Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
I chuckle at her. “We should do this before I change my mind.” I walk over to the car, opening my door and stop to look over the hood at her. “We really are doing this?”
“Yes.” She nods before taking a deep breath in, but I don’t see her exhale as she holds it in. The wind picks up and her ponytail flies to the side.
“Should we go to Vegas?” I ask, looking at my watch and seeing it’s almost eleven. If we got on a flight in the next two hours, it would take six hours to get there, wasting a lot of time.
“Vegas might be good. I mean, that is where everyone else I know goes to elope.”
“Who is everyone you know?” I ask, pulling out my phone, looking down at it when she starts talking and I have to look up.
“Britney Spears.” She holds up one finger. “Kourtney Kardashian.” She holds up another finger. “Joe Jonas. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.”
“You don’t know those people, Eva,” I remind her, “those are celebrities.”
“You don’t know everything about me, Levi.” She glares at me. “I have other friends.”
“Shall we invite your friends to our wedding, then?” I ask, trying not to laugh.
“No, because they don’t know you,” she chuffs as she opens the car door and gets in, slamming it, and all I can do is laugh.
I open my own door and get in, starting the car and putting the phone on Bluetooth. As soon as it’s connected, I look for the contact and call the only person who, sadly, will know what to do in this situation. I mean, he might not know what to do exactly, but he’s with someone who would know. I click the phone button and Eva looks at the middle console; her eyes go big as she grabs on to my arm and squeezes when he picks up.
“Hey,” he answers after the second ring and before Eva can talk me out of calling him.
“Hey,” I greet back quickly, “how are you doing?”
I look over at Eva, who shakes her head and mouths, “I’m not here,” as she motions to her neck with her hand and shakes her head. “Can’t complain,” he replies. “What about you?”
This whole conversation is strained and I have no doubt Stefano feels it as well. “Yeah, yeah, it’s good,” I say. “Are you home?”
“I am,” he confirms. “Is everything okay with you?”
“Um, yeah,” I say, glancing at the screen, then looking out my window. “Listen, Eva and I are going to come visit with you tomorrow.”
“Eva,” he says her name, “and you”—his voice stops—“are coming to visit with me tomorrow?” He repeats my words and I close my eyes thinking maybe I should have just shown up at his place.
“Yeah,” I state as if it’s nothing and look over at Eva, who just shakes her head and mouths, “Idiot.”
“Is something wrong?” Stefano asks, his voice going low, and I hear he’s walking fast. “Should I come to you guys? Where is Eva?”
“She’s—” I start to say when I roll my eyes as I think of an excuse but nothing, and I mean nothing, is coming to me, my mind is a blank canvas. Actually, the only thing that is coming to me is I will probably be married by this time next week. Married. I open my left hand to see my finger. Will I wear a ring?
“I’m right here,” Eva pipes up, smacking my right arm to snap me out of my freak-out.
“You’re next to Levi, and you guys are coming down tomorrow?” he questions. I hear ringing and look down at my phone to see he’s trying to FaceTime us.
“What do I do?” I whisper over to Eva, who grabs the phone out of my hand.
“You’re the worst,” she whispers back, pressing the green button. She waits for the white circle to go around and say it’s connecting and Stefano’s face fills the screen.
He brings the phone close to his face. “Why does she look like that?” he grinds between clenched teeth. “Levi, did you do something?” I glare over at the phone, putting my head back on the headrest.
“Listen, it’s too much to explain right now,” Eva explains, “but I know you, and you’ll go all apeshit crazy.”
“Batshit crazy,” I correct her, “it’s you who is going batshit crazy.”
“Really?” she growls between clenched teeth. “Now you want to correct me?” She doesn’t even let me answer. “Anyway, before you alert the whole Greek family and they start descending on me, I’m fine, he’s fine.” She motions with her head toward me. “But there is something we need to talk about, and we will do it tomorrow when we get there.” She looks over at me. “Anything you would like to add?”
“Nope,” I reply, unsure of saying anything really. Stefano is the closest thing I have to a brother. Being an only child to parents who had me a lot later in life, who actually just had me so they could say they had me. They did their duty, but when I moved out and went to college, we drifted apart. They did their thing, I did mine. We would talk a couple of times a year but it was nothing like Stefano had with his parents. It was only when I was around Stefano and his parents that I realized I missed out. I know it’s not my parents’ fault, it’s just who they are. “I’m here with Eva and I’m going to book us flights today.”