Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 81584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
I didn’t know what to do to make him get the fucking hint. I didn’t want anything to do with him. If it was up to me, I’d never have to see his slimy face again. Unfortunately, he seemed to be everywhere. It’s why we hadn’t had people over to our house. I’d been too worried that he’d show up, and someone would let him in not realizing that he was persona non-grata.
The tiny bright spot in the last two weeks had been the clean bill of health I’d gotten back from my STI screening. Learning that the asshole had given me syphilis would’ve been the cherry on top of the shit sundae I was already dealing with.
“Whoa,” Myla said as I waved the cash at her. “That was fast.”
“Everyone’s hungry.”
“Why do you think I was trying to feed them?” she bitched as she slid a tub of sour cream back in the fridge.
“What were you going to do with that?”
“I don’t know.” She threw her hands up in the air, and I laughed.
After counting out the money and making a massive order at the closest restaurant, I stuffed the cash into my back pocket and made my way over to where Lou was talking with Nova on the couch.
“What are you two gossiping about?” I asked. As I spoke, someone turned down the music, and my voice rang through the room. “Well. That was awkward,” I said a little quieter.
“We’re not gossiping,” Lou said, leaning against my side. “She was telling me about Bird.”
“He’s good?” I asked, perking up a little. Nova’s little brother was the shit. He was going to school across the country, and I hadn’t seen him in ages, though we did send funny cat pictures back and forth pretty regularly.
“He said he’s almost done with his PhD,” Nova replied, grinning. “I can’t freaking wait for him to be home. I don’t know why he couldn’t have gone to school somewhere closer.”
“Said every parent, ever,” Lou teased.
“I know, right?” Nova laughed. “I’m so proud of him.”
“Never expected anything less from the little fella.”
“I’m going to tell him you called him little fella,” Nova threatened.
“Do it. If it bothers him, he can bring it. I kicked his ass before, and I can do it again.”
“You’re so full of shit,” Lou said with a cackle. “He had you pinned like a pretzel.”
“Agree to disagree,” I replied loftily.
“You can’t agree to disagree with facts, Francesca.”
“Watch me.”
We chatted for a while about everything and nothing, and I remembered for the thousandth time how much I liked Rumi’s wife. Nova was smart and thoughtful and didn’t take any of Rumi’s shit. They fit together so well, I couldn’t imagine either of them with anyone else.
When the doorbell rang, I sprang up from the couch and headed to the door, stumbling over someone’s bag that they’d left in the walkway.
“I’m coming,” I called, laughing.
I was still smiling when I opened up the door expecting to see the delivery person, but my face immediately fell when I realized who it was.
“What are you doing here?” I asked flatly.
“It’s Saturday night,” Scott said, holding up a bouquet of lilies. “I figured I’d see what you were up to.”
My skin crawled as he looked me up and down. I wasn’t wearing anything revealing, but I remembered with unfortunate clarity that he’d already seen every inch of my body. I’d never wanted to go back in time so badly.
“You need to leave,” I said woodenly, trying not to raise my voice and alert anyone inside the house.
“Frankie, can’t we just talk? You’ve been avoiding me for weeks.”
“Catch a fucking hint, Scott,” I snapped, gripping the door so hard that the tips of my fingers turned white.
“It’s not like you can avoid me forever. We work together.”
There it was, the insidious implication I better play nice or shit was going to get even worse for me at the office.
“Baby, is the food here?” a familiar voice murmured behind me as a warm hand slid around my back to grip my hip. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
I leaned back against Gray, playing along.
“Come on, Frankie,” Scott muttered, his eyes still on my face. “Come outside so we can talk this out.”
“There’s nothing to talk out,” I replied.
Behind Scott an unfamiliar car double-parked on the street.
“You need to leave,” Gray announced, his hand tightening on my hip.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with you,” Scott replied dismissively. “It’s between me and Frankie.”
Before I could tell him, again, that we didn’t have anything to talk about, Gray was gently pulling me further inside. “Close the door, yeah?” he murmured in my ear before stepping out onto the porch.
“What’s goin’ on?” Rumi asked as I stared at Gray’s back. “Thought the food was here?”
“Um,” I muttered, not sure what to say.