Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Mmm.” I nod with a tight grin. “Well, it’s always nice seeing you.”
“Have a lovely day, Scottie.”
After he exits the store, I grab my phone.
Scottie: Your grandpa doesn’t want you to have free milk!
Koen: I’m lost
Scottie: He thinks we need to be married before we live together!
Koen: Lol
Lol!
That’s his response.
After the remaining two customers check out, I call him.
“Hi.” He sounds cool and calm.
“He’s not joking, Koen. I have never seen him look so disappointed as he did when I confirmed we were moving in together. He said your grandmother would roll over in her grave.”
“Don’t worry about it. That’s not even possible. She was cremated.”
I cover my mouth to muffle my snort. “I’m serious, Koen. I can’t move in with you now. He will never look at me the same way.”
“So … you’re more concerned about the way he looks at you than you are about the way I love you?”
“That’s not fair. Our living together shouldn’t change how you feel about me.”
“It changes my proximity to be able to feel you.”
Again, I suppress my giggles. I need him to be serious. “I am a sacred cow. I think we should wait.”
“Wait to move in? You can’t be serious.”
“And I think we should wait to have sex.”
He laughs. “Newsflash. We’ve had sex. And how would he know?”
“He’ll see it on my face. I’m glowing after we have sex.”
“You’re always glowing, Scottie.”
I blush. “You’re just saying that so I’ll have sex with you.”
“No. I’m saying it because it’s true. But if it makes you lose your inhibitions, who am I to object?”
“What about your mom?”
“I’d prefer she not lose her inhibitions.”
I sit on the stool and spin in a circle. “But your grandpa—”
“Lives in la-la land. I humor him when I can. But this is too much. Listen, I gotta get back to work. We move forward as planned. We don’t have to tell him we’re living together.”
“For the record, you’re the one who told him.”
“He asked me how things were going between us, and I told him you’re moving in with me.”
“And he took it that we’re getting married.”
“Well, that’s on him. Love you. Gotta go. Bye.”
“Bye.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I WAS TOO NEARSIGHTED TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE AND TOO FARSIGHTED TO SEE WHAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE ME.
Price
“Did Scottie tell you I asked her to move in with me?” Koen asks, jogging on the treadmill while I walk at an incline next to him for our warm-up before we lift weights.
“She might have mentioned it.”
“Don’t act like she doesn’t tell you every fucking little thing.”
Koen and I are over two months into our workout bromance, but he still has an angry tone when he references my relationship with Scottie. Maybe he needs a hug.
“Not acting. What’s your point?”
“My grandpa found out, and today she called it off because he mentioned his disapproval of the idea because he’s old-fashioned. Since when did Scottie give a shit what other people think?”
“She values family and relationships. If she’s worried about what your grandpa thinks, it’s because she thinks you two might be together for the foreseeable future, and she doesn’t want unnecessary tension with your grandpa.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“No. I haven’t talked with her today.”
“Then how do you know that?”
“Much to your chagrin, no doubt, I know Scottie. I know her better now than when we were together twelve years ago.”
“How so?” Koen asks, sounding a little out of breath.
“I’ve had twelve years to ponder the memories of her. Time bestows clarity. Perhaps you should move away for twelve years and return when you see things more clearly.”
He glances over at me. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
I chuckle. “I’m not your enemy. Not your competition.”
“Doesn’t feel like that.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because she talks about you like you’re the exception to everything. The untouchable exception. The one who can do no wrong.”
“I am pretty close to perfect.”
Koen smacks the off button. “Fuck you.”
I laugh, lowering the incline and the speed before shutting it off. When I get to the free weights, I hand him a clean towel that reeks of bleach. He’s working much harder than I am.
“Listen, Koen. When she talks about you, it’s like I’m witnessing a young girl in the front row of a boy band concert. She’s high on whatever you’re feeding her. And I support her happiness as long as you don’t try to change her.”
He wipes his face, eyeing me with his never-ending distrust.
“She’s the goddamn fountain of youth, Koen. Eternal sunshine. The closest you’ll ever come to feeling immortal. Don’t fuck it up.” I rest a firm hand on his shoulder and squeeze it harder than necessary.
“Why not you?” he asks as I lift weights onto the bar.
“Why not me what?”
“How can you say those things about her and not make a play for her? Why are you so willing to hand her to someone else?”