Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“How is Shelly doing?” I ask my mom quietly, ignoring Matthew, who I can still feel hovering near us.
“Good. She’s starting treatments soon.”
“That’s good.” I don’t bother asking her about the whole news story that came out. My mom learned when my dad got into politics that you can’t trust the media, so she rarely believes anything that comes out unless there is evidence to back it up. And if Shelly hasn’t spoken to her about it—which she probably hasn’t, because good Southern women don’t talk about their marital problems—then Mom won’t bring it up to her.
When Shelly starts heading toward the bar with Billy right behind her, I glance over to where I last saw Dayton and find him heading in our direction, his eyes on Matthew and his jaw clenched.
“Someone isn’t happy,” Molly whispers.
My heart pounds, and a tingle slides down my spine when he steps up next to me and rests his hand on my lower back. The touch might look innocent to everyone else in the room, but I feel the possessiveness in it.
“Mom, you remember Dayton, don’t you?” I prompt, hoping to cut through the tension I can feel building around me when Matthew bristles.
“I do. It’s so nice to see you, Dayton.” Mom gives him her cheek, and he bends down to kiss her there. “How have you been? How’s work?”
“I’ve been good. Work’s busy.”
“I bet.” She laughs, then looks at Matthew, and her brows draw together ever so slightly, like she’s sensing something from him. “You know Matthew, don’t you?” Mom asks, and Dayton doesn’t even bother looking over at my ex-husband when he replies.
“We’ve met.”
“Dayton.”
When he turns at his name being called, I do the same and find Billy coming up behind us. I fight the curl of my lip. Any respect I had for him is long gone—not only because he’s a cheater, which is absolutely disgusting, but because he was willingly going to cause my father harm in order to save his own ass.
“I should have known you’d be with Francisca.” His eyes drop to me, and he smiles while bending to touch his lips to my cheek. “How are you?”
I try not to shudder in revulsion. “Okay, you?”
“Living the dream.”
I’m sure he believes he is. Douche.
He takes his eyes off me and looks to where Matthew is standing on the opposite side of me. “It’s been a while. How are you doing, Matthew? How’s work?” He holds out his hand.
“I just made partner,” Matthew tells him.
“You did?” I blurt, and he looks at me, his face going soft.
“I did. Dad let me know this afternoon.”
“Congratulations!” I can’t help but give him a hug. I know how hard he’s been working toward that goal, how many long nights he had, and how much he sacrificed for that position, which has always been his dream. Maybe I shouldn’t be so excited for him because one of the things he sacrificed was our marriage, but as someone who used to be his friend, I’m genuinely happy that he finally got what he always wanted.
“Thanks.” His hold on me grows uncomfortably long, and I have to wiggle for him to let me go.
“I’m really happy for you.” I step away from him and back into something solid, feeling a hand wrap around my hip.
Dayton.
“That means a lot.” He tips his head toward the bar. “Can I buy you a celebration drink?”
The fingers wrapped around my hip dig in, and I swallow hard.
“Oh, there’s Christen,” Molly says loudly, making me jump. “Come on! Let’s go get a drink and say hi.” She laces her arm through mine as she looks through everyone. “Sorry, I’m going to steal her for a few minutes. We’ll be back.”
“Go mingle,” Mom replies, oblivious to the tension in the air as she waves us off before turning back to talk to Shelly.
Glancing up at Dayton as Molly tugs me away, I catch the look on his face and instantly feel a knot form in the pit of my stomach. If I thought he wasn’t happy before, I was wrong. I want to reassure him—or have him reassure me—that we’re okay, but I don’t even know what we are. This thing between us is strange, because we have no label, yet I feel more connected to him than I ever did my ex, who I was with for years. And it’s not just because our futures are tied together in a way that they will never be untangled, thanks to our baby.
“Girl, I knew I felt the tension between you and Dayton when he came to pick us up, but that whole scene just proved there is something going on with you two,” she whispers, leaning into me as we reach the bar. “What have you not told me?” She smiles at the bartender, who sees us and starts in our direction.