Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
It was on the tip of my tongue to say something sarcastic, but I resisted and turned my attention back to the nachos, piling another chip to make sure I had a little of everything on top. Margot grabbed my wrist and I looked up with a frown.
“What’s wrong?”
She tugged my wrist with a smile and brought the chip to her mouth. She nodded more vigorously with every bite, and as she finished, a smile spread across her face. “Oh my! It’s even better on the next bite. Absolutely wonderful!” Her eyes lit up beautifully, and I glanced away for a brief moment and then looked back, just to reassure myself it was the same woman, because this woman, a little bit tipsy and full of smiles for me, was not the Margot I knew. I wasn’t sure if this was the alcohol, or a facet of her personality she kept hidden in favor of the stuck up persona she showed the world. She noticed me staring and her eyes widened in shock. “What? Oh, sorry that was terribly rude. It’s tasty though.”
It didn’t seem to pain her at all to offer up a compliment about my bar, so I smiled and switched our plates, taking the loaded burger and curly fries for myself. “Enjoy.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly let you give up your dinner for me.”
I waved off her concern and popped a fry into my mouth. “Consider it my birthday gift to you.”
Her shoulders fell in resignation and Margot nodded. “Thank you, Grady. That’s really sweet.”
I shrugged off her words, knowing the alcohol put her manners before her dislike of my lower status. “No problem. Eat.”
We ate in silence, until the plates were clean, and I cleared them to the kitchen, returning with more water for Margot and the birthday cake Nina dropped off earlier. “What’s this?”
“Cake. Nina made it for my birthday, and since it’s also your birthday, you can have a slice,” I told her and hesitated. “Unless you don’t eat sugar either?”
“Funny,” she rolled her eyes. “I indulge in sugar occasionally, especially on my birthday. And today of all days,” she groaned and attacked the slice of two-tiered cake with her fork.
“Happy birthday to us,” I said and attacked my slice with the same energy. Nina’s cake was delicious with a layer of vanilla and a layer lemon soaked in hazelnut liqueur. The buttercream frosting made my mouth water even as I ate it.
I noticed that Margot had stopped, and I knew instantly something was wrong, but I kept my focus where it belonged, on my cake. At least that was the plan, but then she burst out in tears. Not the soft, quiet tears I’d have expected from her, but big, wrenching sobs that shook her petite frame until the plate in front of her rattled.
“I’m sorry,” she bawled. “Don’t mind me.”
As if it were really so simple to just ignore a beautiful, bawling woman while she cried her eyes out. With a quiet groan, I pushed away from my seat and rounded the booth to sit beside Margot and wrap my arms around her.
“It’s all right,” I whispered, and ignored the press of her plump breast against my chest as I rubbed soothing circles against her back while she cried and cried. Eventually she needed oxygen, or maybe the tears were coming to an end, but when I pulled back, she looked up at me as tears still swam in her eyes. “Tell me you’re not one of those women crying because you’re getting older.” I smiled in relief in the face of her wicked glare.
Margot was back.
Chapter 3
Margot
I don’t know if it was part of his plan or not, but Grady’s words stopped my tears instantly. I glared up at him, all too aware of just how close we were. So close that I could see the threads of light blue and dark blue that swam together to give his eyes their unique hue. I blinked hard to swipe my mind free of his handsome face, and gave his chest a shove, which did nothing, because the man was a big as a house.
“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”
His lips twitched with laughter. “It just means that I hope you’re not sad about living another year. Aging is something none of us can avoid, no matter how hoity toity we are.”
I snorted at his glib words about aging. He wasn’t just a man, he was a young and good looking man. “This coming from a man who’s barely thirty, if he’s a day.”
“Thirty-two as of today, thank you very much.” He flashed a wide grin that was equal parts handsome and annoying.
I rolled my eyes at the pride in his eyes, the easy way he just blurted out his age. “Come to me when you’re pushing fifty. Not that I’m fifty,” I rushed to clarify. “I’m forty-seven and even that number I share reluctantly.”