Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 24266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
P.P.S. Don’t shave the thorns off any of Everett’s fiancée’s flowers; I highly doubt that marriage will last, and she’ll never know it was done on purpose. :-)
SEVENTEEN
Everett
Walking through my house during the engagement party was like walking through high school all over again. Carmen had found everyone I’d ever said “hello” to when I was a teenager, and the clash between my old ways and our multi-million-dollar decor was overwhelming.
It was also fake as fuck…
I shook hands with her oldest cousin and excused myself from the party. Picking up a beer, I carried to the balcony and gazed at the terrace.
Something green twinkled in the distance, and I squinted for a better look.
It was a stone-grey frog with glittering gems for his eyes.
It was Dahlia’s mom’s signature for her landscaping jobs.
“Instead of being normal and using a ‘designed by’ sign, she wants to do these weird frogs from here on out. If you don’t offer to come over and help me with this, you’re not the best boyfriend ever anymore.”
I laughed at the memory; I could still remember that long weekend of work like it was yesterday.
“You alright out here?” Carmen’s voice was suddenly behind me.
“I’m fine.” I sipped my beer.
“Okay, well…” She cleared her throat. “I know we just got this house, but um, the party room is downstairs, not out here.”
“I’m aware.” I turned around to face her. “Why do you love me, Carmen?”
“What’s not to love?”
“No, no, no.” I finished the last of my bottle and set it on the ledge. “Give me some concrete reasons why.”
“I can talk to you about anything, and I see us building one hell of a future together because we have so many things in common.”
“Name five.”
“Is this like a pop quiz?”
I smiled at her. “Just name five.”
“Movies, art, business, hatred of rude people, and books.” She stepped closer. “We also laugh a lot together, and everyone who comes around us always says they can tell we’re a great match.”
“Do you think that?”
“Of course, I do.”
“So, if I didn’t have six hundred thousand dollars that you could spend on Dior every week, it wouldn’t matter?”
“Not at all.” She grabbed my hands. “I love you for you.”
“And if you couldn’t take private jets to Hawaii or L.A. whenever you wanted—”
“It wouldn’t matter one bit.”
“What about if you weren’t able to get away with seeing four other men behind my back?”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“I invited them here tonight,” I said, looking at my watch. “I gave them a delayed start time, but I figured I should fly them to you for a change instead of you having to make plans yourself.”
“Everett, I have no idea what you’re talking about…”
“You even used some of my money to buy them gifts,” I said. “I don’t know too many women who want custom suits from Tom Ford.”
“That was for a cousin.”
“Which one?”
The redness on her face gave her away.
“I love you,” she said. “I want a family with you.”
“I’m not into sharing my kid with multiple stepdads.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” Tears welled in her eyes. “This is—this is about Dahlia fucking Foster, isn’t it?”
“Come again?”
“She still has some type of hold on you…Ever since we’ve come here, you haven’t made love to me at all.”
“You’re the one who suggested no more sex until we tie the knot.” I crossed my arms. “I appreciate you for that.”
“She told you that I stopped by to talk to her, didn’t she?”
I arched a brow. “This is my first time hearing about that. When the hell was this?”
“I tried to stake my claim, to keep her away from here long before we got here, and I should’ve known the moment I ordered those roses for you, the moment she gave me the worst-stems I’d ever had, that she was cutting me and us up on purpose. And then she—”
“You told me you never ordered anything from Blooms & Letters.” I caught what she’d just said. “What did your letter say?”
“That I loved you.”
“What else did it say?”
“Everett, you're not actually going to do this are you?” She ignored my question, grabbing my wrist. “Why don't we just take a moment to calm down? You're not thinking.”
“My thoughts are crystal clear,” I said. “Six months wasn’t enough time to really know you, anyway. You caught me at a low moment.”
“How can you say such a thing?” Her voice cracked, and she scrunched her face like she was about to cry, but no tears fell. “We just need some time alone to recommit to each other.”
“That’s the opposite of what we need.” I couldn’t believe she was still trying to force tears. “Let’s end this like adults.”
“I love you, Everett.”
“You love my money.”
“That’s why I went out of my way to throw you this amazing party?”
“No, that’s why you’re still fucking other guys.” I noticed a few guests eyeing us from the window. “I suggest you tell everyone this party’s over. Start packing your bags.”