Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Give him time, he’ll tackle you right into bed. And you might even enjoy it.”
“Stop,” I say, closing my eyes. I take another sip of iced tea and maybe there really is vodka in this stuff, because I say, “We kissed once.”
“Oh my god!” She sits up straight and stares at me. “You KISSED?”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” I say, grimacing because I really shouldn’t have told her that.
“It’s a massive deal. I know you have to marry the guy but nobody said anything about kissing. Did that kiss lead to anything more?”
“Stop. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“You can’t dangle a juicy little tidbit like that and not expect me to freak out. Brice! You kissed him! That’s absolutely huge. Here I was thinking you were probably going to stab him in his sleep before ever giving him children, but apparently I was wrong.”
I laugh at the idea of killing him in his sleep. It hadn’t occurred to me, but it’s not a terrible idea. “He is very attractive though.”
“Oh my god, you’re sick! You’re totally sick. I love it.”
“Attractive or not, Carmine’s—” I grasp for the word and settle on, “Rough. Very rough.”
“That’s hot though, isn’t it?”
“It’s difficult mostly.”
“He’s probably very bossy.” She sighs and leans her head against a pillow. “Tell me he’s really bossy.”
“You’re being gross again, Robyn.”
“He loves telling you what to do with that deep voice of his, right?”
“Robyn!”
“Okay, fine, you’re no fun. God, if I were you, I’d be jumping his bones because why the hell not? Might as well have a little fun before you get hitched.”
“Sara said something similar. Except she didn’t put it quite like that.”
“Sara’s all buttoned up and serious all the time but she’s a freak on a leash, I guarantee it.”
We talk for a while longer and for a bit, I can forget about my problems. Robyn tells me about her job drama, about living in Austin, and we relive some of our best college stories for the hundredth time. I miss Robyn so much and wish she lived closer, but she’s the kind of friend that no matter how long we go without speaking, we’ll pick right back up as soon as we’re together.
My phone beeps and I check the screen. “Ah, crap, I have to go. It’s my grandfather.”
“Duty calls. I love you, girlie. Reach out again soon, okay? I want to make sure that big hunk you’re marrying is treating you right.”
“Bye, Robyn.” I hang up, still smiling to myself, and take Grandpa’s call. “Hello? Grandpa?”
“Hello, Brice.” His voice sounds tired. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m doing fine.” I haven’t spoken to him in three days, not since I ambushed him back at the manor and he practically told me to buzz off and deal with the violent gangsters myself. “How’s Grandma?”
“She’s well, she’s well.” He doesn’t seem to notice that I didn’t ask about him. “I wanted to touch base with you and say that I got Carmine’s check and it’s going to go a long way to solving some of our problems.”
I sit up straight, frowning at the water, eyes narrowed. “Check? I didn’t know he wrote a check. I thought you weren’t getting any money until after we were married.”
“That’s what I thought too,” he says with a laugh, “but then I got a message that he’d sent an overnight delivery from a courier, and lo and behold, it contained a single check for a lot of money.”
I’m speechless. Carmine hadn’t told me anything about this, and actually, he’s been kind of distant ever since our dinner excursion. I’ve been chalking it up to stress, and he’s been traveling a lot between here and Philly since he couldn’t put that off any longer, and a strange warmth suffuses my stomach.
“That’s… That’s good, right?”
“It’s wonderful, dear, very wonderful. I don’t know what you said to him to make him want to write this check, but it was much needed. And I was thinking I could maybe help out with the, ah, problem you mentioned the other day.”
I grip the phone tighter. “The Panagos problem?”
“Yes, that one,” he says breezily. “I might be able to reallocate some funds. Not the full sum, of course, but perhaps enough to buy some good will and patience.”
“Grandpa, that’d be amazing. Are you serious right now?”
“I’ll do what I can, you just tell your husband that I’m taking care of you, okay? And that more checks wouldn’t be terrible.”
“Right, uh, I will. Sure, Grandpa. And thank you.”
“No, no, sweetie, thank you, and thank Carmine. We’re going to get through this little rough patch together, I promise. Now I’ve got another call, I’ll speak with you later.”
He hangs up. I stare at my quiet phone and let that conversation sink in. Grandpa’s going to give some money to the Panagos, which means they’ll probably leave me alone, since the money’s not going to come from me. Grandpa’s going to step up and handle this after all.