Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
I found myself getting up and walking over to join them only for them to stop talking as soon as I was in hearing distance. I tried to pretend that their sudden silence didn’t affect me, so I pasted a smile on my face as I stuffed my hands in my pockets. “What are you two chatting about?”
Frankie looked up at me and quickly looked away. “Nothing, just an old movie that we both enjoyed.”
I raised a brow at the sound of her wobbly voice. It was clear she was lying, but I decided to play along so I pasted a smile on my face. “Oh, what movie?”
“Die Hard.”
“Steel Magnolias.”
They answered simultaneously. Then they exchanged shocked glances before repeating the movie the other had blurted out.
My brows shot up because I could see right through their bullshit, and I think they realized it as well because neither of them could fully look me in the eyes. “Which one is it?”
“We were talking about both actually.” Kenny shot me one of his signature grins that would always get him out of trouble when he was a kid. For the most part, it worked because our mother doted on him to the point where the rest of us were ignored. And honestly, I usually let him as well. But this…I didn’t like being lied to like this, no matter how small.
“Oh? That’s funny you mentioned liking Die Hard so much considering you said you refused to watch the movie because you hate that people have labeled it as a holiday movie, and you decided to take a stand out of principle.”
A deep shade of red creeped up Kenny’s neck and engulfed his face. “Well, I changed my mind. Did you want something?”
“Is it a crime to want to talk to my girlfriend and my brother?”
“Of course not.” Frankie stood up quickly and gave me a bright smile before hooking her arm through mine. While I wasn’t ready to easily overlook my brother’s lie, I could hers. That smile made me feel like a hormonal teenager. My heart was doing all kinds of backflips. In fact, I’d forgotten why I’d even come over here in the first place because I was lost in her big brown gaze.
“Are you ready to leave?” I wanted to get her alone, and I was tired of sharing her for the night.
“Do you guys have to go?” Kenny piped in before she could answer.
“Are you two leaving?” I hadn’t heard my mother joining us, but there she was next to me with her arms, folded and lips pursed. “I suppose you want to leave?” She leveled what sounded like an accusation at Frankie.
For reasons I didn’t understand, my mother didn’t seem to take to Frankie as I thought she would although she’d never been outright nasty. But my mother’s opinion of Frankie didn’t matter to me because I knew she was just being her overbearing self. I figured she’d come around eventually.
“Actually, it was my idea. It’s getting late, and I have an early meeting. Frankie has to work as well.”
My mom’s lips momentarily thinned before they curled into a tight smile. “Well, in that case, I’m sure glad the two of you were able to make time for us. I know how new romance can be. You tend to forget about everything and everyone, even your dear old mom.” She then turned to my brother. “At least I’ll always have you, Kenny.”
I was used to her subtle barbs when she compared me to my brother. She’d made no secret of the fact of how much she hated that I had gone away for school and made my career far away from home until a few years ago when I started a firm of my own. I noticed how Kenny’s face tightened this time at my mother’s words, and it was clear he wasn’t too fond of them either. The earlier wave of jealousy I’d felt for him was replaced by pity. I turned my head away so he wouldn’t see it.
“Yes, well, I’ll be in touch.” I leaned over and gave my mother a perfunctory kiss on the cheek.
“Hmm. You say that, but then I won’t hear from you for days.” My mother then turned her a slightly narrowed-eyed stare in Frankie’s direction. “I trust the meal was to your liking?”
“Everything was delicious. Thank you for having me.”
“Well, Nicholas insisted he bring you, so…. Anyway, thanks for coming.”
I had to give Frankie credit for not flinching at my mother’s backhanded attempt at hospitality.
I was damned proud of her when she smiled. “Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure.” It was spoken without an ounce of irony. It pleased me because God knows if there was anyone who knew how to get under someone’s skin it was my mother.