Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
The smile instantly drops when his eyes shift and he sees whose hand I’m holding. Cold eyes and hardened features immediately replace the cordial look on his face. I’m going to fucking kill him. He blinks it away and tries cordial again. I tear my eyes from him and squeeze the hand not holding Lyla’s into a tight fist. She hasn’t noticed him. If she had, she would have squeezed my hand. She looks over her shoulder and stops walking. I’m not sure what she sees on my face, but she turns around and faces me immediately. The second she does, I pull her into my arms and kiss the fuck out of her, making sure it’s clear that she’s mine.
CHAPTER 55
LYLA
I don’t know who came up with the idea of sitting a group of strangers together at social gatherings, but it may go down as one of the worst ideas in history. Obviously, my father loves it. He thinks it’s great networking. I think it’s an extension of hell. I’ve been talking to the Fairview volleyball coach for ten minutes now. Lachlan is speaking to the NFL player next to him, but he’s tense and hasn’t let go of my hand since we sat down, even though I’ve tried to take it back three times. I know this means he saw Jameson, but I’ve swept the room twice and have yet to see him. I saw my dad. Well, I see my dad. He gave a quick speech in the beginning and thanked everyone for being here. Now, he’s sitting a few tables over with his back to us. The curious thing is that Marie is nowhere in sight. My phone buzzes in my purse, and Lach looks at me. This time, he lets go of my hand and keeps talking to the guy. I didn’t set it on airplane mode, in case of emergency.
“Excuse me a moment,” I say to the volleyball coach, as I take my phone out.
Marissa: update pls
Me: at luncheon. Haven’t seen him but i think lach did bc he’s acting weird
Marissa: shit. Be careful
Me: i know <3
Marissa: Coop asked ab you
Me: what’d you tell him?
Marissa: that you had a fam emergency and went oot
Marissa: i think he’s going to ask you out when you get back
Lachlan tenses. I look up and find his eyes narrowed and dark as he looks from the screen to me. I ignore him.
Me: it’s not gonna happen obv. I’ll have to talk to him
Lachlan signals for me to hand the phone to him. I look up with a frown but hand it to him anyway, because I’m curious to see what he’s going to do next.
Me: mar, it’s lachlan, do me a favor and tell him to go fuck himself
Marissa: LMAO i can’t do that
Me: tell him she got back together with her ex and that he proposed and they got married right away and she’s very very very happy
“That happy, huh?” I ask, amused.
He shoots me a look and types again.
Me: tell that shit head wade the same thing
Me: and whoever else i didn’t meet and wants to fuck lyla
Marissa: LOOOOOLLLLLLLL youre insane but i’ll tell them if i see them again before i leave
Me: thanks
He hands back the phone. I stare at him for a moment and put it away. Regardless of what happened, I was going to tell them both about Lachlan, the moment I got back. That was before things escalated so quickly. They’re going to be shocked when I tell them that not only did I get back with my ex, but we got married. I can’t even blame Lach for wanting to put an end to their advances. If the tables were turned, I’d do the same. I look around again but still don’t see Jameson. We remain seated during lunch and afterward, as we wait for dessert. They bring us glasses of wine — red or white. They’re already poured, and on the trays, so I pick red, even though I doubt I’ll drink it. Lach does the same and also sets it in front of his plate. Another server comes back with water and tops mine off before he continues to the next table. I take a sip of that instead. I’ve been drinking it the entire time, and it’s been fine, so I’m not worried. The dessert is placed in front of us — a slice of chocolate ganache cake that looks amazing. Neither of us touches it.
“Have you seen Coach Bev?” the volleyball coach asks me, as she digs into the slice of chocolate cake.
“Not yet.” I look around.
“She’s at the very last table over there. The same one we’re in, but on the opposite side.”
“I’ll have to say hello.” I smile a little.
“I’m sure she’d love to hear all the amazing things you’ve been up to.” She smiles.