Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 52643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Taking several deep breaths, I circle the block one last time before pulling into the parking garage. And before I can turn around and change my mind, I step out of the car and rush inside, leaving the drive’s side door wide open.
Tell him now, tell him now…
“Good evening, Miss Edwards.” The elevator attendant tips his hat to me. “It’s good to—” He doesn’t finish his sentence.
He pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and hands it to me before hitting the button for Brett’s floor.
He avoids my gaze in the mirrored glass as we ride up, and I wipe away more tears.
When the doors glide open, I don’t recognize where I am.
What the…
A tuxedoed man is sitting at a white Steinway piano, his finger strumming the chords to a love song I can’t name.
Twinkling candles and oversized books are lining the hall, and when I round the corner, Brett is down on one knee, a velvet black box in his hand.
I stop walking and swallow hard.
“Come all the way out here, babe.” He smiles, but I remain still.
He laughs and stands up, moving closer to me and returning to one knee.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you while I was gone,” he says. “I know you said ‘break,’ but I didn’t take it literally. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and I love you. I want to be with you, Genevieve Edwards. So, allow me to—”
“I slept with someone else while you were in Japan,” I say. “I did take the word ‘break’ literally.”
He blinks, then he slowly stands to his feet.
“Who?”
“Liam,”
“Liam who?” he asks. “I don’t know any—Lauren’s boyfriend?”
The pianist hits a flat note, and seconds later I hear the glass door squeaking close behind me.
He crosses his arms. “Why?”
“I’m going to get to that part.”
“Get to it now.”
“I’ve never stopped thinking about him. I searched for him for years, hoping he would appear in a storefront window or a coffee shop, and when he did…”
“He was with someone else.” He hissed. “Excuse me, he was damn near engaged to someone else.”
“Not exactly.”
“Yes, exactly.” He clenches his jaw. “When exactly were you two dating before? Better yet, was this some type of fuck him one last time to see that you belong with me?”
“No.” My voice cracks. “This is me saying I don’t belong with you. I’m sorry, Brett. I can’t marry you, let alone be in this relationship anymore.”
“Wait a minute…” He narrows his eyes. “Exeter, right? Was he your teacher when you were fucking him?”
I swallow. “That doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, that’s rich.” He scoffs. “You were a little teacher’s pet with Daddy issues?”
“Brett, it wasn’t like that.”
“Does Lauren know about this?”
“He’s going to break it to her this week.”
“This week?” He laughs cruelly. “No wonder she looked so happy when I saw her at Waldman’s just now. I hate to ruin her day, but she needs to know.”
“She will, when Liam tells her this week.”
“Nah.” He steps back and then turns away. “I think I need to run down there and tell her now.”
“Brett, don’t.”
“By the way, the Statute of limitations on statutory rape is ten years,” Brett says. “If he was your teacher and he was sleeping with you, I’ll need to make him pay for that.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I will.”
He rushes past me, and I trip over a rug trying to follow.
The elevator doors are shutting when I make it to the hallway, so I run down the emergency stairwell.
When I make it to the cafe, Lauren is waving at me and Brett is hallway to her.
Delusional, I walk faster, as if I can catch him somehow.
“Hey guys!” she says. “I know we agreed to meet up when Brett got back from Japan, but I was thinking someplace a lot more fun than this. And hopefully another double date if…Well, you know, Gen-Gen. I’m talking to Liam this weekend.”
“Liam is fucking Genevieve,” Brett says, and then, as if he needs to make sure it’s’ absolutely clear. “Your boyfriend is fucking the woman I was literally just proposing to.”
The smile on Lauren’s face fades.
“Come on.” She pushes my shoulder. “This isn’t a funny joke, you two.”
“It’s not a joke,” Brett says. “He was fucking her when he was her teacher, too. They had a relationship before apparently, and they want to be together.”
“Genevieve…” Lauren shakes her head. “Tell me this is a joke. Please? Like, now.”
“It’s not a joke,” I say.
She blinks a few times, and suddenly she raises her hand and slaps me across the face.
“Stay the hell away from me.” She hisses before leaving.
“I with Lauren.” Brett rubs salt into the wound. “Stay the hell away from me, too.”
5
GENEVIEVE
Lauren
FUCK. YOU.
You are a SACK OF SHIT.
How long have you been screwing Liam behind my back?!!!
Lauren
Actually, FUCK BOTH OF YOU!
Iread Lauren’s latest messages one last time before muting her number.