipes her hand on her pants.
I’m never quick to judge people, but holy crap, this woman is something else.
Mrs. Riley turns all her attention back to Lainey. “Where’s your mother?”
There’s a slight frown on Lainey’s forehead as she mutters, “Not here. You’ll have to excuse us. I’m having breakfast with my favorite aunt, whom I haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“Oh.” Mrs. Riley looks visibly taken aback, then she nods. “I’ll see you and your mom at the fundraiser in two weeks, but tell her I say hello and I’d like to have coffee with her when she’s free.”