Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“Gage?”
I halted, and Rory tripped as we both came up short. I looked over, my stomach sinking as I saw who it was. My parents. My arm dropped as Rory stepped away. “Mom. Dad.” There was a couple behind them and they came forward too. “Hey, Shawn. Sarah. Hi.” Shawn was the man who was taking over my position at the company.
Shawn and Sarah greeted me quickly. “Sorry to rush off,” Shawn said, “but that’s our car.” He pointed out to the street, where the valet had just delivered their vehicle to the curb and was waiting with the door held open.
“Have a nice night,” I said.
“Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan. Thank you again. It was a wonderful dinner.”
My parents called goodbye and then we all stood there somewhat awkwardly for a moment before my mom stuck her hand out to Rory. “Ms. Castle, it’s so nice to see you.”
Ms. Castle. Shit.
And where were my manners? I’d left her standing there without any kind of introduction. I was still partially reeling from the amazing sex and coming face to face with the last people I expected—or wanted—to see.
“Hi, Mrs. Buchanan,” Rory said uncomfortably, moving from one foot to the other.
“Er, sorry, ah, Dad, this is…Aurora Castle, the new art appraiser in town.”
Rory whose cheeks were flushed with obvious embarrassment, greeted my dad with little more than a murmur.
My father’s lips did that small twitching thing that I knew meant he was displeased. My stomach sunk farther, skin prickling.
My mother looked back and forth between us. “I didn’t realize you two were…seeing each other.”
“We’re not,” Rory said, her eyes holding on me briefly as her cheeks flushed. Jesus. This was awkward. Was being seen with me at all blowing her cover in some way? I couldn’t even think straight. We’d done so much lying and now I couldn’t work out the truth. And yet, listening to her denying that we were anything to each other felt like something sharp poking at me from beneath my skin, even in the midst of my father’s clear disapproval. “We were just, ah. We ran into each other and…” She looked back at the row of businesses behind her. “At the…nail salon.”
“Oh,” my mother said with a frown. “I…”
“Since when do you get pedicures, Gage?” my dad asked as he squinted toward the shop. “Are they even open?”
“Not now,” I said quickly. “But they were. Up until a few minutes ago. Isn’t that your car?”
“Yes, it is.”
“It was nice running into you guys. I’ll see you at work tomorrow,” I said to my dad.
“Okay,” he said with a frown. I knew what he probably thought. That I was “sowing some oats” before the big move. And he frowned upon it because he was hopeful I had my sights on something serious, and specifically with Blakely. I hated that he thought that about Rory, but the truth was, I had had my sights on something serious. So what was I doing? “Ms. Castle, nice to meet you.”
“You too, sir. Mrs. Buchanan.”
My mom gave Rory a small, confused smile, shooting me a troubled look before they both walked toward their car, my mom looking back once before getting in the passenger side.
I let out a long exhale. “What were the fucking odds of that?”
“We seem to find a way to beat the odds every time,” she said, but the frown marring her forehead told me she didn’t mean it in a positive way. “I should get home. It’s been a long night and the dogs are expecting me bright and early.”
I turned toward her. “Hey, I’m sorry that was awkward—”
“We’ve been awkward from the start, Ivy League,” she said. “How could we be anything but?”
I gave her a small smile and we started walking, the mood very suddenly somber where it had been full of fun and teasing just minutes before. Before real life had stepped right into our path. And fuck but that kept happening. Reminders of the limitations of us kept asserting themselves at every turn.
Those rules again. The ones that had been not-so-subtly listed for me since I was born.
By my parents.
The community.
I took her hand in mine and gave it a swing, peering over at her. She turned her head and looked back at me, giving me a small sweet smile. “Thanks for a fun night, Ivy League.”
“No, thank you, Cakes.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Rory
“Rory! Oh, I’m so glad you made it,” Haven said.
“Thank you for inviting me.” I adjusted my purse on my shoulder and handed her the platter of red, white, and blue decorated cupcakes I’d picked up at a bakery on my way over.
She took them. “Ooh, thank you!” She leaned in and gave me a squeeze, taking me momentarily off guard, but in a good way that settled my nerves, before quickly stepping back. “Come with me and I’ll introduce you to everyone and get you a drink. But not in that order.” She laughed. “You might want a drink before meeting this group.”