Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“Let’s get this done,” I say as I keep hold of her hand and walk into the house.
I’m not about to let her father give her away, because she’s already mine. If anyone is her daddy now, it’s me. The only reason they are here is because I’m allowing them to witness the transaction.
She’s silent as we walk through the home, but I’m too anxious to let her stop and look around. We step onto the terrace where the minister is waiting, and I nod to him as we wait for everyone to take their place. My brother is behind me and her parents are behind her as the ceremony begins.
It’s thankfully short, and the only vow we have to say is “I do” before I place a ring on her finger. It’s a seven-carat oval cut diamond and a matching platinum wedding band that I slide on all at once. When it’s her turn, her fingers shake, and I hold her wrist to steady her as she does it.
I stare into her golden eyes as everything around us melts away and it’s just the two of us. This pull I feel toward her and this overwhelming need feels like it might consume me if I don’t have her soon. As the minister says the last of the words and then holds out the paper for us to sign, it’s my turn to shake. Only mine is from excitement.
After I scratch my name across the paper, I watch as she does her pretty loops and even makes a heart on the last letter of her name.
“Is that it?” I ask, and the minister nods. Turning with Phoebe’s hand in mine, I look directly at her father. “Your check is by the front door. Good night.”
Chapter Three
Phoebe
Boone is quick to dismiss my parents. I think they are as shocked as I am at the coldness he throws at them. I stare at my mother, expecting her to say something, but all her attention is on Boone’s brother. I think his name is Curt if I remember right from one of the articles I read. Boone hadn’t bothered to introduce me to him.
I’m not sure how to take that. Who am I kidding? I don’t know how to take any of this, especially how Boone is behaving since I’ve gotten here. I almost think he’s mad. If he’s so angry about having to marry me, then why did he push for this? Not only that, push for it so quickly. I was barely out of the car and he was pulling me down the aisle.
I’d actually hatched a plan to see if I could delay the wedding for a few days so we could have some time to get to know each other. I was going to plead that I’d like to invite more people and do this wedding the proper way. Really it was only a tactic to buy more time so I could initiate the plan Marley and I hatched to annoy the crap out of Boone. The hope was that he’d send me packing, but so much for all that.
“No reception or even a dinner?” My mother finally speaks, but she’s still staring at Curt.
I peek over at the man to try and see why she is staring at him. Boone shifts to block my view, which isn’t hard. He’s at least a foot taller than me, and I’m in heels. He glares down at me, and I wonder what the heck I did wrong. I’ve barely said three words to him at this point.
“If you’re hungry, I believe there’s a diner in Hollow Oak. Go there and eat.” Boone grabs me by the wrist. “Show them out,” he tells his brother.
“I swear Mom dropped you on your fucking head,” I hear Curt say as Boone starts to pull me out of the room.
“I can’t say goodbye?” I ask as I try to keep up with him. He stops abruptly and looks down at me.
“You want to say goodbye to the people who sold you off?” I flinch and try to pull my hand out from his grip. It only makes him tighten his hold on me. He’s silently making it clear I’m not getting free. “Fine. We’ll say goodbye.” He starts to guide me in that direction, but I shake my head.
“Never mind.”
“What?” He stops again, and I realize I barely whispered the words.
“I don’t need to say goodbye.” I swallow down the lump in my throat. As much as his words hurt, they’re true. I turn to face them, and they're still standing where we left them. “I owe you nothing now. We’re even.” He can take that stupid list of his and shove it up his ass.
“Phoebe,” my father calls. At least he finally looks ashamed. “I—”