Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
I gasp as terror crosses my face. “No! A few years? Please, I’m begging you not to do this. Please, please, please!”
But there’s no changing their minds despite my begging and pleading. Shoulders slumped, I pick up my purse and exit the office with tears still dripping off my chin. Surely, my crime wasn’t that terrible? I even offered to return the candlesticks, good as new.
But now, I’ve been caught and my punishment’s waiting. I can’t go to Missouri. I can’t, but what choice do I have in the matter?
3
Taylor
“Oh my god, girl, I’m going to miss you,” my friend Sydney moans while flopping down on my bed. “Seriously, I don’t get along with the other hostesses. They’re always making snarky remarks about my hair. Listen, I have curls, okay? Maybe sometimes they’re a little out of control, but don’t knock it!”
I nod sadly while picking at a thread on the coverlet. My friend and I are sitting in my apartment, which is a tiny box in the Bronx. I make a nice amount at Club Z, but it’s not enough for a lavish penthouse in the trendiest areas of town. Instead, I’m lucky to be in this fifth-story walk-up in South Riverdale because there are no rats, roaches, or other vermin, and for that, I’m thankful.
“I know what you mean because I have curls too. What is it about the straight-haired girls that makes them hate us on sight? But I’ll miss you too, Syd. Yet I don’t have a choice because Casper and Clay Richmond were in Nicole’s office themselves, and you know they’re the ultimate bosses. So Missouri, here I come.”
Sydney sighs again, staring up at my ceiling, her brown locks spread out in a fan-shape.
“Seriously? This fucking sucks. What did you steal, anyways? That place is chock full of antiques, so I get it. Last month when my rent was due, I was tempted to lift some of their silverware myself.”
I sigh, still picking at the thread on my coverlet because Sydney’s hit somewhat close to home. I bite my lip and gesture towards the gleaming candlesticks, currently perched on the fireplace mantle.
“Those.”
Sydney gasps and sits up, eyeing the ten-inch cylinders. “Wait, seriously? How?”
“It was complicated,” I hesitate. “Plus, I wasn’t even stealing them. I was just borrowing them.”
Sydney shoots me a skeptical look. “Borrowing? But for what?”
I purse my lips.
“Well, I was thinking about cooking up a romantic dinner for Anthony. We haven’t talked much lately but I want to let bygones be bygones. He did invite me to dinner later this week.”
It’s not entirely a lie because I do have a sort-of boyfriend named Anthony. We’ve been on the outs for months now, but I got a text from him earlier this week, so my words are true. There’s going to be a dinner later this week, although it might not be romantic.
But Sydney merely grimaces.
“Anthony? Really? That loser? Why would you go to the trouble of cooking to please him?” she asks, rolling her eyes. “You know he would never appreciate it because he’s so entitled. That guy thinks he’s God’s gift to the world.”
I sigh.
“I know, but … okay, yeah, he tends to be picky about food. Still.”
Sydney fixes me with a look, her brown eyes serious.
“Anthony is the worst, Tay. I didn’t even know you two were still dating.”
“Well, I guess we’re not ‘dating’ technically. It’s complicated. But he did text, and we’re going to grab something to eat. We’re just seeing where things go.”
Sydney blows out a breath, rolling her eyes.
“Come on, Tay. You’re so much better than him, and you know it. I mean, there are a million guys out there who would love to date you, so why do you keep going back to Anthony? Is it his greasy black hair? The way he envisions himself as Al Pacino from Scarface? Or Michael Corleone from the Godfather?”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes.
“He’s not that bad, Sydney. I think if you got to know him better, you’d see that he’s a pretty decent guy deep down.”
Sydney stares at me.
“No, I don’t want to get to know him better. That’s the point. Besides, this is the same guy who was cheating on you not that long ago, isn’t it? You know what they say: once a cheater, always a cheater, so actually, it’s not complicated at all.”
I’m silent for a few seconds as I take a sip of my hot chocolate. It’s lukewarm now, but the sugar tastes good at least. Meanwhile, I consider trying to change the subject, but I know it won’t work. Sydney’s making some good points, and I should try and address them.
“Yeah, technically Anthony did cheat on me, but that was months ago, and he says he’s a whole new person now. He’s seen the error of his ways, and he’s no longer with that floozie, whatever-her-name-is. He said her fake tits were too big, and that they freaked him out.”