Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Yes,” she sasses. “You would be surprised how deep the story is.”
“Really?” I laugh. I’ve never read the book, but I’ve seen the movie once with my niece, and it’s hard to imagine how deep the book could possibly be with talking animals.
“Every life and love lesson can be found in that story.” She shrugs. “You should read it sometime.”
The song changes and Giselle laughs humorlessly, shaking her head.
“Don’t like this song?” I ask her.
“Are we playing twenty questions?” she snaps. I hold my palms up and she sighs again. “The song is just so fitting.”
I listen to the words for a few seconds. I don’t know who sings it, but it’s a woman and she’s singing about taking a guy home one last time even though another woman is in his heart. My eyes flit to Giselle who’s frowning. She reaches over the table and grabs a shot of Johnnie Walker, downing it in one gulp then slamming it on the table.
“Have you ever cheated, Killian?” she asks. When I don’t answer right away, she adds, “What? You can ask questions, but you can’t answer them?” She reaches for another shot and downs it as fast as the last one.
“No,” I say, answering her question, “I’ve never cheated.”
She raises her eyebrows like she doesn’t believe me, but after a few seconds, she shrugs and says, “I guess that makes sense. Rumor has it you don’t do girlfriends. You can’t cheat if you don’t commit, right?” She reaches for the last shot, but I grab it first and shoot it back.
She glares daggers my way. “Real nice. I need to get going anyway.” She stands and her body sways slightly from all the alcohol she’s had to drink, so I stand as well, putting my arm out to help her.
“I don’t need your help,” she hisses. “I don’t need anyone.”
“Yeah, maybe not, but you’ve had quite a bit to drink. Why don’t I let Olivia and Nick know we’re leaving and I’ll take you home.”
She eyes me skeptically, but shocks me when she nods. “Okay, but only because I don’t want them to have to leave because of me.”
After I let Nick and Olivia know I’m going to get Giselle home, we head outside. Since we all rode in the limo tonight, I told Nick and Olivia they could take it home and I would call for a car service to take us home. I could call for a separate one for Giselle, but with the amount of alcohol she’s consumed, I’d feel better making sure she gets inside safely myself.
The car pulls up and I open the door for Giselle. She slides in, and I go around to the other side to get in. I give the driver Giselle’s address. The ride to her place is silent aside from the music playing on the radio. Giselle stares out the window, and I find myself staring at her reflection in the same window. A song comes on that catches my attention. It’s upbeat…different…and the words hit me hard. I ask the driver to turn it up and he does. The guy is singing about being broken and lonely, but he isn’t sad about it. He’s reveling in the fact the girl he’s with is just as broken and lonely. My gaze stays trained on Giselle. I can’t be sure, but I’m almost positive a tear rolls down her cheek. It’s hard to tell.
I glance down at her hand, and without thinking, reach for it. Her head swings my way, her glassy eyes meeting mine before she looks down at my hand covering hers. Intertwining our fingers, I pull her into my side. She stiffens but doesn’t fight me as I wrap my arm around her shoulders and gently guide her head to my shoulder.
“Do you ever feel broken and lonely, Killian?” she asks softly.
“Every damn day,” I admit. She looks up to meet my gaze and nods once.
“Me too,” she whispers.
The car arrives at her place, and Giselle thanks me for helping her get home safely. When I offer to walk her up, she tells me she can handle it, then she leans over and gives me a chaste kiss on my cheek. As I watch her walk into her building, I can’t help but wonder just how many layers of Giselle there are hidden deep down under the surface. And then I shock the hell out of myself when my next thought is that I’m pretty sure I want to see every one of those hidden layers.
* * *
“Uncle Killian, you’re here!” My adorable niece, Julia, flies down the steps and jumps into my awaiting arms. “I have a new princess movie. Can we watch it, please?” she begs.
“Not right now, kiddo,” Dylan says before I can answer her. “Uncle Killian and I have business to discuss.” My brother, Dylan, who is also my attorney, is all about business.