Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“I told you once, and I’ll tell you again,” I say, “the world revolves around money and status, and until you accept that, you’re going to keep getting your heart broken and being disappointed.” While Nick is looking for love—some non-existent soulmate to give his sappy heart to—I’m looking for a future.
“And I’ll tell you once again, we’ll have to agree to disagree.” He pulls me into a side-hug and kisses my temple. “One day you’re going to meet a guy who’s going to knock you right off your feet, and you’re going to finally understand that no amount of money can buy love.”
“That sounds like it would hurt,” I joke. “I’ll leave the falling to you…on the football field.” I shoot him a playful wink, and he laughs. “So, what’s going on tonight?” I nod toward his outfit. He’s obviously dressed up for a reason. Unless Nick is going somewhere, he’s always in basketball shorts and a T-shirt.
“Party tonight. Some friends from high school are getting together for a reunion of sorts.” He pulls on his shoes. “Wanna go?”
“Hmm, let’s see here…” I tap my lower lip with my index finger, pretending to contemplate whether I want to go. This is the first time I’ll get to meet Nick’s high school friends. Because of our age difference, he’d never let me tag along to any of the parties he attended while he was in high school or college. “Rich, hot, older guys all in one place, or another night spent with my drunken mother…What do you think?”
Nick frowns. “How is Beatrice?”
“Same as she’s been my entire life. Drunk and waiting on the love of her life to mend her broken heart.”
His frown deepens. “You could be a little more understanding.”
“Seriously?” I scoff. “Some biker guy knocks up my mother and takes off, promising to return, only to disappear. My mom chooses to pine after him for the next eighteen years, forcing me to live in a rusted metal can in a damn trailer park, barely working enough to pay our electric bill and rent, and I’m supposed to be understanding?”
My blood is now boiling, and my skin is heating up. My mother could’ve gotten us out of our shitty situation. She’s best friends with Victoria, Nick’s mom. She’s been introduced to dozens of wealthy men. But instead, she refuses to leave our seven hundred square foot trailer, and continues to work at the same hole-in-the-wall diner, in hope that one day he’ll come back like he promised. I’ve tried to look him up a couple times at the public library, but the only thing I know is that his last name is Leblanc—same as mine. Apparently, he once referred to me as baby Leblanc, and when my mom asked, he confirmed that was his last name.
According to my mom, he was a member of some biker gang and went by the name of Snake—really classy, huh? He met my mom while passing through town. They fell in love and spent the next few months planning their life together. My mom got pregnant, and supposedly Snake was just as excited as she was. He said he had some affairs to get in order, promising to return soon, only he never did—making my mother a single mom. And yes, in case you’re wondering, Snake is actually written on my birth certificate. Who in their right mind falls in love with a man but never takes the time to learn his real name? My mother, that’s who!
“I get it,” Nick says, “but you’ve never been in love, so you don’t understand.”
“And you have?” I snort in disbelief.
“No, but I’m at least capable of it,” Nick volleys back. “If I met the love of my life and she promised to return, I would wait for her. Your mom is heartbroken. She can’t imagine loving anyone else but him. It’s kind of romantic.”
“Yeah, well, if that’s how love works, you can have it,” I hiss. “Her love for my father destroyed her, and I refuse to ever be destroyed by a man.”
“No, you’d rather do the destroying,” Nick smarts.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap. It’s not often Nick and I argue, but when we do, it’s usually over this very subject. We don’t see eye-to-eye on love and never will.
“Never mind.” Nick sighs. “Just try not to destroy any of my friends’ hearts tonight. I prefer to keep them as friends.”
“I can’t help if they fall for me and get hurt.” I turn on my heel, done with this conversation. “I need to run home and change my outfit. Drive me?”
“Sure.”
We pull up to my place, and Nick parks his Audi along the road since my mom’s piece of shit clunker is parked in the tiny driveway. She’s sitting outside with a beer in one hand and a joint in the other, and our neighbor Dale—the nasty drug dealer I know she fucks on occasion when she’s feeling extra lonely—is sitting next to her with his hand resting on her thigh.