Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 79670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
He is looking at something on his phone and then looks up and just smiles at me, making everything okay. “You look beautiful.”
THIRTY-TWO
ROMEO
I grab the paper bag that holds the dessert in one hand while she grabs the flowers wrapped in brown paper. “Ready?” I ask, and she lets out a huge sigh.
“No,” she says honestly and then smiles at me, making me laugh. She slides her hand in mine as we walk down the beach toward my parents’ house. “What if they don’t like me?” she asks as she looks down at her feet instead of me.
“Then it’s going to suck for them.” I lift our hands to my mouth, kissing her fingers.
“There he is.” I hear someone say and look up to see Ryleigh walking down from the steps of my parents’ house. “The prodigal son.”
I groan. “Why are you here?” I huff and feel Gabriella squeeze my hand to shut me up.
“I’m glad to see you, too,” she replies, wrapping the shawl around her shoulders. “Wow, she’s beautiful, and she’s with you.” She shakes her head. “Excuse my brother and his rudeness. I’m his favorite sister, Ryleigh.”
“She’s my only sister,” I whisper, making Gabriella laugh.
“I’m Gabriella.” She lets go of my hand to offer it to my sister to shake. “His favorite girlfriend.”
“Also, my only girlfriend.” I glare at her as she laughs. “Now, move out of the way so I can come in.” I walk past my sister up the steps. “Now, who is rude making Gabriella wait on the sand?”
“I’m fine,” Gabriella says. “It’s nice to meet you.” I look over at her as she gets on the steps, and she and Ryleigh walk up side by side. “Thank you for coming all this way to meet me.”
“I came to be your council,” Ryleigh says, “pro bono.”
“You work for the city,” I point out, “it’s all pro bono.”
Ryleigh looks over at me and glares. “Why don’t you look in front of you and try not to trip over your dick. I would hate to see you fall into something.”
“I can hear you two bickering all the way inside,” my father grumbles when he walks outside onto the deck. He smiles when he sees me and then smiles even bigger when he spots Gabriella walking behind me. “Can you two behave one time?”
“Don’t look at me,” I defend. “She started it.”
“Real mature,” Ryleigh says, rolling her eyes. “She started it,” she mimics me. “What are you, nine?”
“That’s enough,” my father reprimands between clenched teeth and a smile. “Gabriella.” He walks over to her. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“What he means is, thank you for forgiving my asshole son,” Ryleigh interprets, and I put my head back and groan while Gabriella just rolls her lips, “for being a dick.”
“Well, now we know what side she’s on,” I mumble as my father hugs Gabriella. “Can you just go away?”
She shakes her head. “What fun would that be?” She smirks at me and walks past me to the door leading into the house.
“Thank you for having me,” Gabriella tells my father as we slowly walk inside, and it leads us straight to the big massive kitchen island and family room.
“Romeo,” I hear my mother say, walking out of the kitchen and coming to me. She hugs me and kisses my cheek before she looks over my shoulder at Gabriella. “Hi.” She walks over to her.
“We got you some flowers,” Gabriella says. I can tell how nervous she is, and it makes me love her even more.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” my mother says, smiling at her and grabbing the flowers from her, “but thank you.” She closes the distance between them to hug Gabriella.
“It was my pleasure,” she replies to her softly. “Thank you for having me.”
“What can I get you to drink?” My father looks at me and then back at Gabriella.
“I’ll have a water,” she says with a smile, and the need to be next to her pulls at me.
“Here is dessert.” I hold up the brown bag before I place it on the counter and then walk back over to her, putting my arm over her shoulders. “Hi.” I smile at her.
She looks up at me, smiling, and I bend to kiss her lips. “Hi,” she says softly.
“Come and sit,” my mother says to us as she walks into the kitchen. “Please make yourself at home.”
My father comes over and slaps me on the shoulder when Gabriella steps away from me to go to the kitchen and sit down on the stool. “She’s going to be fine.”
I just smile at him and walk into the kitchen, pulling out the stool beside Gabriella, who is in a conversation with my mother and Ryleigh, who is standing next to the island instead of sitting down. “So how is work?” my father asks, pulling out the stool at the counter, looking at me.