Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
I smiled. It might not have been my brightest idea, but I was desperate, and if Brianna Talbot trusted these women with the details of her threesomes, I figured I didn’t have anything to worry about.
For the next twenty minutes, I told them everything. Not the carefully edited version I’d have given a journalist or a publicist. The real version. All of it.
Devon being an asshole at the hotel.
Devon taking me to see Marty.
Our shared mornings on the farm.
Sebastian showing up.
My night at the Doodle Bug Café with Brit and Fran.
Devon calling Brooke to give me something normal.
They went wild when I told them about the stolen shirt and heels, everyone hitting me with either a cheers or a high-five.
There were actual sighs when I told them about Roger and the five-dollar bill.
And finally, I’d ended it with Henry Alexander and my argument with Devon in the driveway.
By the time I’d gotten through all of it, I’d made my way to the bottom of my wine, the warmth in my veins making me bold.
“Can I say something embarrassing?”
“Finally,” Brianna smarted, leaning in close.
“I googled her.”
Nobody laughed. Which I greatly appreciated.
“I mean, I already know what she looks like, but I searched: Levee Williams with bodyguard. And there he was. Photo after photo. Strong. Protective.” I paused. “In love with her.”
“Lofton—” Sarah started.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I rushed out. “I feel like I’m the sequel.”
The room was quiet for a moment. I anchored my gaze on my glass in my lap to avoid their eyes, but I could feel the pity filling the space.
Then Mira said softly, “It doesn’t sound like he ever treated you that way though.”
As if my heart were doing the answering, my response came out before my brain had fully processed the question. “No. He’s amazing.”
“Then what makes you feel that way?”
I twisted my lips. “Come on. It’s Levee Williams. Who wouldn’t want to be with her.”
They all looked at each other, but it was Brianna who spoke up. “Um…probably the man who’s with Lofton Beck.”
I scoffed. “He’s only with me because she turned him down.”
Brianna squinted. “I’m sorry, did you think he was a virgin? Because, Lofton, I gotta be real here. There’s not a man in this house who hasn’t taken a woman to bed before us.”
“He claims he didn’t sleep with Levee,” I corrected.
Brianna let out a loud laugh. “Then why are we even talking about this woman? Girl, you told us yourself you saw a man you wanted, you went after him, and now he’s in so deep he’s out there floundering and getting fired because you found out he has an ex? I kind of feel like you already won this one.”
“The ex that he lied to me about,” I shot back, hurt crawling into my voice.
“Psh, the man was embarrassed. Their egos are so fragile.” She curled her legs up beneath her, a whimsical smile splitting her lips. “You want to teach him a lesson, you’re welcome to join me and Alex and John—”
“No!” Rhion yelled.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to teach him a lesson. I sure as hell don’t want anyone else. I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been falling for this man who was so thoughtful and fiercely honest, but in reality, he’s just like everyone else.”
“Okay,” Sarah said carefully. “Can I say something you might not want to hear?”
I laughed, wholly sad. “Apparently that’s what we’re doing tonight.”
“You’re gonna have to stick with me for a minute, but I swear I have a point.”
I chanced a glance up at her. “Okay?”
“I might not know you well, Lofton,” Sarah said. “But I’ve known Brianna for a while, and she’s always hated how people, especially men, put her on this pedestal of perfection because she’s this gorgeous model.”
“Oh God,” Brianna groaned, flopping back dramatically. “One stretch mark and suddenly I’m a cautionary tale. Don’t even get me started on the heinous crime of—” She gasped, clutching her chest. “Being bloated during my period.”
Sarah’s focus stayed on me. “Is that something you’ve dealt with?”
“Of course,” I said automatically. “Everybody does.”
Sarah shook her head.
Rhion crinkled her nose.
Mira stared at me like I had two heads. “That sounds exhausting.”
“I mean, it’s kind of the job.” I glanced at Brianna for backup. “Right?”
“Absolutely,” she said. “Still sucks though. It’s why I love Alex and Joh—”
“Dammit, Brianna,” Rhion snapped.
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I promise.” She lifted her wine to her lips, her crossed fingers on full display.
Mira giggled.
Rhion cussed.
And Sarah leaned toward me and patted me on the thigh. “I think you might have put Devon on that same pedestal.”
My head snapped back. “What? I don’t care if Devon gets stretch marks or gains weight.”
She shook her head. “Not that pedestal. Devon’s your bodyguard. Your protector. Always controlled. Always reliable. Always the one who has the answers.” She popped one shoulder. “You trust him to keep you safe. And I think, when you two got together in a different way, you assumed that same perfect reliability would transfer to guarding your heart as well. But he’s not perfect, Lofton. So when he inevitably made a mistake, it cut deeper than you ever could have imagined. Because in your eyes, Devon’s always been the salve, not the pain.”