Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“It’s nice to meet you, Chantal.” I stick my hand out to greet her, but when she looks at me like I’m a disease, I quickly retreat to save myself from humiliation.
“It’s your birthday today, right?” Gerald asks. I’m surprised he’s remembered since he always forgot during the years we were together.
“Yeah, I’m here with Blaire,” I say, wanting out of this awkward situation and still needing to pee.
Gerald nods. “Of course you are. And I’m assuming you still live together?”
On more than one occasion, Gerald voiced his disdain for Blaire, agreeing with my mother that I would be better off living elsewhere. Trust me when I say, Gerald’s feelings toward Blaire are more than mutual.
“We are. She’s somewhere around here.” I look around in hope that by willing her to appear, she will suddenly materialize like magic.
“I’m surprised to see you in a club.”
I’m not sure how his words are meant to be taken, but they rub me the wrong way.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He gives me a quizzical look. “Nothing. You’re just usually teaching, reading, or volunteering at your church. I never imagined running into you in a club. Does your mom know you’re here?” He smirks condescendingly, and I know now his words were meant as a dig at me.
Yes, it’s true, I spend my days teaching, I do enjoy snuggling up with a good book, and I do spend a lot of my free time running the church’s youth program, but there is more to me than that. Well, actually, there really isn’t, which only helps support the fact that I need to stop planning to make changes in my life and actually make them. I enjoy teaching and reading and running the youth program, but I want to experience more. I have an entire list of things I want to do that’s sitting in my nightstand drawer, but rarely gets to make an appearance.
“I’m pretty sure my mom doesn’t have a say in what I do,” I hiss, annoyed that Gerald is completely spot-on. She might not have a say in what I do, but she definitely has an opinion and, up until tonight, I allowed her opinion to steer my choices—but not anymore.
He chuckles. “Hmm…I guess a lot has changed in the last six months.”
I shrug, too fired up to respond. It hasn’t changed… but it will. Life is too short, and I’ve spent too much time waiting for it to change, when the fact is, the only way anything will ever change is if I do something about it. It’s my life and I’m in charge of how I live it.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” he asks.
His question momentarily shocks me. I know I should be honest and say no, but when Chantal gives me a knowing look, my insecurities come out.
“Nevaeh? Are you seeing anyone?” Gerald repeats.
The lie slides out easier than it should. “Yes.”
He looks around incredulously, while his fiancée hits me with a bitchy smirk.
“Is he here?” he asks, when he doesn’t locate him.
I’m not thinking clearly—I’ll blame it on my martini. “He’s at the bar.”
They swing their gazes over to where I mentioned, and then Gerald says, “Him? That’s who you’re seeing?”
I follow their line of vision, shocked when I spot the man Gerald thinks I’m seeing…because my goodness, he is beyond gorgeous. My eyes land on a pair of calculating eyes that hold me frozen in place. With his messy brown hair, expensive looking suit that fits him oh so perfectly, and a face that belongs on a cover of GQ, the man is sexy…and completely out of my league. My eyes are locked with his as he holds my stare for a second longer, before turning his attention back to his drink.
As he raises his glass to his lips, I have this crazy thought of wanting to be that glass—to have his lips press up against mine as he slowly drinks me, tastes me—
“Why don’t you introduce us?” Chantal suggests, cutting off my fantasy.
“Yeah, I would love to meet the next candidate,” Gerald quips.
Yep, definitely blaming this on the martini—and I’m definitely crossing off get drunk from my list, because there’s no way I would make such stupid choices if I were sober. I mean, really? What was I thinking? I should’ve said he wasn’t here. Did I really think they wouldn’t want to meet him with him only standing fifteen feet away?
Well, too late now… There’s no way I’m going to admit I’m full of crap.
“Sure,” I tell them with faux certainty in my voice.
With my heart thumping along to the music, I walk up to the mysterious man, who oozes sex and lust and danger—everything my mother has spent my entire life instilling in me to avoid. He doesn’t see me coming until I reach him, but when he finally does, he acknowledges me with what looks like approving eyes. I can’t let Gerald win. And that’s what I keep repeating to myself when I grab the stranger’s neck and pull him down until our mouths crash against one another.