Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
"You keep socks in your purse." His hazel eyes lift to mine.
"What if the ones I’m wearing get wet? There’s nothing worse than wet socks."
"I'll take your word for it."
He opens the bag, taking a gummy bear out and popping it into his mouth. He’s got a half smile as he watches me, showing off his bright white teeth. His lips are full like the kind women pay to have, but everything about him is confident without trying.
He’s ridiculously handsome at well over six feet tall with broad shoulders. The man could be the poster child for how to make a suit look good.
"What else have you got in the bag?" I think he’s teasing me. He doesn't ask it in the same tone my mother does when it’s really not a question at all.
"You should always be prepared.”
“For a garden?” He reaches out and picks up the tool kit.
“If only I could be so lucky.” I shake my head. “Ope, found them!” I pull out my bright yellow-rimmed glasses and slide them on. I sigh, picking the papers back up. “Now I can read them.”
I really don’t want to because I know it’s only going to make it worse. There’s nothing I can do to change what’s on these pages, and knowing the full extent of what my mother is willing to agree to won’t help.
“Emerson.” Gideon says my name gently, more gently than I think anyone ever has before. “Why are you marrying Conner? You know who he is, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I answer sadly and nod. “Although I didn’t find out he was a cheater until after I agreed to marry him. Before then, I was being stupid.”
“You’re only stupid if you sign those papers, and you don’t have to.”
I grab the pen off his desk and scribble my name on the last page. When I look up, his shoulders drop, a disappointed expression crossing his face. His reaction hits me harder than it should.
“Life isn’t a fairy tale,” I tell him, hating that I sound like my mother.
“Oh good, you’re done,” Mother says as she walks into Gideon’s office. “We have time to meet Conner's mother for brunch.”
I’d rather jump off this building, but that would cause a scene, and Mother can’t have that. Resigned to my fate, I stand up and turn my attention to Gideon.
"Thank you, Mr. Bennet. It was nice meeting you,” I say honestly. Seeing him go toe to toe with my mother might be the highlight of my year. As I put my things back into my bag, he stands up and holds out the gummy bears. "That’s okay, you can keep them."
"Come along, and take those silly glasses off," Mother snips, already walking out of Gideon’s office.
"It was nice meeting you too,” Gideon says to me.
"Don't forget." I tap the shelf where the philodendron sits.
"I promise, I won't forget. Ever."
The way he’s looking at me when he says it makes me think he's not talking about the plant at all.
Chapter Four
GIDEON
“Oh sweet, gummy bears.” Spencer goes for the bag I’m holding, but I jerk it closer to my chest, out of his reach.
“Get your own,” I tell him and scowl.
“Geez, what’s up your ass? Everything okay with the Gamer’s prenup?”
“No. I mean, yes. But no.” I stare off in the distance as I think about how to answer that question.
Since Emerson left, I’ve been in a fog of uncertainty wondering if I should go to see a doctor about my sudden medical issues. It’s probably exactly what I thought and I’m having a stroke. Or maybe I’ve got some kind of virus that is eating my brain, and I’m about to turn into a zombie.
“Gideon!” Spencer shouts my name, and I flinch.
“What?”
“Seriously, what’s going on? Did something happen?”
I reach in the bag of gummy bears and take out one of the green ones. “Do you know these are strawberry flavored?”
“What? No, and why does that matter? Did you hit your head?”
“I think I’m turning into a zombie,” I say mostly to myself, and then Landon walks in.
“Did you get the prenup signed?” he asks, but I’m too busy staring out the window and looking at the birds flying by. Have I ever noticed them before?
“I think he’s concussed,” Spencer tells Landon. “He’s acting weird.” He reaches for the gummy bears again, and I move them out of his grasp. “And he won’t share his candy.”
“When is the wedding?” I say, turning away from the window and looking up at Landon. “I need to know.”
“Oh shit.” Landon’s face pales as he looks me over.
“What is it?” Spencer stands beside Landon, and they stare at me like I’m an animal at the zoo.
“He’s in love,” Landon says right before he bursts into laughter.
“Am not.” I cut my eyes at him then shove the gummy bears in my jacket pocket.