Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“You know I wouldn’t dare waste your wisdom.” My smile is slightly forced.
Gran just doesn’t know it’s for my own benefit.
XVI
For The Birds
(Brady)
“Your grandmother likes me. That has to count for something.” I smile at Lena as she ignores me, the wind pushing her loose brown hair from her face.
We’re on our way to Bainbridge Island on the big green-and-white ferry, and the sea breeze stings my cheeks.
“Technically, she’s not my grandmother.”
“Do technicalities matter, Sass?”
She shoots me a disgruntled look, and I laugh, taking her hand.
“What’s your mother up to these days, anyway? Does she visit?”
Her face falls.
“Retired. Mostly. I visit her a few times a year. Port Townsend. It’s a nice little getaway, even if it’s kind of far. After everything that happened, she’s not too fond of revisiting Seattle.”
She’s afraid to show her face here.
That’s what she’s not saying, and I hate that I can read between the lines.
I ease up, bringing the conversation back to Gran. Thankfully, the old woman’s antics spun enough old stories to keep Lena smiling while she tells them.
It’s a light crowd on the ship today, and no one else can hear our conversation, but the appearance is still public. Deliberately staged so people will see us out and about together, knowing a few of those bystanders will pull out their phones and snap not-so-discreet pics.
I want it to look natural.
Experience says Lena doesn’t perform well if she knows there’s an audience, but we also need this to be convincing.
That’s becoming less of a problem by the day.
Hell, after this morning, it’s no problem at all.
“Stop being a prick, and enjoy the breeze.” She twists her hand in mine so our fingers twine.
“I’m just enjoying the fact that Gran called me handsome. And rich. And basically God’s gift to Lena Joly.”
“Careful, dude. If your head gets any bigger, I’ll pop it.”
I pull her in, capturing her against my chest, bringing our laced hands to rest on her waist.
“What were the other compliments again? There were so many, I can’t remember them all.”
“If you like her so much, go fake an engagement,” she says, but she leans her head back against me.
Mindful of any cameras, I nip her ear, feeling her shiver as she giggles.
No more.
Not here, as tempting as it is.
“She is a catch, age difference be damned. Considering her questions, she’s clearly got her head screwed on right.”
“I can’t believe she asked if you were married. Gah.”
“Well, she doesn’t want some crazy wife to come out of the attic and start swinging for your head. You’d be surprised how often it happens in my circles. Guys get greedy and think they’re invincible, only to get their dicks rammed in the door.”
“Like you could get married without the whole world knowing.” She huffs a breath.
The thought claws at my chest, though I don’t know why.
She’s not wrong about the attention lavished on my dumb ass. That’s the entire point of this whole sham, after all.
Even if I tried some low-key courthouse wedding or eloping to Nepal, someone would get wind of it.
“I dunno,” I say. “I could probably go to Vegas and pick up a girl there to marry without anyone knowing.”
“Classy. Do they still have Elvis impersonators licensed to marry?”
“Hey, don’t blame me. You didn’t specify how this marriage would happen.”
“Theoretical marriage that’s never happening,” she corrects. Why does she sound so annoyed? “I mean, a big showy thing followed by a real ugly divorce would undermine what you’re trying to do here, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah. But it might be fun.” I lean in, blowing a strand of loose hair away from her face.
She pretends to hate it, but I see her cheeks bloom red.
Shit, with her body against mine, all warmth and supple curves, it’s hard to imagine ever sharing a life with anyone else.
“Do you ever wish you could disappear?” she asks after a second. “Like hire your way into some witness protection thing to assign you a new name and life?”
“What?”
“The publicity.”
“That’s part of my life. I’ve made my mistakes—too many to count—but they’re mine. No sense in starting over and living a total lie, even if I could make it happen.” I shrug, not wanting to get into this when we’re surrounded by the publicity on all sides.
The second we dock on the island and walk into town, we’ll be swarmed with attention. Bainbridge is a quiet place with a small-town vibe and basically the same appetite for any whiff of gossip. The summer crowds also tend to be larger and livelier.
“But wouldn’t it be easier? You get no privacy, Brady.”
“That’s what I asked for when I fired up my social media machine. Part passion project and another part trying to reinvent myself. Even when it works, you still pay the price, trading some shitty comments and unwanted attention for awareness that can make a real difference in everything you care about.”