Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Cleaning lady stubbed her toe.” I moved to the other end of the pantry. “But I will be bringing a plus-one.”
“You didn’t RSVP a plus-one,” she reminded me.
“You’re right, I didn’t. And I’m bringing one, anyway, because it’s my fucking childhood home too.” I knew it rankled my sister to be reminded that she wasn’t an only child. “We’ll drive up on Friday.”
“Please, not another of your one-night-stands-turned-brief-engagements,” Catherine huffed.
“We’re not engaged. Yet.” I covered the phone speaker with my thumb as Charlotte wailed a long moan in the dining room, then continued when it was safe. “Mind your own business. Worry about your husband’s plus-one for Friday night.”
“Charming as ever,” my sister seethed, and hung up the phone.
Damnit. This thing with my mother’s birthday was certainly going to throw a huge wrench into my seven days with Charlotte. Once she met my sister, she probably would never speak to me again.
I turned my phone on do not disturb mode and made a mental note to call my mom later. At a time when my girlfriend wasn’t orgasming nonstop at the breakfast table.
“That was fast,” I said cheerfully as I strolled out to find Charlotte, her hands braced on the table, wearing an adorably murderous look.
“Turn it off,” she managed through gritted teeth.
I laughed and hit the button. “Only because you asked so nicely. Did you want to use your word or…”
“I just needed a break.” She pushed her hair back with one hand and reached for some juice with the other.
“How many times did you come when I was on that phone call?” I asked, sitting down and making a point to place the remote beyond her reach.
“Twice, but in a multiple, blended-together way. Way too intense. Like, is it powered by angry bees? My clit is on fucking fire.” She shifted in her seat, and I felt a little bit guilty.
“You know, maybe it’s too much, after everything I’ve done to the poor thing lately.” I frowned. “Also, maybe you’d like to take the vibrator off before I tell you what that call was about.”
She slammed her palm down on the table and demanded, “Who’s Catherine!” with a dramatic voice that didn’t match her mischievous smile.
I laughed. “My sister. Do you want to discuss siblings while wearing a sex toy or…”
Charlotte jumped up and quickly divested herself of the vibrator before sitting back down.
“That’s what I thought.” My coffee was getting cold. I poured a little more from the insulated carafe to warm it up. “As it turns out… I forgot my mother’s birthday party.”
Charlotte’s forehead rumpled slightly. I assumed she was wondering what that had to do with her.
“It’s this weekend,” I clarified.
“Oh.” She squinted. “What day is it today?”
“Today is Wednesday.” I held up seven fingers. “You see the issue, I’m sure?”
“It’s totally no problem. I can stay here. I’m not a dog. I’m not going to chew up your couch if you leave me alone for a few hours.” She picked up a strawberry from her plate and took a bite, adding, “And you’re not going to offend me by not introducing me to your family.”
“It’s for more than a few hours.” I paused. “It’s kind of an all-weekend affair.”
“Oh.” She swallowed, then cleared her throat and forced a smile I didn’t buy for a second. “So, we cut my visit short a little bit. No big. I can always fly back in a few weeks—”
A few weeks? I would miss my mother’s funeral to avoid being away from Charlotte for a few weeks.
No, I wouldn’t. But that was how dramatic I felt.
“Seriously,” she went on, probably because I was sure I looked like I’d swallowed poison. “I’m not going to break up with you because we had to change our plans. I’m capricious, but I’m not that capricious.”
“Leaving early is not what I was going to suggest.” What was I going to suggest? That Charlotte should walk straight into the lion’s den? Worse, the Catherine’s Den? All of my other relationships had been with people who were, if not old money, at least in a tax bracket used to dealing with old money. And Charlotte was so quick to protect herself from rejection that I could easily see her being chased off by noon on Saturday.
But I also planned on her being a part of the rest of my life. It could be better to get the culture shock over with right away, so if she wanted to disentangle herself from me, it wouldn’t be after years of dating.
A thought struck me, then. We’d met at Scott’s doomed wedding in March. Then, we’d had a phone sex relationship for three months. She hadn’t technically been my girlfriend, but I could retroactively count that as dating. Four months was an appropriate span of time after which one could introduce a partner to their family.