Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Okay,” Dad concedes. “Go have your fun, but make sure you’re still handling things.”
“Of course,” I say because business has always come first.
I’ve been working for Bradford Hotels since I was old enough to have a job, and before that, I spent every chance I could learning from my dad because when he’s ready to retire, I’ll be the one to step into his shoes. And from what he’s told me, it’ll be sooner rather than later—by the end of this year if Mom has it her way.
My brothers, Dustin and Carmine, also work for our family’s company. Dustin is the head of accounting. He’s always been a whiz with numbers, so it suits him. He loves his position as CFO and has no desire to change it. Carmine is the head of marketing and does a damn good job. I’d bet he and Paige would get along. When she spoke about working for Kingston Liquor, I could see the same kind of passion in her eyes that Carmine gets when he’s discussing his latest marketing idea.
Our father never pushed anything on us, but we’re a close-knit family, and working for Bradford Hotels was always what we wanted to do.
Dad and I hang up, and I shoot Nolan a text, letting him know I’m aware that he ratted me out to my dad. Then, I scan the room in search of Paige, hoping she isn’t going to stand me up, when I spot her staring down at her phone with a frown marring her beautiful face.
She shakes her head and sighs and then pockets it. Her eyes meet mine, and she smiles, but because I’ve seen what her genuine smile looks like, I know this one is forced.
“Everything okay?” I ask once I’m standing in front of her.
“Yeah,” she chokes out.
“Let’s try that again.” I palm her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
She releases a harsh breath, and her eyes ascend as she tries not to let her tears fall.
“Hey,” I murmur, pulling her to the side so we’re not standing in the middle of the lobby. “Talk to me.”
“Apparently, my friends have chosen sides, and it’s not mine.” She shrugs like it doesn’t bother her, but we both know otherwise. “It was bad enough John cheated on me with my friend, but now, the couple who’s getting married, who were my friends first, have welcomed them to attend the wedding together.”
“Ouch. That doesn’t sound like any of these people are your friends.”
“I worked with Marina, and Phoebe was my roommate. By default, their boyfriends and mine became friends. Phoebe and Steve broke up a couple of months ago, and he moved, so nobody had to choose, but now, she’s dating John, and that makes things awkward since I’m friends with Marina, but I’m also the only one who lives in a different country.”
She sniffles back her cry, trying to be strong. “Marina said she didn’t know, but she can’t let this ruin her wedding, and since they were both invited, John asked if we could trade seats. Since Phoebe and Steve only recently broke up, Steve is still on the guest list, so I’ll be sitting next to an open seat so Phoebe and John can sit together.”
“Why even go?” I ask, hating to see her upset and wondering what kind of friends would put someone who’s just been betrayed in that position.
“Because I’m in the wedding and it will look petty if I don’t show up. Technically, Marina didn’t do anything wrong. She’s switching me and Phoebe so there aren’t any issues, and honestly, I’d rather sit next to an empty seat than with John, but…” She huffs. “I guess I was hoping Phoebe would do the right thing and not go. John and I are both in the wedding, but she’s not.”
“You already know they’re both shitty people,” I point out. “Neither of them thought about your feelings while they were together behind your back, so why would they consider your feelings now?”
“I know,” she says. “I just wish, for once, someone would put me first.”
Her words come out as a whisper, but they hit my heart like a bullet. If Paige were mine, I would put her first every goddamn day for the rest of our lives. She deserves for someone to think about her, to be there for her, to love her, but that can’t be me. I hate that our time is limited and that we can never be anything more than a London memory.
“It’ll happen,” I tell her, tipping her chin up and pressing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “Now, what’s on the agenda for today? You have over thirty hours before you need to think about that wedding, so put it out of your head, and let’s enjoy London.”
“I actually had an idea, but I’m not sure you’d want—”