Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
The Nicest Man Ever: Ouch. And work?
Me: You're gonna love this. Amelia just sent me an update for the magazine's website. Apparently you left a napkin at a restaurant that's being sold online for thousands of dollars.
The Nicest Man Ever: Jesus.
Me: Yep. What are you up to?
The Nicest Man Ever: I just signed a bunch of shit for the album release that's coming up. My hand feels like it's going to fall off.
Me: I wonder how much that would go for.
The Nicest Man Ever: God I needed that laugh. I'll be in the studio late tonight. I'll call after?
Me: Not too late. It's gonna be another early morning for me.
The Nicest Man Ever: I'll be sure to keep that in mind.
He ends up calling before 8pm. Before he even goes into the studio. He said he wanted to be sure he didn't miss me.
That's the thing about Asher.
No matter what, he always calls.
July
It’s an annual tradition in the Harris household to watch the Fourth of July fireworks from the back deck. We have the perfect view of the Town Spectacular show they put on at the local park.
It's usually one of the highlights of my summer.
This year my mind is elsewhere and I can't get into it.
For starters, I haven’t heard from Asher all day.
In the time since I woke up cuddled in his arms in that Manhattan hotel room over a month ago, not a single day has gone by in which he was silent, no matter where he was or what he was doing.
Yesterday he warned that he had a busy day today, but he usually makes time.
He always makes time.
Except he hasn't.
Not today.
I can't help but think this is how it starts.
From communicating multiple times a day, to once a day, to once a week, month, year, and then never.
Is this how Asher slips out of my life?
As the first firework shoots into the sky I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I try to hold off being that desperate girl who prays it's him, except I am her.
I'm my own twisted version of being that girl who waits for those moments in the day where her crush gives her the time of day. Only I'm not in high school anymore. Or college. I'm a grown twenty-three year old woman who brought her phone outside with her. Her phone, which has been glued to her side all day as she waited.
I yell to everyone that the show is starting.
Then I reach for my phone.
What can I say, I’m a pathetic loser.
The Nicest Man Ever: Hope your day went well! I just found out I'll be back in the NYC at the end of August. Only for one day, but excited to see you!
I sink into one of the deck chairs.
End of August? It’s only July!
I've been waiting for this news for weeks, eager to know when I'll see him again. I didn't think it was going to be so far away. And only for one day.
Maybe he was right all along to stay friends. Maybe I won't be able to handle his life like I thought.
I place my phone on the deck railing and toss my head back with a groan, just as Ben walks out with a big bowl of popcorn.
My phone dings again.
Part of me doesn't want to look. I can't handle more bad news, or being sucked into his wonderful charm, leading myself on when I should know better. Ben's snide remark about my phone being attached to my hip doesn't help either.
With a huff I grab it anyway.
People say we're stronger than we think. I don't know if that's true for me.
The Nicest Man Ever: These fireworks are something else, huh?
I click to the home screen and check the time.
9:00pm. It's three hours earlier by him.
Me: Isn’t it a little early for fireworks?
The Nicest Man Ever: Gold has always been my favorite. They light up the sky best.
I don't think much of it. Things are weird in LA, and with the canyons and what not maybe fireworks can be seen in broad daylight. Maybe they've got all that movie magic that makes the whole place unlike anything I've ever seen, and I wouldn't know.
I've never been.
As the sky sparkles above I wonder if Asher can see fireworks from his house too? I'm sure he can. Is that where he is now? Is he alone? What does his house look like? How are the rooms decorated? What posters hang on his walls? Maybe he doesn't have any posters. The more I think about it I imagine sci-fi things and obscure paintings.
Last week curiosity got the best of me. I tried to look up where he lives. It felt stalkerish so I told him about it. He made a joke. I said I was curious. He made another joke, and that was it.